HONEYDRIPPER

Director: John Sayles
Cast: Danny Glover, Charles S. Dutton, Lisa Gay Hamilton, Stacy Keach, Mary Steenburgen, Yaya DaCosta, Sean Patrick Thomas, and Gary Clark Jr.
Runtime: 120 minutes
Country: USA
Language: English
Rating: PG (Coarse language, violence)

Reviews: www.metacritic.com/video/titles/honeydripper

Official Site: www.honeydripper-movie.com

A Special Presentation at the 2007 Toronto International Film Festival®, Honeydripper marks the return of acclaimed writer-director John Sayles (Silver City, Casa de los Babys) in this passionate film about the birth of rock ’n’ roll, the rural South and the soul of rhythm and blues.

Set in an Alabama juke joint in 1950, the film takes as its protagonist Tyrone Purvis (Danny Glover), who is deeply in debt and in search of a miracle that will save his roadhouse from bankruptcy. With a grand notion of recruiting regional celebrity and blues star Guitar Sam to perform at his establishment, Tyrone sets the wheels in motion, building to a suspenseful Saturday night. When his efforts to book the famous electric guitar player go awry, fate intervenes and in walks the wandering Sonny Blake (Gary Clark Jr., in an impressive film debut). A bluesman cut from past legends, Sonny claims to be every inch as good a player as Guitar Sam and comes equipped with a guitar like none ever seen: carved from a solid block of wood, and, unbelievably enough, electric. No one does a better job than Sayles at portraying the deep South as a tantalizing, slightly surreal setting for action. In his return to this landscape, Sayles brings humour and poignancy to a wonderful film that unfolds with sharp insight and breathtaking elegance. Powerful performances, accomplished directing, dynamic musical numbers and stunning cinematography combine to create a profoundly moving film.

 Honeydripper is an inspiring example of the ability cinema has to transcend boundaries of culture and era.

“The result is one of Sayles' best films. The music, a mix of blues, seminal rock and newcomer Gary Clark Jr.'s performance, will be an obvious draw, as will the performances by some leading African-American actors.” - Variety

“Honeydripper is classic Sayles cinema: an insightful sketch of assorted common folk whose criss-crossing dreams and agendas unfold against larger, more powerful (and sometimes crushing) sociopolitical and cultural forces.” - L. A. Weekly

 

Summer Cinema 2008 July 7 - THE VISITOR July 28 - HONEYDRIPPER August 18 - FUGITIVE PIECES