Is Honey appropriate for a 10-year-old who loves dance?

While the dance numbers themselves appeal to younger kids, the plot includes workplace sexual harassment, clubbing, and subplots about neighborhood kids selling drugs. It's better suited for 13 and up.

What is the main content concern in Honey?

The primary issue for parents is a plot point where a music video producer demands sexual favors from the protagonist and retaliates when she refuses.

Does Honey feature bad language or violence?

Language is mostly mild PG-13 profanity and sexual slang (like 'hooker heels'). Violence is limited to brief street confrontations and tense arguments.

Is Jessica Alba actually doing the dancing in Honey?

Yes, Jessica Alba underwent extensive dance training for the role, though professional doubles were used for some complex stunts.

Honey – WISE Score & Parent Review | Screenwise

Honey

Name: Screenwise
Author: Screenwise

movie2003

53%

WISE Score

Avg. Tomatometer

A 2003 MTV-era dance drama where Jessica Alba balances Harlem community center dance classes with predatory music video directors.

5.4/10

19%

71%

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Honey

movie

PG-13, 2003

53%

WISE Score

Avg. Tomatometer

A 2003 MTV-era dance drama where Jessica Alba balances Harlem community center dance classes with predatory music video directors.

5.4

19%

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5.4/10

19%

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Where to Watch

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Screenwise Verdict

Honey is a total time capsule of 2003: cargo pants, low-rise jeans, cameo-heavy music videos, and MTV-style editing. Jessica Alba brings plenty of charm to the lead role, and the movie's core emphasis on community dance centers is genuinely sweet.

That said, the script handles its main conflict—a director attempting to leverage Honey's career for sexual favors—with a lot of early-2000s melodrama. Combined with subplots about kids selling drugs in Harlem, it's a bit heavier than its shiny dance-movie exterior suggests.

Age Fit

Best for ages 13 and up. Younger kids might like the dance routines, but the storyline involving predatory industry directors and street drug trade pushes it into teen territory.

WISE Breakdown

Wholesome

Balances a sweet message about community youth dance programs with pervasive early-2000s club culture, suggestive outfits, and street drug subplots.

Imaginative

Features solid hip-hop dance choreography and creative expression, even if the narrative beats follow a predictable dance-movie formula.

Safe

Rated PG-13 due to a explicit workplace sexual harassment storyline, mild profanity, clubbing, and references to youth drug dealing.

Enriching

Models integrity and standing up against industry abuse, but the delivery is cheesy and heavily dated.

Parent Info

✓

Why It Might Be Great

Early-2000s dance nostalgia with energetic hip-hop choreography that still hits if you love the era.
Solid message on self-respect as the lead character refuses to trade sexual favors for career success.
Community focus centered on keeping a Harlem youth dance facility open and keeping neighborhood kids supported.

⚠

What to Watch For

Sexual harassment plot point: A powerful music director attempts to coerce Honey into sex in exchange for booking her as a choreographer.
Suggestive visuals: Frequent club scenes, crop tops, body-thrusting choreography, and sexual banter.
Street subplots: Depictions of neighborhood teens getting lured into selling drugs on the corner.

Conversation Starters

"Honey had to make a tough choice when her boss crossed the line. What options do people have when someone abuses power at work?"
"How do community centers and creative outlets change a neighborhood for kids?"
"Why do you think music videos in the early 2000s relied so heavily on slick, provocative aesthetics?"

Deep Dive

A Time Capsule of 2000s Dance Movies

If you grew up on Save the Last Dance, Step Up, or You Got Served, Honey fits squarely in that early-2000s rhythm. The dance sequences feature actual period-accurate choreography, and the soundtrack is stacked with hits from the era. For teens interested in dance culture, the performance scenes still deliver.

Workplace Harassment in a Teen-Targeted Frame

The central hurdle in Honey isn't winning a competition; it's surviving the sleazy side of show business. When the director demands sexual favors, Honey walking away is presented as the clear, heroic choice. However, the scene where he makes his move and the retaliation that follows (blacklisting her) offer a stark look at power dynamics in creative industries. It's an opportunity to talk with older kids about workplace boundaries and consent before they take entry-level jobs or internships.

"I don't need your videos, and I definitely don't need you."

How it Holds Up Today

Critically, the film was panned for being predictable and cliché, and modern viewers will definitely notice the formulaic pacing. But as a nostalgic throwback or a rainy-day teen watch, it delivers harmless fun alongside some heavy real-world topics.

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