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Honey Boy

  • 2019
  • R
  • 1h 34m
IMDb RATING
7.2/10
39K
YOUR RATING
POPULARITY
4,875
591
Noah Jupe in Honey Boy (2019)
Watch Watch Now
Play trailer2:14
27 Videos
99+ Photos
Drama

A young actor's stormy childhood and early adult years as he struggles to reconcile with his father and deal with his mental health.A young actor's stormy childhood and early adult years as he struggles to reconcile with his father and deal with his mental health.A young actor's stormy childhood and early adult years as he struggles to reconcile with his father and deal with his mental health.

  • Director
    • Alma Har'el
  • Writer
    • Shia LaBeouf
  • Stars
    • Shia LaBeouf
    • Lucas Hedges
    • Noah Jupe
  • See production, box office & company info
  • IMDb RATING
    7.2/10
    39K
    YOUR RATING
    POPULARITY
    4,875
    591
    • Director
      • Alma Har'el
    • Writer
      • Shia LaBeouf
    • Stars
      • Shia LaBeouf
      • Lucas Hedges
      • Noah Jupe
    • 230User reviews
    • 156Critic reviews
    • 73Metascore
  • See more at IMDbPro
    • Awards
      • 10 wins & 41 nominations

    Videos27

    Watch Now
    Trailer 2:14
    Watch Watch Now
    Honey Boy - Watch now Trailer
    Trailer 2:14
    Watch Honey Boy - Watch now Trailer
    Official Trailer 2
    Trailer 2:08
    Watch Official Trailer 2
    Watch Now
    Trailer 2:14
    Watch Watch Now
    Honey Boy
    Trailer 2:14
    Watch Honey Boy
    Honey Boy
    Trailer 2:18
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    Honey Boy
    Trailer 2:16
    Watch Honey Boy
    Indie Spirit Stars Suggest Indie Gems You Must Watch Right Now
    Clip 2:49
    Watch Indie Spirit Stars Suggest Indie Gems You Must Watch Right Now
    Shia LaBeouf & Dakota Johnson Learn Life Lessons on 'The Peanut Butter Falcon'
    Clip 2:55
    Watch Shia LaBeouf & Dakota Johnson Learn Life Lessons on 'The Peanut Butter Falcon'
    Spotlighting Sundance 2019's Women Directors
    Clip 3:36
    Watch Spotlighting Sundance 2019's Women Directors
    Kevin Smith's 5 Films to Watch at Sundance 2019
    Clip 3:30
    Watch Kevin Smith's 5 Films to Watch at Sundance 2019
    Honey Boy
    Clip 0:42
    Watch Honey Boy

    Photos206

    Noah Jupe in Honey Boy (2019)
    Alma Har'el at an event for Honey Boy (2019)
    Catherine Hardwicke and Alma Har'el at an event for Honey Boy (2019)
    Paul W. Downs at an event for Honey Boy (2019)
    Laura San Giacomo at an event for Honey Boy (2019)
    Kate Crash at an event for Honey Boy (2019)
    Jon Huertas at an event for Honey Boy (2019)
    Daniela Taplin Lundberg at an event for Honey Boy (2019)
    Dominic LaPerriere at an event for Honey Boy (2019)
    Shia LaBeouf at an event for Honey Boy (2019)
    Byron Bowers and Alma Har'el at an event for Honey Boy (2019)
    Jennifer Salke and Alma Har'el at an event for Honey Boy (2019)

    Top cast

    Edit
    Shia LaBeouf
    Shia LaBeouf
    • James
    Lucas Hedges
    Lucas Hedges
    • Otis (22)
    Noah Jupe
    Noah Jupe
    • Otis (12)
    Byron Bowers
    Byron Bowers
    • Percy
    Laura San Giacomo
    Laura San Giacomo
    • Dr. Moreno
    FKA Twigs
    FKA Twigs
    • Shy Girl
    Natasha Lyonne
    Natasha Lyonne
    • Mom
    Maika Monroe
    Maika Monroe
    • Sandra
    Clifton Collins Jr.
    Clifton Collins Jr.
    • Tom
    Mario Ponce
    Mario Ponce
    • Tiny
    Martin Starr
    Martin Starr
    • Alec
    Haylee Sanchez
    Haylee Sanchez
    • Working Girl 1
    Giovanni Lopes
    Giovanni Lopes
    • Rehab Nurse
    Dorian Brown Pham
    Dorian Brown Pham
    • Pam
    • (as Dorian Pham)
    Greta Jung
    Greta Jung
    • AD
    Craig Stark
    Craig Stark
    • Craig
    Graham Clarke
    Graham Clarke
    • TV Dad
    Kevin Dunigan
    Kevin Dunigan
    • Cop
    • Director
      • Alma Har'el
    • Writer
      • Shia LaBeouf
    • All cast & crew
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

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    Storyline

    Edit

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      Shia LaBeouf was arrested for public intoxication in July of 2017 in Savannah, Georgia. He was ordered to attend a 10 week rehab program, where he discovered that he had PTSD and began writing the screenplay for Honey Boy
    • Quotes

      James: How do you think it feels to have my son paying me? How do you think that feels?

      Otis (12): [sadly] You wouldn't be here if I didn't pay you.

    • Crazy credits
      "And Introducing Henrietta LaFowl, World's First Daredevil Chicken"
    • Connections
      Featured in Amanda the Jedi Show: 'Faster than your First Time' Reviews (Joker, Jojo Rabbit, Lucy in the Sky and everything else) (2019)
    • Soundtracks
      My Struggles
      Written by Missy Elliott

      Performed by Missy Elliott featuring Mary J. Blige and Grand Puba

    User reviews230

    Review
    Review
    Featured review
    7/10
    Shia's childhood
    Greetings again from the darkness. Most 12 year olds don't have a job. Perhaps their parents have assigned a few chores around the house to help them learn responsibility, but for the most part, they go to school and play ... the things that kids do. Shia LaBeouf had 2 jobs as a kid. He was a rising actor and he was employer/quasi-guardian of his father. Now in his 30's, LaBeouf has written a screenplay about his childhood and he stars as his father in an attempt to exorcise some personal demons. It also happens to make for compelling cinema.

    The film opens with a montage of cuts between a 20-something LeBeouf (played by Oscar nominee Lucas Hedges) performing stunts on an action movie set (clearly meant to represent TRANSFORMERS) and a serious automobile wreck and subsequent DUI. The wreck caused major damage to his hand and resulted in court-mandated rehabilitation. While in rehab, his therapist (played by Laura San Giacomo) diagnoses him with PTSD ... not military war related, but rather broken family related.

    In this film, LeBeouf has named the character based on himself Otis, and the character based on his own father James Lort. In addition to Hedges playing the early-20's version, another rising actor, Noah Jupe, plays Otis as a 12 year old. As rehabbing Otis puts his childhood memories to paper, we see flashbacks featuring the younger Otis and his father. They live in a dump of a motel, and ride to the TV show set (meant to be "Even Stevens") on dad's motorcycle. James Lort/dad is a former performing clown, recovering addict, and ex-con. He's the kind of guy who talks a big game and blames everyone else for keeping him from succeeding. To put it mildly ... he's a jerk. That's not to say he doesn't have his moments as a caring parent, but those moments are nullified by the bullying and threats of violence towards his young son. That son is desperate to please his dad, yet wise enough to know that he's not to be trusted.

    Shia LeBeouf dives in head first to play the man who had such an impact on his early years. This, mind you, is the kind of man who offers cigarettes to his young son, makes fun of his pre-pubescent body, and is quite jealous of his budding career. LeBeouf is at his best in a difficult role that surely cuts very deep for him. Supporting roles are played by singer FKA Twigs as the shy neighbor girl who befriends Otis, plus Natasha Lyonne, Maika Monroe, Clifton Collins Jr, and Byron Bowers.

    Director Alma Har'el structures her first narrative feature film (she has previously worked on videos and documentaries) with timelines showing Otis at the two ages. There are no fancy camera tricks. Instead she trusts these talented actors to bring it home ... and that they do very well. Lucas Hedges was Oscar nominated for MANCHESTER BY THE SEA, and he is in the beautiful upcoming film WAVES. Noah Jupe is a star in the making, having previously appeared in A QUIET PLACE, and in the exhilarating upcoming film FORD VS FERRARI. These are some top notch actors at their very best.

    As viewers, we have to remove ourselves from feeling anger and disgust towards the James Lort character. That's easier said than done when he says things like "The only thing my father gave me of any value was pain." It's meant to sum up his reasoning for his own parenting approach. There is a truly brilliant, and well-coordinated scene that acts as a three-way phone conversation between father, son, and estranged wife/mother. The kid is put smack in the middle of the two people who are supposed to love and nurture and protect him. Instead, Otis comes across as the adult. We do get some comic relief with the 'world's first daredevil chicken', but this is just not a warm, cuddly father-son fairy tale. This was real life for Shia LeBeouf and he's brave to bring it out in the open, even if it's less confession and more therapeutic session. He deserves it after hearing, "I'm your cheerleader, Honey Boy", and "Trust me, I'm your father."
    helpful•76
    30
    • ferguson-6
    • Nov 10, 2019

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    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • November 27, 2019 (United States)
    • Country of origin
      • United States
    • Official sites
      • Official Facebook
      • Official Instagram
    • Languages
      • English
      • Spanish
    • Also known as
      • Cậu Bé Đáng Thương
    • Filming locations
      • The Pink Motel & Cadillac Jack's Diner, 9457 San Fernando Road, Sun Valley, California, USA
    • Production companies
      • Amazon Studios
      • Stay Gold Features
      • Kindred Spirit
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Box office

    Edit
    • Gross US & Canada
      • $3,012,615
    • Opening weekend US & Canada
      • $301,065
      • Nov 10, 2019
    • Gross worldwide
      • $3,400,977
    See detailed box office info on IMDbPro

    Technical specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      1 hour 34 minutes
    • Color
      • Color
    • Sound mix
      • Dolby Atmos
      • Dolby Digital
    • Aspect ratio
      • 2.39 : 1

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