Honey Boy
A young actor turns the wreckage of an abusive childhood and adult addiction into a fragile path toward reconciliation through art.
Overview
A poignant exploration of childhood trauma and the healing power of art unfolds in this deeply personal drama.
Ember's analysis
- Pacing
- Measured
- Intensity
- Strong
- Complexity
- Layered
- Violence
- Mild
- harrowing
- intimate
- dreamy
- reflective evening
- indie film night
What critics said
Critics broadly praised the film as a distinctive, emotionally resonant act of cinematic therapy that transforms personal trauma into accessible drama.
What sets it apart
May contain story progression spoilers
Otis uses acting, imagination, and filmmaking to confront childhood trauma and adult rehabilitation.
Otis's adult crisis is intertwined with his abusive father's influence and the memories of his childhood.
Childhood recollections unfold through theatrical, imaginative images that blur lived experience and cinematic invention.
Noah Jupe and Lucas Hedges portray Otis at twelve and twenty-two as the film moves between childhood and rehabilitation.
Films like Honey Boy, and why
The Fabelmans
shared autobiographical drama, fractured parent-child relationship, and art as a route toward emotional healing
Aftersun
shared intimate family trauma, childhood perspective, and emotionally difficult coming-of-age drama
Beautiful Boy
shared addiction recovery, painful father-son dynamics, and therapeutic autobiographical storytelling
The Fall
shared nonlinear psychological drama, troubled artists, and visualized inner memory
Movie Details
- Director
- Alma Har'el
- Release Date
- 2019-11-07
- Runtime
- 94 min
- Rating
- 7.0 / 10 (752)
Cast
- Shia LaBeouf
- Lucas Hedges
- Noah Jupe
- Byron Bowers
- Laura San Giacomo
- FKA twigs
- Natasha Lyonne
- Maika Monroe
- Clifton Collins Jr.
- Scar
Where to watch in United States
- Streaming
- Amazon Prime Video, Amazon Prime Video with Ads
Streaming options come from TMDB and change over time.
Common questions
- What is Honey Boy about?
- A young actor turns the wreckage of an abusive childhood and adult addiction into a fragile path toward reconciliation through art.
- What is Honey Boy like to watch?
- Ember's analysis rates the pacing of Honey Boy as measured, its intensity as strong and its storytelling as layered.
- Is Honey Boy violent?
- Only mildly. Ember rates the violence in Honey Boy as mild.
- What did critics think of Honey Boy?
- Critics broadly praised the film as a distinctive, emotionally resonant act of cinematic therapy that transforms personal trauma into accessible drama.
- Which films are like Honey Boy?
- Films with a similar feel include The Fabelmans, Aftersun, Beautiful Boy, and The Fall.
- How long is Honey Boy?
- Honey Boy runs 94 minutes.
- Where can I watch Honey Boy?
- In United States, Honey Boy streams on Amazon Prime Video, Amazon Prime Video with Ads.
