AMERICAN HONEY (2016)

Summary:

American Honey is a sprawling, immersive road movie following Star, a spirited teenage girl from a troubled home in rural Oklahoma. After a chance encounter with Jake, a charismatic and manipulative crew leader, Star abandons her responsibilities and joins his band of itinerant youths who travel across the American Midwest, selling magazine subscriptions door-to-door. This unconventional journey plunges her into a world of hard partying, petty crime, and burgeoning romance, all against the backdrop of America's forgotten landscapes.

As Star navigates the complex dynamics of the crew, led by the formidable Krystal, she grapples with the allure of freedom and the harsh realities of their hand-to-mouth existence. The film intimately explores themes of youth, poverty, exploitation, and the search for belonging, capturing both the exhilarating highs and the profound loneliness of life on the margins. Star's quest for identity and authentic connection forms the emotional core of this visually stunning and raw portrayal of a subculture often overlooked.

Keywords: American Honey, 2016, Sasha Lane, Shia LaBeouf, Riley Keough, Road Movie, Drama, Youth, Poverty, Freedom.

Plot:

The film opens with Star, a young woman living in a dilapidated shack in rural Oklahoma, caring for her younger half-siblings while her neglectful mother struggles. Her days are spent dumpster diving for food and enduring the advances of her stepfather. One day, while at a Kmart, she encounters Jake, a charismatic and enigmatic young man who is part of a traveling magazine sales crew. Jake's magnetic personality and the promise of escape immediately captivate Star. He flirts with her, teasing her with the idea of a different life, before disappearing with his rowdy crew.

Driven by a desperate longing for change and a yearning to escape her bleak circumstances, Star makes the impulsive decision to leave her siblings with her mother and pursue Jake. She finds the crew's bus and, after a brief, intense interview with Krystal, the crew's tough and alluring leader, Star is accepted into their ranks. Krystal, who is also Jake's girlfriend, lays out the rules: no drugs, no alcohol (though this rule is loosely enforced), and the expectation to sell magazines. Star immediately feels the tension between Krystal and Jake, sensing the complex power dynamics at play.

Life on the road with the crew is a chaotic mix of exhilarating freedom and grinding hardship. They travel from town to town in a cramped van, staying in cheap motels, and spending their days knocking on doors, trying to convince strangers to buy magazine subscriptions. The sales pitches are often elaborate, sometimes dishonest, and always emotionally taxing. Star quickly learns the tricks of the trade, observing how each crew member develops their own persona and strategy to make a sale. She also witnesses the crew's hedonistic nights, filled with drinking, drug use, and casual hook-ups, a stark contrast to the structured, if exploitative, days.

A complicated relationship develops between Star and Jake. Their initial attraction blossoms into a clandestine romance, marked by stolen moments and passionate encounters. Jake, despite his manipulative tendencies and his loyalty to Krystal, seems genuinely drawn to Star's innocence and resilience. He teaches her the art of the hustle, showing her how to manipulate potential customers, but also encourages her to find her own voice. Their affair is a constant source of tension, particularly with Krystal, who, despite her own control over Jake, is fiercely possessive and quick to assert her authority over Star.

As the crew traverses the vast landscapes of the American Midwest – from dusty small towns to sprawling suburban developments and industrial oil fields – Star experiences a series of defining encounters. She sells magazines to a variety of people: lonely housewives, suspicious men, and even a group of wealthy oilmen who pay her simply to listen to their stories. These interactions expose her to the diverse tapestry of American life, highlighting the vast disparities in wealth and opportunity. She often uses her vulnerability and honesty as a sales tactic, finding a raw connection with some customers that goes beyond the transaction.

One pivotal encounter involves Star hitching a ride with a group of truckers after being dropped off in a remote area by Jake as a test of her resourcefulness. The encounter is charged with sexual tension, but Star navigates it with a surprising degree of agency, managing to secure a ride and a significant sum of money, which she later shares with her crew. This incident underscores her growing confidence and ability to survive in a harsh world. Another memorable sequence sees the crew crashing a pool party at a luxurious mansion, a stark juxtaposition to their own impoverished existence, where Star momentarily finds a sense of belonging and joy.

Despite the camaraderie and the sense of family within the crew, Star becomes increasingly aware of the exploitative nature of their operation. Krystal's control is absolute, and she takes a large cut of everyone's earnings, leaving the crew members with just enough to survive and continue their cycle. Star begins to chafe under Krystal's authoritarian rule and Jake's inconsistent affections. She witnesses the desperation and the traps of this transient lifestyle, realizing that while it offers freedom from her past, it also offers little in the way of a future.

Star's disillusionment grows, leading to several confrontations with Krystal and Jake. She questions the ethics of their sales tactics and the sustainability of their existence. In one powerful scene, after a particularly grueling day of sales, Star uses her earnings to help a struggling family in a trailer park, an act of defiance against Krystal's strict financial control and a demonstration of her inherent empathy. This act further solidifies her divergence from the crew's cynical worldview.

Towards the film's climax, the crew finds themselves in an industrial area, possibly an oil field, a bleak and desolate landscape. The tension between Star, Jake, and Krystal reaches a breaking point. Star's desire for genuine connection and a life beyond the constant hustle becomes overwhelming. In a final, symbolic act of rebellion and self-liberation, Star leaves the crew. The film concludes with Star, alone, walking towards a body of water, shedding her clothes, and wading into the river. She floats downstream, a solitary figure against the vastness of nature, suggesting a new, uncertain but hopeful beginning, free from the constraints of her past and the crew, ready to forge her own path.

Cast (Lead Roles):

• Sasha Lane as Star
• Shia LaBeouf as Jake
• Riley Keough as Krystal

Crew:

• Director: Andrea Arnold
• Writer: Andrea Arnold
• Producer: Lars Knudsen, Andrea Arnold, Jay Van Hoy, Thomas Benski, Lucas Ochoa
• Cinematographer: Robbie Ryan
• Editor: Joe Bini
• Composer: (Music Supervisor) Ben Salisbury

Release Info:

• Original Release Date: May 15, 2016 (Cannes), September 30, 2016 (USA)
• Language: English
• Genre: Drama, Road Movie
• Running Time: 163 minutes
• Accolades: Jury Prize at the Cannes Film Festival