American Honey
American Honey

American Honey

2016Movie163 minEnglish

A restless teenager escapes her troubled home and joins a traveling crew of young drifters selling magazines across the American Midwest. Immersed in a world of reckless partying, risky hustles, and fleeting romances, she searches for freedom and belonging on the open road.

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Insights

IMDb7.1/10
Rotten Tomatoes79%
Metacritic77/100
Google Users77%
Director: Andrea ArnoldGenres: Drama, Coming-of-age

Plot Summary

Star, a teenage girl, runs away from her troubled home life and joins a traveling magazine sales crew. She falls for Jake, the crew's charismatic leader, and is drawn into their wild, often dangerous, lifestyle of partying, petty crime, and constant movement across the American Midwest. As Star navigates this new world, she struggles to balance her burgeoning independence with the harsh realities of her surroundings and her relationship with Jake.

Critical Reception

American Honey was widely acclaimed by critics for its raw authenticity, immersive portrayal of youth culture, and stunning cinematography. While some found its length and episodic nature challenging, the performances, particularly from newcomer Sasha Lane, were universally praised. It resonated with audiences for its unflinching look at a marginalized segment of society and its exploration of freedom and desperation.

What Reviewers Say

  • Praised for its raw, authentic portrayal of youth and its immersive, vérité filmmaking style.
  • Sasha Lane's breakout performance was a major highlight, capturing the character's vulnerability and resilience.
  • The film's length and episodic structure were noted by some, but its emotional impact and visual poetry were widely appreciated.

Google audience: Google users largely applauded the film's realistic depiction of young people living on the fringes of society and its powerful performances. Many appreciated the sense of freedom and adventure portrayed, though some found the narrative meandering. The raw and unconventional storytelling was a common point of discussion.

Awards & Accolades

Won the Jury Prize at the 2016 Cannes Film Festival. Sasha Lane won Best Actress at the British Independent Film Awards.

Fun Fact

Director Andrea Arnold cast Sasha Lane after spotting her on vacation in Florida, having not previously acted.

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My Review

TMDB Reviews

2 reviews
DEzzNutz1001

DEzzNutz1001

Pointless and terrible film that leads to nowhere. The Director of Fish Tank, was not able to capture lighting in a bottle twice. Most of the movie is spent in a van listening to rap music, the other large part is the boring romance s...
Reno

Reno

**To redefine the life and to discover the love.** From the British director of 'Fish Tank' fame, this is another a young struggling girl's story. Being brought up in a low income and abusive family, and because of that trying to redefin...