Tanya’s Score: Good-and-a-half*
Rated: 14A
Starring: Even Stevens; that kid from everything; that guy in everything
Plot: A man in rehab (Lucas Hedges) rehashes an unsettling part of his childhood while under the guardianship of his troubled father (Shia LaBeouf).
Tanya’s Verdict: Is it possible for a clearly traumatized man with demons and addiction issues as well as a destructive jealousy toward his young son – to love his child? That’s what this poignant and interesting movie gets to the bottom of in the somewhat biographical depiction of Shia LaBeouf’s childhood in Honey Boy. My answer to the above question is “yes”.
Is it possible for this damaged man to properly parent and protect his child? Well – that’s another story – which is better left to Honey Boy to fully answer.
All I can say is that after watching this movie, I have sympathy toward both main characters (son and father) and have a newfound respect for Shia LaBeouf – not only as an actor, but also as a writer (he wrote Honey Boy).
*Four score descriptions: Sh**; Okay; Good; Great