Honeydripper - Review
Review by Jack Foley
INDIE stalwart John Sayles turns his attention to the American Deep South of the 1950s and the birth of rock ‘n’ roll for Honeydripper, a classy, music-drenched slow-burner that reaps strong rewards for patient viewers.
The film focuses on former musician Tyrone Purvis (Danny Glover), the owner of the fading Honeydripper Lounge, who is faced with imminent closure unless he can transform the bar’s fortunes overnight.
With his options running out and the creditors moving in, he hits upon the idea of hiring a famed New Orleans musician, Guitar Slim, to liven up the joint and proceeds to sell the place out.
But when the big name fails to show, Tyrone is forced to rely on a brash young newcomer, Sonny Blake (Gary Clark Jr), and his new electric guitar – so long as he can persuade the local sheriff (Stacy Keach) to release him from the cotton fields.
Music has long been a passion for Sayles but rather than focus on anything too obvious or popular, the writer-director examines the moment when the guitar went electric to herald a new sound.
The ensuing film works so well because it plays to the strengths of all concerned. Sayles has long been the champion of the underdog as well as an astute observer of American society and here delivers a script that perfectly captures the changing mood of an era.
The Deep South locations and characters feel genuinely authentic and it’s a pleasure to hang around the world that Sayles recreates – complete with the racial tensions and threat of violence that are constantly lurking beneath the surface.
Strong, too, is his choice of cast, with Glover clearly relishing the complexity of the material and the deviousness of his character, and the likes of Keach, Clark Jr and Charles S Dutton providing charismatic support.
The music, meanwhile, gives the film a wonderful vibe that’s perfectly realised in the final moments as Clark Jr’s new guitar takes centre stage. It’s no surprise that the on-screen performers have since enjoyed a successful tour of America and now have Europe in their sights.
Honeydripper might well be a little too pedestrian for mainstream tastes (particularly at the start of the blockbuster season) but it’s an assured and deeply involving piece of work that leaves a genuinely sweet aftertaste.
Certificate: PG
Running time: 2hrs 4mins
UK Release Date: May 9, 2008