Honey Boy

"The honest genius of this movie is tangible..."

"Loosely based on Shia LaBeouf's life. "

"really good kinda sad would recommend tho #sad #drama "

"One of my favorites, Shia LaBeouf plays his own dad in this one and it is amazing. Don't watch if you don't feel like being sad though."

"I have never watched a movie quite like “Honey Boy.” On its surface, it is a narrative about a twenty-something-year-old actor (Lucas Hedges as Otis) who is out of control. From the very beginning, we can tell he is wrestling with untamed demons from his past. To understand the choices he is currently making, we are taken back to the beginning and meet a child (Noah Jupe as Otis) who is pushed too hard by his father (Shia LaBeouf as James). This is where the story gets really interesting because this movie is inspired by real-life events from Shia LaBeouf’s time as a child actor. Much of what we are experiencing on the screen, he endured at the hands of his father as he was beginning his career. This approach to storytelling is the most courageous piece of cinema I saw last year. James, for his part, is a really complicated man. At times, he can be really loving and supportive. Within moments of doing something any decent father would do, a switch can flip, and he can become abusive, violent, and a self-imposed victim of martyrdom. For Otis, this means constantly walking on eggshells and loneliness expressed by many child actors. As we watch him navigate this complicated relationship, we know he is going to come out on the other end damaged. The only question left to answer is to what depths will the damage reach. As this film enters its third act, Otis the child, and Otis the adult begin to defend themselves in pretty powerful ways. They both make brave decisions to no longer be used. For the younger Otis, this means confronting his father with the absolute truth. For the adult version, a new idea is born. “A seed must destroy itself to grow again.” If he ever wants to be happy and healthy, he must make himself new and in his own image, not that of his father. As the screen blackens, this message is a powerful one to ponder as you make your way home. "

"Touching true life portrait of childhood struggle with one strange parent"

"It was very good"

"Sooo good! It’s great to get you in your feelings."

"Kind of disturbing but cathartic"

"Shia LaBeouf at his absolute best. I can’t say enough about the therapeutic value of this film. "