Cheap Honeybee (DVD) (Senait Ashenafi) (Melvin James) Price

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Customer Reviews of Honeybee

Boxing Drama Doesn't Quite Go The Distance
I caught this film at the Hollywood Black Film Festival last February, so I am probably one of the few people to catch this film on the big screen. It's not surprising that the film never received a significant theatrical release. Simply put, HONEYBEE is an unpretencious B-movie about a young woman trying to make it in boxing. Nothing more, nothing less.

From the looks of it, the film might have been pitched as a cross between ALI and GIRLFIGHT. Unfortunately, it stands up to neither of the films. This is from no fault of the actors. Accepting the rather petite Senait Ashenafi (who played Keesha Ward on TV's "General Hospital") as a boxer is pushing things a bit, but that detail aside, she does a credible job given the material she was given.

Pierre Perea is okay as Honeybee's trainer and Corinne Van Wyck plays a good B-movie villian. As always, James Avery ("The Fresh Prince of Bel Air") gives a reliable performance. The rest of the cast doesn't make much of an impact.

The main shortcoming of the film comes with Roderick Powell's script. Simply put, it lacks originality and depth. Everything you see in this film has been done better elsewhere. Powell also wrote and directed the equally campy, PREACHING TO THE SISTERS (a/k/a PREACHER PLAYER). Of the two films, HONEYBEE is marginally better, in large part due to its use of professional actors and the fact that this one was shot on film rather than grainy video.

Melvin James' direction is sluggish and stylistically indifferent. It isn't until the last reel of the film that the pace starts to pick up, but by then it is too late.

Despite subpar writing and directing, this is not to say that HONEYBEE lacks entertainment value. Even Ed Wood had his legion of fans. HONEYBEE is the type of film that you enjoy because it is bad. It's got many of the elements that make a "good" bad film. A plot that doesn't entirely make sense, the rogue boyfriend, the jealous female, just a smidgen of nudity (not from the lead, though) and even a little heart. So if you're not expecting an Academy Award calibre film, you might even enjoy this it.

Personally, I'm a fan of films with complex female lead characters like last year's IRIS, THE DEEP END, IN THE BEDROOM and MONSTER'S BALL. Films that make you think or provide insights into different people's lives. However, many do not share my point-of-view. They think that those films are dry and boring. For those, there are films like HONEYBEE.

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STOP HATING!
...I saw this film several times and although it has it's flaws, this was an interesting film and is definitely worth adding to your straight to video collection. It had a short theatrical release because it truly is "the little film that could" Although, it is crippled by the same things that all low budget indy film are crippled with , like a limited budget, lesser talented actors, equipment, etc this film actually does look better and is much better directed than most all of it's counterparts out there. The director obviously made the most of what he had in order to be able to make this film out of almost nothing. That shows the mark of a true talent. James Avery's performance was great as usual and Corinne DeGroot lit up the screen with a tough and strong prescense as female boxing nemesis. I think any educated and informed consumer will enjoy this film for what it has to offer. Especially since it is not depicting black people in stereotypical roles. Expand your mind and look to be entertained and intrigued by this film and moreso by the potential of the people behind it. Kudos to Director, Melvin James. I'm looking for bigger and better thngs to come.

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Boring.
If you are between the ages of 0 months and 3 years of age or 75 years or older you might find this ' waste of time' to be a thought provoking, star making stunner (what a joke)! What's annoying about on line reviews like this is that it seems like any positive reviews are being written by the people responsible for tricking us into renting it. This, this sorry excuse for an after school special is A WASTE OF TIME, SAVE YOUR MONEY AND RENT A REAL MOVIE WITH REAL TALENT, THERE IS NOT SHRED OF TALENT ANYWHERE WITH THIS MESS.