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Movie Review
'Honey': Hip-hop Cinderella can really bust a move

By Ted Fry
Special to The Seattle Times

	AVA GERLITZ In "Honey," Jessica Alba plays a young woman aspiring to a career in music videos.
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It doesn't hurt that the proceedings are wall-to-wall with top-of-the-pops music, bleeding-edge street fashion and tender young flesh. In fact, if you've seen a preview for "Honey," you've already seen one of the most beguiling things about this amiable urban Cinderella story: Jessica Alba's bare midriff undulating between layers of a skimpy Nike workout suit.

Alba plays Honey Daniels, a sensible Bronx girl with a dream to make it as a dancer-choreographer for the video productions of the hip-hop music stars she loves. She works two jobs, as a bartender and record-store clerk, but her passion is teaching in-sync steps to neighborhood kids at the local community center.

When some of her weekend club-floor moves are captured on mini-DV by a hot young video director's scout, Honey is whisked into her dream and soon not only featured in but choreographing videos by superstars like Ginuwine, Jadakiss & Sheek, Tweet, Silkk and Missy Elliott (who all play themselves).

Movie review Showtimes and trailer **½ "Honey," with Jessica Alba, Mekhi Phifer, Lil' Romeo, Joy Bryant, David Moscow. Directed by Bille Woodruff, from a script by Alonzo Brown and Kim Watson. 94 minutes. Rated PG-13 for drug content and some sexual references. Several theaters.

But like any creative spirit who finds success too easily, Honey is set up for a second-act fall and has to struggle back in the third, relying on talent, lessons learned, the strength of friendships — and the fate that comes from being the hero of a feel-good movie.

The mostly formulaic pieces come together thanks to a well-crafted youth-savvy script and likable cast of attractive performers. Rebounding from her breakout impact in the short-lived TV series "Dark Angel," Alba tops the roster with adorable multiracial looks that reflect the diversity of ethnic personalities running in her various New York circles. Then there's that taut tummy, which makes a pretty big impression, too.

She gets a lot of help from the zippy video-esque editing (provided by debut director Bille Woodruff who comes from — surprise — music videos), but Alba truly shines when her body starts to move. You can see her mind working out how to weave what she hears and feels into slick routines. On the set of her first big choreographing gig, a glimmer in her eyes sparks the rhythm in her limbs, as she gets inspiration from the dance of kids playing hoops and skipping rope nearby.

Also of note are Mekhi Phifer, who brings solid acting chops to his small role as Honey's homeboy boyfriend; Lonette McKee as the mother who has higher hopes for Honey but is won over by her talent and devotion; and David Moscow, who balances a grating mix of arrogant charm, smarm and affected streetsmarts in his savior-to-scoundrel role as the video-director prodigy.

Pint-sized rapper Lil' Romeo also charms as a neighborhood kid who could go bad or good depending on Honey's example, but it's 8-year-old Zachary Williams as his little brother who steals the cute spotlight. At a preview screening, a wave of "awwww's" melted through the audience every time Alba's megawatt smile matched forces with his toothless grin, moony eyes and untamed afro.

Ted Fry: tedfry@earthlink.net

Copyright © 2003 The Seattle Times Company