Honey Boy

“Honey Boy” is an autobiographical film about Shia LaBeouf’s life as a preteen and his time in rehab in his early twenties. Lucas Jupe plays the twelve year old character, Lucas Hedges plays him at twenty, and LaBeouf plays his own father. LaBeouf was a successful child actor who lived in a fleabag motel with his guardian father, a former rodeo clown who rides his son endlessly. The father is a recovering alcoholic, with a foul mouth and low moral values. On top these issues he is jealous of his son’s success and infringes on any happiness he has. Jupe and LaBeouf are excellent and play well off of each other. Hedges, playing the actor at twenty, is in rehab trying to come to terms with his demons. The movie tackles difficult themes, with the father especially unlikeable. This is a good slice of life film. LaBeouf, who wrote the movie, doesn’t candy coat his story. It’s a brave move to tell his life in this way.