Honey Boy

"sweet as honey."

2019 1h 34m EN

👍

7.0

SOLID

★7.0TMDB · 754

Drama

Synopsis

Spoiler shield

The story of a child star attempting to mend his relationship with his law-breaking, alcohol-abusing father over the course of a decade, loosely based on Shia LaBeouf’s life.

“sweet as honey.”

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Where to watch · US

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Cast

Shia LaBeouf
James Lort
Lucas Hedges
Otis Lort (22 Years Old)
Noah Jupe
Otis Lort (12 Years Old)
Byron Bowers
Percy
Laura San Giacomo
Dr. Moreno
FKA twigs
Shy Girl
Natasha Lyonne
Mom
Maika Monroe
Sandra

Credits

Behind the camera

Director: Alma Har'el
Writers: Shia LaBeouf
Languages: English
Countries: United States of America

Want more? Switch to Cinephile mode in the header for DP, composer, budget, box office, production companies, keywords, and release history.

Did you know?

Fun facts 🍿

1 / 8

MONEY

Did you know

Shot for just $3.5M — micro-budget by Hollywood standards.

MoodPlayr · trivia#01

2 / 8

MONEY

Did you know

Earned back only 97% of its budget on initial theatrical — a commercial disappointment on release.

MoodPlayr · trivia#02

3 / 8

ERA

Did you know

Released 7 years ago.

MoodPlayr · trivia#03

4 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Directed by Alma Har'el, shot by Natasha Braier. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.

MoodPlayr · trivia#04

5 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Original score by Alex Somers. Worth a dedicated listen after — most great films lose half their impact without the score.

MoodPlayr · trivia#05

6 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Editor Dominic LaPerriere shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.

MoodPlayr · trivia#06

7 / 8

CAST

Did you know

Shia LaBeouf and Lucas Hedges and Noah Jupe carry the top of the cast.

MoodPlayr · trivia#07

8 / 8

FACT

Did you know

Marketing tagline: "sweet as honey.".

MoodPlayr · trivia#08

Cinephile deep dive

The take

Alma Har'el directs. Natasha Braier behind the camera. Alex Somers scores. Dominic LaPerriere cuts. Runs lean at under 100 minutes. A commercial under-performer on release. Produced in United States of America. Dialogue in English.

Trivia

Things worth knowing

1Shot for just $3.5M — micro-budget by Hollywood standards.
2Earned back only 97% of its budget on initial theatrical — a commercial disappointment on release.
3Released 7 years ago.
4Directed by Alma Har'el, shot by Natasha Braier. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.
5Original score by Alex Somers. Worth a dedicated listen after — most great films lose half their impact without the score.
6Editor Dominic LaPerriere shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.
7Shia LaBeouf and Lucas Hedges and Noah Jupe carry the top of the cast.
8Marketing tagline: "sweet as honey.".
9IMDB entry: tt8151874 — still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.
10Classified under 20 themes, including "vietnam veteran", "abusive father", "rehabilitation", "motel".
11Released under 24 different titles around the world.

The technical file

Cinematography: Natasha Braier
Original score: Alex Somers
Editing: Dominic LaPerriere
Production design: JC Molina
Costume design: Natalie O'Brien
Makeup / hair: Yasuko Shapiro
VFX supervisor: Martin Karlsson
Sound: Brent Kiser
Stunt coordinator: Rob King
Runtime: 94 min · 1h 34m
Aspect ratio (typical): 1.37:1 (Academy)
Status: Released
Budget: $3,500,000
Box office: $3,400,977
Return: 97% of budget
Original language: EN
Certification (US): R
IMDB: Honey Boy (2019)

Awards

Sundance Special Jury Prize Dramatic

Individual records documented via Wikidata; the summary above may count more.

Also by

Alma Har'el

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Trailers & featurettes

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Community reviews

What people are saying

Manuel São Bento2019-12-30
★ 8/10
Alma Har’el delivers a beautifully-directed, therapeutic story that a lot of people will be able to connect with. Shia LaBeouf shines as both screenwriter and actor, but Noah Jupe proves that he’s one of the best young actors working today. It’s a bit repetitive and heavy to watch, but it’s on the top 1/3 of 2019. Rating: B+
SWITCH.2020-02-04
★ 8/10
Both Shia LeBeouf and first-time director Alma Har'el have created a truly moving piece of cinema that is an experience everyone needs to have. I can't wait to see what they do next... let the Shiaissance begin! - Chris dos Santos Read Chris' full article... https://www.maketheswitch.com.au/article/review-honey-boy-shia-labeouf-turns-his-darkest-times-into-an-artistic-masterpiece
tmdb154355192021-04-15
★ 9/10
Stunning. Hedges is excellent. And if we are to believe half of it, I guess we know why Shia is the way he is.