Iconoclastic
filmmaker John Sayles, in
his 16th feature
film, continues his
extraordinary examination of
the complexities and
shifting identities of
American sub-cultures in the
new film “Honeydripper.”
With his usual understated
intelligence, Sayles uses
the rhythms of the citizens
of Harmony, Alabama to
immerse the audience into
the world of the Jim Crow
south. It’s a fable about
the birth of rock n’ roll—a
quintessentially American
subject, but with a fidelity
to time and temperament that
is unusual in an American
director.
It’s 1950
and it’s a make or break
weekend for Tyrone Purvis
(Danny Glover), the
proprietor of the
Honeydripper Lounge. Deep in
debt, Tyrone is desperate to
bring back the crowds that
used to come to his place.
He decides to lay off his
long-time blues singer
Bertha Mae, and announces
that he’s hired a famous
guitar player, Guitar Sam,
for a one night only gig in
order to save the club.
Into town
drifts Sonny Blake, a young
man with nothing to his name
but big dreams and the
guitar case in his hand.
Rejected by Tyrone when he
applies to play at the
Honeydripper, he is
intercepted by the corrupt
local Sheriff, arrested for
vagrancy and rented out as
an unpaid cotton picker to
the highest bidder. But when
Tyrone's ace-in-the-hole
fails to materialize at the
train station, his
desperation leads him back
to Sonny and the strange,
wire-dangling object in his
guitar case. The
Honeydripper lounge is all
set to play its part in rock
n' roll history.
“Honeydripper” features an
all-star cast including
Danny Glover, Charles S.
Dutton, Lisa Gay Hamilton,
Stacy Keach, Mary
Steenburgen,Yaya DaCosta and
Sean Patrick Thomas; as well
as such notable musicians as
Keb’ Mo’ and Dr. Mable John.
It also introduces a major
new talent, Gary Clark Jr.
who makes his electrifying
film debut as Sonny.
