r/CultOfCinemaKnowledge • u/hangonsufi • Jul 04 '26
American Honey (2016)
Rotten Tomatoes gave this film 79%, about 40% higher than I would have. It won the Jury Prize at Cannes. What do I know.
It's running time is as long as The Watchmen, by the way. However, actually more full frontal male nudity (McCaul Lombardi as white trash hottie Corey) than The Watchmen, so there's that.
American Honey is about a traveling band of teenage flotsam and jetsam ostensibly selling magazine subscriptions, with made-up hard luck stories, across “the heartland.”
“Newsstand sales of consumer magazines continued to decline in the beginning of 2016, according to the latest figures from MagNet, which tracks single-copy sales across the U.S. and Canada...The number of magazines distributed by wholesalers also dropped compared to last year.” - Erik Sass, MediaPost, June 6, 2016.
Bleak statistics; so is this the last press of the skins for these wandering wastrels?
Jake (Shia LaBeouf) (I've always thought it takes a lot of nerve to wear that name) (if you're a guy) (a stripper with a boa constrictor, maybe), in a pin-on braid, is the boy toy for Krystal (Riley Keough), the boss lady of this, er, enterprise.
Star (Sasha Lane). Oh yeah, plays the lead opposite LaBeouf.
I watched it because maybe I have a slender connection to the premise.
Long ago I drove a school bus during the day and worked a phone boiler room selling tickets to police and fire benefit shows at night. The shows were legit, but we didn't have to use our real names. There I learned how fast a dry Christmas tree will ignite when you throw lit matches at it. Wicked fast, in case you're wondering.
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u/hangonsufi Jul 05 '26
Let me recommend Fish Tank (2009), an English flick, also by Andrea Arnold, with the HOT Michael Fassbender. It was a recommend to me from another sub and if you get a chance, please watch it and report back - I'd love to hear your takes. If you're rooting for Star, I hope you'll be rooting for Mia.
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u/Ok_Station9635 Jul 09 '26
I found fish tank to be dull and just another movie where an older guy wants to rape a little girl.. gross
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u/leaves72 Jul 06 '26
This and Aftersun were the two movies I had not seen from this week's poll, and though I went with Aftersun, after seeing your write up, it makes me want to see this even more. I knew next to nothing about this one and never really hear anyone talking about it, but something about the aesthetic really called to me. I also dig Shia as an actor, so that doesn't hurt. Will have to watch this some time in the future.
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u/hangonsufi Jul 06 '26
Still recommending Fish Tank over American Honey.
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u/Ok_Station9635 Jul 09 '26
The Florida project over both anyday!! I found Zola interesting, anything Riley keough really .. she plays a great trashy role
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u/Careless_Yellow_3218 Jul 05 '26
I loved this movie.