Honey

Rating: 4/10 (21 December 2008)

I heard of the film from the leading actress, but I didn't really know anything about the plot or premise. Basically 22-year-old, sexy, tough-minded, half-black, half-Latina Honey Daniels (Jessica Alba) is a hip-hop dancer and New York East Harlem youth centre dance teacher (to keep them off the streets and out of trouble). She dreams of becoming a professional dance choreographer for music videos, and one day she gets the opportunity when dance video director Michael Ellis (Big's David Moscow) casts her in his latest video, and many there after. Soon Honey wants to change from dancer to choreographer, but success comes at a price when Michael is trying to make sexual advances on her, and she leaves. She has plans to buy an empty building to become a new dance school/centre, and even though Michael is back in her good books, and offers to help pay for it, she refuses and says she can raise the money herself with a special fund raising dance evening. Also starring I Still Know What You Did Last Summer's Mekhi Phifer as Chaz, Joy Bryant as Gina, Lil' Romeo as Benny, Lonette McKee as Mrs. Daniels, Zachary Isaiah Williams as Raymond, Laurie Ann Gibson as Katrina, Judi Embden as Mrs. Strom, Anthony Sherwood as Mr. Daniels and hip-hop star Missy 'Misdemeanor' Elliott. Alba is fit and likable, and the dance routines are well done, but the story isn't completely gripping or interesting, with corny dialogue and stereotypical characters, but worth a look. Okay!