Welcome to another edition of the “The Valero Verdict” movie review. In this, I will give you a quick movie review with a couple of bullet points of which I either liked or disliked. I will end the review with a rating of the movie and short overall thoughts.
On the docket today, Probably one of my most anticipated movies of the year, Shia LaBeouf’s Honey Boy.
The Good:
Shia LaBeouf:
Where to start? The writing was raw, emotional and riveting. We got an inside look at what it was like to be Shia at a very young age and an even deeper look into the crash of Shia.
For me personally, I connected to the hokey father-like figure who consistently was more than what he thought he was. So watching him not only write this perception of his father but also play his father was not only hard to watch at times but it was equally inspiring to watch as well.
The crispness of the script is showcased on several occasions in the film where we see true head to head battles between Shia and his father. One pivotal scene that stood out was the argument scene in the hotel room. When he smacks Otis across the face you just feel the pain that Shia felt as a kid, it was just that WOW moment that sent chill down your spin.
Transitioning into Shia the actor. So you write the script and now you decided to not only relive this in the form of a movie but to play the man who caused you so much pain.
This line in the movie truly changed the way I felt about his performance. Lucas Hedges was sitting in therapy and he is going off and says
“The only thing my father gave me of any value is pain, and you want to take that away.”
It came out of Hedges’s mouth but it shared with you those dark moments within his childhood which showed how those pivotal early moments of the film and what they meant.
Shia just blew me away with his emotional range within the film, you at times felt empathy towards James because he somewhat tried to be good to Otis but other times you wanted to punch him square in the face.
Alma Har’el:
This was a sensitive material for her to direct. She was not just directing another movie, she was directing Shia LaBeouf in a film written by Shia LaBeouf about Shia LaBeouf.
The sensitive material in the wrong hands and this movie wouldn’t have worked at all. But Har’el not only delivered, she delivered in a MASSIVE way that paid off in ways I can’t thank her enough.
She took Shia’s beautifully broken pieces and pieced them together like a beautiful puzzle that connected with every last piece.
Noah Jupe:
The emotional depth in which was needed to perform in this role was deep, it took Jupe places I would be even scared to talk to my 10-year-old about.
Again, like with the other pieces in this movie, Jupe is playing Shia while Shia is staring him down in every single scene and it couldn’t have been easy at all.
Score & Cinematography:
I am not sure I will ever be able to listen to this score outside of watching the movie. The way it as able to tell an equally emotional tale throughout the film was truly majestic.
Can we talk about the color palette of this film? What a thing of beauty. It was very low-key monotone but at the same time, it was a vibrant Neon-ish like color scheme as well. I loved it.
Oscar Potential: Supporting Actor, Screenplay and Director
Overall:
***** out of ***** gavels
Writing my journey has been part of what I am trying to use to cleanse me from my past.
This movie is INSPIRATIONAL. This movie is HEALING. This movie is REDEMPTION.
This is one of the most powerful movies of the year. It shows us that we can be redeemed of our past mistakes, we can overcome our troubled upbringing and we can control our OWN destiny and not live within the scars.
Should You See It?: Yes. It’s a story of redemption and one of which that should be inspiring others for years to come.
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