UrbanWire

Honey Daniels (Jessica Alba) aspires to be a dancer in music videos, and while pursuing her dreams, she works as a club bartender by night, a salesgirl at a record store by day, and spends the rest of her time either giving hip-hop dance classes to the kids at the local community centre, or auditioning.

Two influences in her life try to pull her in opposite directions. Mom (Lonette McKee) hopes she will have loftier dreams of dancing ballet, jetting to Paris and London, and getting out of the Bronx community, while her best friend (Joy Bryant) is all for her own goals.

While shaking her booty at the club, she catches the attention of video director Michael Ellis (David Moscow) and gets her big break, and soon enough, she's choreographing music videos for big hip-hop stars like Ginuwine and Missy Elliott.

Along the way, Honey befriends neighbourhood kids Benny(Lil' Romeo) and Raymond(Zachary Isiah Williams), brothers who are getting into the wrong company, and begins dating the charming neighbourhood barber.

But predictably, life throws her some nasty curves. Michael has ulterior motives on her, and Honey has to decide if she's willing to sleep her way to the top.

Just at this time, Honey finds her world falling apart as well - her best friend's upset with her, the kid brothers are getting into trouble with the law, she's blacklisted in the music industry for refusing sex with Michael, the community centre is getting torn down and the dance lessons can no longer be conducted.

Hence, Honey decides to take things into her own hands. She decides to set up a dance school, so she can be a dance teacher cum chorographer, help the kids in the neighbourhood by keeping them away from bad company, and have time for her family and friends.

Unfortunately, the lovely Honey Daniels hasn't got her bling-blings so she comes up with the less than original idea of staging a fund-raising concert.

Honey lacks depth, and Alba's grooves and moves are only mediocre compared to previous films like Tango (1998) and The Red Shoes (1948), hardly convincing that she's all that talented and hot property as a choreographer. In fact, it's so bad that it needs cameos from hip-hop stars like Missy Elliot to give the movie a boost.

The movie is so predictable, you would probably feel like you're watching Mariah Carey's movie, Glitter, from a couple of years back, all over again. Honey's saving grace was in its soundtrack featuring Missy Elliot, Yolanda Adams and Sean Paul, and of course, the gorgeous looking Jessica Alba, who is eye candy for all, but then again, there's only so much sweetness one can take.