You are here:

American Honey

Name: American Honey
Director: Andrea Arnold
Released: 2016
Duration: 163 min

Representation Score

8.8/10

Excellent

2016

Director

Andrea Arnold

Runtime

163 minutes

Average Rating

No ratings yet

New Showbiz Analysis

American Honey stands out in its critique of traditional American institutions and its portrayal of a underrepresented socioeconomic class. By focusing on the ability to act of the main character, Star, the film avoids typical gender clichés and offers a raw, multi-ethnic perspective of the American periphery. Despite its strengths in cultural critique and gender dynamics, the film falls short in representing LGBTQ+ identities and specific disabilities. The narrative centers on conventional romantic explorations and socioeconomic pressures rather than identity-driven storylines. Overall, the film's strength lies in its refusal to moralize the characters' lawless behavior, instead presenting their actions as necessary responses to systemic lack of opportunity.

Watch this, not that →

Category Breakdown

Does American Honey have LGBTQ+ representation?

Fair

The film highlights fleeting romances and transient connections. It does not specifically focus on non-traditional gender identities or challenge assumptions about straight relationships.

How does American Honey portray gender?

Good

The film portrays women as active participants in their own survival, disrupting traditional gender roles in a male-dominated environment.

How racially and ethnically diverse is American Honey?

Good

The cast includes a variety of ethnicities, reflecting the diverse makeup of the American working class. This diverse representation underscores the socioeconomic realities faced by itinerant workers.

How does American Honey represent religion and culture?

Excellent

The film critiques traditional institutions, showing the nuclear family as fragmented and capitalism as exploitative. It also presents a morally relative view of the characters' survival tactics.

Does American Honey include disability representation?

Fair

The film captures the mental strain of poverty and constant movement. However, it does not focus specifically on physical or neurological differences.

Present on Screen

Disrupts traditional gender hierarchies by highlighting female empowerment.
Offers an authentic, multi-ethnic view of the American working class.
Provides a deeply critical and nuanced look at fragmented institutions and capitalist exploitation.

Limited or Absent

Could include more explicit representation of non-traditional gender identities and queer narratives.
Needs more specific focus on physical and neurodivergent disabilities.

Official Synopsis

A restless teenager escapes her troubled home and joins a traveling crew of young drifters selling magazines across the American Midwest. Immersed in a world of reckless partying, risky hustles, and fleeting romances, she searches for freedom and belonging on the open road.

How are these scores produced? →