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Genres: MusicDr
Starring: Charles S. Dutton, Danny Glover, Stacy Keach, Vondie Curtis-Hall, Ruben Santiago-Hudson, Sean Patrick Thomas, Lisa Gay Hamilton
Director(s): John Sayles
Country: USA
Year: 2007
Available Quality: DivX, DVD, iPod
IMDB Rating: 6.7 out of 10 (1140 votes)
1950. Rural Alabama. Cotton harvest. Its a make-or-break weekend for the Honeydripper Lounge and its owner, piano player Tyrone Pine Top Purvis. Deep in debt to the liquor man, the chicken man, and the landlord, Tyrone is desperate to lure the young cotton pickers and local Army base recruits into his juke joint, away from Touissants, the rival joint across the way. After laying off his regular talent, blues singer Bertha Mae, Tyrone announces to his sidekick Maceo that he has hired the famous electric guitar player, Guitar Sam, for a special one night only gig pack em in and save the club. On the day of the show, the train arrives and Guitar Sam is no where to be found. Tyrone is forced to take drastic action. He makes a deal with Sheriff Pugh to release Sonny, the kid who hopped off a freight car here in Harmony, and turned up in the club claiming he could play the guitar as well as any Guitar Sam. Tyrone cleans Sonny up and launches a last ditch scheme to pass off the young guitar picker as Guitar Sam just long enough to cut the lights and run off with cash box. When Sonny takes the stage and launches into his first scalding electric licks, Tyrone will learn if its lights out for the Honeydripper or if his luck has changed he might just be another man saved by rock n roll.
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Honeydripper (iPod) | Resolution: 480x272 px | Total Size: 340 Mb |
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Honeydripper (DVD) | Resolution: 720x416 px | Total Size: 1727 Mb |
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Honeydripper (DivX) | Resolution: 624x354 px | Total Size: 1780 Mb |
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Visitors Review
along-23 (24 May 2012)
sweet musical trip down south
OK, let me say right off the bat I am a little biased. This film wasshot here in Alabama, and most of it was filmed right here in my homecounty of Butler. One of my high school classmate's son is featuredthroughout the movie as "Lonnie" and other folks I know served asextras or performed as part of the choir.And I loved seeing the people and places I know up on the big screen. Ithink Maggie and John are "da bomb." The woman is a hugger; I love thatwarmth. John's the most down-to-earth guy.That being said, I can also honestly report to you "Honeydripper" is agood movie - not perfect, but very much worth seeing. I think DannyGlover is sensational in the lead role as Pine Top and he and CharlesDutton are totally believable as two old pals fighting the odds to savePine Top's blues club. Keb' Mo' is delightful as the "Greek Chorus"known as Possum, a mysterious and witty blind guitarist.If you love blues music and early rock 'n' roll; if you enjoy a storythat takes its time, one filled with complex characters and somememorable lines penned by Sayles - a movie made with love and lots ofheart - then "Honeydripper" just might be for you.
johno-21 (24 May 2012)
Bogged down in dripping honey
I recently saw this at the 2008 Palm Springs International Festival ofFilms. Director John Sayles was on hand and did a thirty minute seatedinterview on stage with an LA Times film critic following the screeningand then did a 30 minute Q&A from the audience. Veteran Independentfilmmaker and screen writer Sayles wrote, directed and edited this filmas well as a cameo screen role. The imagination of Sayles and thecinematography of Dick Pope, set decoration of Alice Baker, artdirection of Eloise Crance Stammerjohn and costume design of HopeHanafin make this a beautiful looking film but while its heavy on looksits light on substance. Set in 1950, this is the story of Tyrone'Pinetop' Purvis (Danny Glover), a big band touring piano player whonow is the proprietor of a sleepy little roadhouse called TheHoneydripper in Harmony, Alabama, a cotton center and home of amilitary base. Pinetop wants quality entertainment like Bertha Mae(Mabel John) but the roadhouse next door swings with the latest jukeboxhits and draws all the young cotton pickers and black servicemen. Facedwith unrelenting bills Pinetop gives in to modern times and hires a NewOrleans recording star Guitar Slim to play the Honeydripper and get himout of the red. Charles Dutton is Maceo, Pinetop's faithful sidekickwho wants to see the Honeydripper as a rocking' juke joint. Lisa GayHamilton is Delilah, Pinetop's wife, who works as a maid for thewealthy white Amanda Winship (Mary Steenburgen) and cooks the dinnermenu at the Honeydripper. YaYa DaCosta is Delilah's beautiful 16 yearold daughter China Doll whose delicate name reflects her delicatecondition of being born with a heart defect. Stacy Keach is the whitecounty sheriff who gets a cut from cotton farmers by sentencingvagrants to work the fields to pay off their jail sentences and bygetting a little side money from black owned businesses such as thelittle roadhouses. Keach, who has beefed out a little and wears a thinmustache looks like Jackie Gleason in Smokey & the Bandit and is kindof a watered down bad guy role so it was hard for me to take himseriously as a threat to anybody in Harmony. Gary Clark Jr. is SonnyBurke, a rail hopping drifter who handcrafted his own electric guitarand knows all the current hip tunes on the radio and finds himself inHarmony, both on the wrong side of the law and with the potential torescue Pinetop from his monetary woes. Of course we see this comingfrom the second he appears on screen. Keb' Mo' is Possum, a blindguitar player who apparently is visible to only Pinetop and Sonny andrepresents their musical conscience. The film is slow and predictablewith far too many cast members most of which I haven't even mentionedhere. Some great music here and a good looking period piece but itfalls far short of being a memorable film. Everything, including thetown, is just too tidy, neat and clean looking too. I would give this a7.0 out of 10.
(19 May 2012)
x
a great family move, wounderful look into the blues and rock-n-roll era. ther was action adventure history and most important romance.
hawkstepgins (19 May 2012)
Good show, worth music alone.
The movie was enjoyable. Only complaint would be that it moved slowly,and with a two-hour length ... made it seem quite long. Reasonableplot, well composed, well acted & directed. The supporting actress forthe character of China Doll had some very good moments. Tighter editingand better pacing would have made it much much better. It is not thebest film in the world, but of good quality and very much worthwatching - it will probably fall under the radar for Hollywood and thegeneral populace.The really outstanding thing was the music. While not a musical, itdoes stop whole-heartedly to focus on the performers and the music.Think "Black Snake Moan" but without repeated cuts/editing. Those wholove blues, six-count blues and early rock-and-roll will likely enjoythe film. I intend to get the soundtrack. It apparently includes RuthBrown's final recording, as well as work by Dr. Mable John & Keb' Mo.Newcomer Gary Clark Jr., a Texan actor and musician shows goodpotential. Although this performance at Chicago and New Your musicfestivals last year (with the "Honeydripper All-Stars" promoting thefilm) have larger dynamic and vitality to them. His performance of thesong China Doll, which John Salyes apparently wrote/co-wrote, is on theother hand quite entertaining.
ShootingShark (17 May 2012)
Touching, Skilfully-Made Drama Of Small-Town Nightclub With Outstanding Cast
In rural Alabama in 1950, Tyrone "Pinetop" Purvis is struggling to makeends meet at his club, The Honeydripper. With too many bills due, hepins all his hopes on promoting a show by the popular Guitar Sam. Butwhen Sam doesn't turn up, Pinetop hatches a crazy scheme to run theconcert anyway  Another richly observed, well written and beautifully acted perioddrama by Sayles, sort of a companion piece to Matewan. Its strengthsare many; an interesting story with great characters - we want Pinetopto come through despite his faults - excellent photography and terrificmusic from that great shifting period between blues and rock and roll.Best of all is the incredibly talented cast, all of whom bring a richindividuality to their roles; I especially like Dutton and Hamilton,but contemporary bluesman Keb' Mo' pretty much steals the show asPossum, the mysterious blind geetar-picker. It's one of a few movieswhich successfully mixes actors and musicians in the cast, eachbringing out the best in the other, and Sayles' regular composer MasonDaring's music is a enchanting mix of old standards cleverly interwovenwith new material. There are many terrific scenes - Delilah swaying inthe revival tent as she struggles with her faith, Pinetop's story ofthe servant left alone with the master's piano, Sonny singing MidnightSpecial in his jail cell, all the cotton-fields scenes. Artfully shotby British cameraman Dick Pope in authentic Alabama locations, this isone of those well-crafted, truly American movies, which provides a richhistorical escape into a colourful and fascinating landscape. Thedirector appears in one of his usual minor roles as theclipboard-carrying no-nonsense liquor salesman.
C (16 May 2012)
Delightful movie
It is one of those movies, where the word predictable will be a common part of many reviews, but at the same time the movie was quite delightful. It was reminiscent of a nice fiction book, with some real themes in it. Danny Glover was great, and the young guitar player was fabulous. I enjoyed the film.
(10 May 2012)
A Juke Joint Saga
In the recent past in this space I have gone on and on about the old country blues performed after a hard, hard week's work on a Saturday in the local `juke joints' down in the southern United States in places like rural Mississippi and Alabama before World War II. Of course, then the music took the road north, especially after the war and got electrified to fit the needs of the new black migration that was heading up river to find work (and get the hell away from Jim Crow) in the newly unionized (in most cases) industrial plants. But what about those left behind, or those who did not or could not go north? Or just wanted to, or had to, keep away from the cities with their treacherous ways? Answering those questions, in a nutshell, forms the plotline to this entertaining little saga about the trials and tribulations of modernization, blues version.Okay, here is the plot line. A struggling juke joint owner, Pine Top Purvis (also the house piano player), played by star Danny Glover, is financially in deep trouble and needs a quick fix to keep the wolves from the door. Nothing seems to be working for the man, especially when a regionally well-known early R&B hot shot who is suppose to resolve all Danny's financial problems is a no show. Not to worry, an itinerant R&B wannabe just happens to ride the blinds into town, gets himself into trouble (mainly for being black while seeking a work-some things never change), and in the end is Danny's salvation by performing a successful Saturday gig and saving the day.Along the way we also get small glimpse of black rural life including, naturally, the ardors of plantation life, -that means cotton picking, the tough times of small time musical talents, the role of the religious tent revival in rural life and needless to say, the confinements, large and small, of Jim Crow, physically, mentally and spiritually. I have reviewed plenty of film documentaries in this space that touch on the blues and the social milieu that it derived from. While those vehicles still give a historically more accurate account of what went into create that special blues idiom just before it got electrified this film is not a bad take on what that was all about- a little prettified up to be sure.
(10 May 2012)
Dang It! And, I have been waiting so long....
I have been waiting for a while for the John Sayles movie. And, I did enjoy it...somewhat. The music was grand. But, the movie seemed sluggish and random. Go for the music and some of the acting. However, I had HIGH hopes for this one...but, the best I can give this is a C!And, I waited so long....
(06 May 2012)
Dissapointed
This is the first film I've seen by John Sayles, whom I've heard good things about over the years. Unfortunately it will be my last. Other reviewers refer to this film as "leisurly paced" and "takes time with character development." The scenes ARE played far too slow, the actors need to pick up the pace, the edits need to move faster. I gave it a chance, I sat through the entire thing, but not only was it boring, it was predictable. I was drawn to this movie due to the subject matter, but it was highly unrealistic. Despite its PG13 rating this IS a family picture, pure "fabricated history" ala Walt Disney television movies from the early 60s. This is a good movie for families with young children who wish to create revisionist history for their kids to protect them from the harsh realities of the Black experience in the American Rural South of the early 1950s. Overall the acting is good, the characters are well cast, but it's obvious they were encouraged with their slow delivery of lines to the point where it almost seems Gary Clark Jr. is actually trying to remember his next line. During the opening credits it says written, directed and edited by John Sayles...it would have been better if someone else had edited the film and would have been better still if someone else had directed it.
(06 May 2012)
I didn't see this film but wanted to add something
I've been waiting to see a film like this for almost 29 years and it's about time too. I think this film will be just like all the other films about Alabama and the south and musicians and a stero-typical music scene where people are poor but have music to fall back on to get them through tough times, etc., etc. Well, anyway not having seen the film and not liking happy endings that is about all I have to say.
Steve Skafte (01 May 2012)
shades of Lone Star
I guess my main problem with "Honeydripper" was the lack of realconflict or dramatic central theme to the story. It's a quietsmall-town drama of the sort I usually love, but with the sense ofbeing a bit of an afterthought. Rather like a story that was written ona slow afternoon when nothing much else was going on. That might workfor something of a little more personal nature, but this is a film ofarchetypes and experiences, not of one-on-one human interaction.So what is good about it? When Sayles' direction is at its best,"Honeydripper" is a heavy and real film. Best scenes are when thecharacters tell stories to themselves, and any scene with Keb' Mo'.Danny Glover is real good too, as is Stacy Keach (even with Keachplaying the sort of role he always does). But by the end of the film,it all starts to feel a little arbitrary. By the final scene, we getthe sense that not much happened, and something should've. It's in noway not worth watching, though. Give it a shot.
(30 April 2012)
I Really Enjoyed Honeydripper
This review is from: Honeydripper (DVD) I started watching this movie on stars and wasn't able to finish. the movie was so interesting, I had to see the restso I went on Amazon and sure enough they had it. well I was so pleased I ordered it, and by the weekend (saturday morning) I was enjoying it. loved the movie, enjoyed the ending.
rlange-3 (28 April 2012)
10 for the music; 5 for the rest
The songs are to die for, and really make this a great movie to see.It's a peek into the cultural heritage of the blues and gospel inAmerica, and the deep roots of rock and roll emerging from a segregatedSouth. It's a bit stereotyped racially. The whites are all one dimensional,unsympathetic crooks and bigoted bastards except for one cloyinglycondescending alcoholic woman. The black characters offer a morerealistic and well acted mix and are multidimensional and intriguing.Glover is excellent, and you are really pulling for him by the end ofthe movie, along with his wife who stands by his side under tremendousstress. There is a real emphasis on the positive side of a familyliving out tough times which makes the story compelling. Theinteraction between Maceo and darn near everyone else, especially thesewing woman, was hilarious and entertaining.On the downside, it was very slow to develop. The pace during the first2/3 of the movie was downright glacial. Some of the scenes could havebeen cut and a few more songs thrown in instead. It was a bit hard tobelieve that the guitarist at the end didn't check his amp before sucha critical performance. Still, these are minor points that did littleto detract from an overall good movie. Anyone with an interest in music and its roots should see this movieand will enjoy it thoroughly.
Michael O'Keefe (28 April 2012)
Blues at harvest time.
Picture 1950's Alabama at harvest time. Tyrone Purvis'(DannyGlover)former swinging little juke joint, The Honeydripper lounge,whistles a lonesome long-gone blues. Business is no business and he maybe forced to shut 'er down. But wait, he may be able to save theHoneydripper with just one big ass rockin' Saturday night. He will hirethe legendary Guitar Sam to be his champion. But any news is just morebad news...Guitar Sam can't make the gig for being in the hospital. Sothe story goes, Tyrone must quickly find another guitar-slinger to saveface and his Honeydripper. A versatile cast featuring: Lisa GayHamilton, Charles S. Dutton, Vondie Curtis-Hall, Mable John, Gary ClarkJr., Keb' Mo' and Stacy Keach. Volatile soundtrack featuringelectrifying rockin' blues from the likes of: The Aces of Spades, GaryClark Jr., Mable John, Keb' Mo', and even Hank Williams.
colinbarnard-1 (28 April 2012)
A Welome Return by America's Great Independent Working Class Film Maker
This is not a great movie by any stretch, but it is a very GOOD one. Myrating should be 7.8. IMDb, invest in some higher technology! JohnSayles proves yet again what can be done when there is unity of visionon a film, and when everyone involved passionately believes in whatthey are doing. Any limitations this film has must surely be due to thebudget (was there one?) rather than any creative lapses on Sayles'part.In fact, the only problems I have with "Honeydripper" are technical:some of the shots are out of focus, some of the scenes drag, and thereis not a lot of dramatic tension to carry the piece along. It isenough, though, for those of us who can handle something more relaxedthan the kinetics of Michael Bey or Steven ("I'll do anything for anOscar!") Spielberg."Honeydripper" is really a small character study of a working classman, surrounded by good people, who is trying do do right by them andhimself. It is a romance for the nostalgia of the Deep South in 1950, aperiod where Jim Crow was on the cusp of yielding to John Kennedy.It is also a romance for music, where Gospel and Blues was about tofuse and metamorphise into Rock 'n Roll. Sayles loves everything he isdoing; you can feel the writer/director's respect and integrity throughthe camera and the screen.Unusual for a Sayles film, Danny Glover anchors the piece as itscentral character, the axis upon which the story and all the charactersrevolve. All the characters are complete human beings, with only a fewdrawn as caricatures. I don't mind.This would be a good film to show as a double bill with "The GreatDebators". Several themes overlap, but "Honeydrippers" is the moremature film. Here, a man's biggest grievance is not being able to livein dignity as a man who pays his way. Sayles' characteristic characterarcs provide us with many dignified men and women who achieve thatdignity by finding ways to honestly pay their way. They do it with joy,love and creativity.Another fine Working Class film from Cinema's Working Class Hero.
(28 April 2012)
A great movie
This review is from: Honeydripper (DVD) This is indeed a great movie by director John Sayles, that sometimes reminds of "Hallelujah" with its almost all-black cast and the central place it gives to music. But the atmosphere and point are completely different and unique, meandering through comedy, suspense and romance. Most enjoyable!
lastliberal (27 April 2012)
Singing is one thing, Slick. Whether people want to look at you while you're doing it is another.
Good movie to watch on the anniversary of our involvement in Korea, anda new base opens down the road to prepare troops to be sent to the warthat will apparently never end. But, this movie is worth watching forthe music alone. If you like blues and early rock and roll, this is thefilm for you.But, it isn't just about music. It is also about relations betweenBlack and White in the 1950s South. There are some powerfulperformances by some powerful actors like Danny Glover, Charles S.Dutton, and Stacy Keach; and interesting new faces like Yaya DaCosta(Take the Lead).A good story with an great backdrop. Maybe just a little long.
(27 April 2012)
great movie, giving it as a gift
This review is from: Honeydripper (DVD) I saw Honeydripper last year and really enjoyed it a lot. It isn't your regular hollywood film. I haven't seen many of John Sayles' films but will probably check them out. Don't want to spoil anything, it's a really good film! :)
(21 April 2012)
A very good surprise
I was looking for a musical when I came across this and started to watch. Was surprised to find it a story about how music saved a man, his family, his business, and a drifter. It's a very good depiction about the times and the struggles the blacks had and that they could make it by sticking together. I gave it 5 stars only because that's as high as it goes. Oh, and by the way, I'm white.
(21 April 2012)
No one makes movies like John Sayles !
John Sayles is a true independant filmmaker who not only finances, directs, edits and writes his movies but often times acts in and writes music for them. For "Honeydripper" Sayles did it all, and he wrote a couple of songs. He has dealt with the African American experience in movies before like: "Brother From Another Planet", "Passion Fish" and "City of Hope", but since most of the characters in "Honeydripper" are black he delves even deeper into the issue and the film is written more like a play with echoes of the work of August Wilson.It's 1950 in the deep South and Danny Glover's Tyrone is barely making it and his Honeydripper lounge featuring aging blues players can't compete with the popular Jukejoint next door. To make matters worse the Honeydripper is about to close down unless Tyrone can come up with some serious money.Most of the story revolves around the conflicts and relationships Tyrone has with his wife ( a powerful performance by Lisa Gay Hamilton), his partner (an excellent Charles Dutton), his daughter (a nice debut by model Ya Ya DeCosta), a young musician stranger (effectively played by young bluesman Gary Clark Jr.) and the white sheriff (a tailor made role for Stacey Keach). My favorite character is played by veteran bluesman Keb' Mo', a sort of bluesy greek chorus muse who appears at pivotal times only to Glover and Clark.Sayles always takes his time developing his characters and the world in which they live, and though it may seem slow at first this lets you begin to care about what will happen to them. A big plus is the terrific music, and except for Glover, it is all played by the actors themselves and surprisingly it was all done live while filming.Yes the movie, like a play, takes it's time to develop, but the payoff was one of the most uplifting times I've had at the movies in a long while.I read that Sayles has decided to stop making movies and just write. I'm sure it must be getting harder to get these kinds of movies made and harder still to get them released, unfortunately no one makes movies like John Sayles.
Review total: 20, showing from 1 to 20