Honest (2000)

I like movies that are aware of what they are selling... without [any] greater aspirations than to make people laugh and that's it.

At first rather annoying in its heavy emphasis on reenactments, this movie ultimately proves fascinating, simply because the complicated, highly dramatic tale it tells still almost defies belief.

The thing I enjoyed most about the film is the fact that it doesn't shy away from being a super-sized-cliche;

Let me be very fair here, this is not the best movie in my opinion. But, this movie is fun, it has purpose and is very enjoyable to watch.

I would rather rip my own guts out with blunt knife than buy any All Saints album. So it's quite clear I didn't watch this movie because I'm an All Saints fan. Nor do I find any of them particularly attractive, so that's no selling point there either - mind you the two Appleton sisters do both get their top off if that's why you're interested in this movie. I wasn't expecting much from this film, but I must admit I was happily surprised. This is a rather good movie. No it's no masterpiece, but it has an entertaining story, is well paced and even laced with some really good acting performances. Definitely worth watching.

Despite the pathetic protestations of the Director and production company, this film was nothing more than a 'Spice World II'. Nothing wrong with that as Spice World had an ardent audience of pre-teens/ teens and made money. But no, Honest Productions seemed to think that 'Honest' was serious art for adults. Very misguided, but apparently they persuaded their distributors of same. Had the Director curbed his ego (and obvious desperation to be seen as a serious director), cut the violence and sex so that the REAL audience for this film: teen and pre-teen fans of the All Saints had access, this film might actually have found its true audience and made some money. Yet it seems only adults went to see movie, in hopes of getting a good look at the Appleton sisters' breasts. In casting three non-actors who obviously couldn't muster up the ironic edge to give a silly story any real comic value; attaching an aging pop star who clearly can't direct; and trying to sell this as 'serious art', the team behind this pic cut their own throats. Why didn't the distributors, who ought to know better, insist that this be edited to get a 15 certificate? That's even more idiotic than the film itself.

This was I film I saw by accident, the film I meant to watch being sold out. As a result I had no preconceptions about it, no prejudice about the leading actresses, which in this case was probably a good thing. The acting of the three pop stars playing the three criminal sisters, Robin Hoods except that they themselves are the poor they give to, is not all that bad, and probably is scrutinized harder than usual because you know they are not really trained actors. The character of Gerry in particular is well played, despite the occasional false note in the cockney accent. They get themselves into trouble with drug dealers and local gangland bosses and drag in an innocent American who falls for Gerry after she assaults him with a life size roughly female and half nude work of art. There are comic moments to keep the film going when the action is thin on the ground, note the rich aristocratic heir who fills his time putting out a 60s subversive magazine. The portrayal of 1960s London and the contrast between those caught in their hippie revolution and those in the East End whose lives seem little changed since the 1940s feels reasonably authentic and is one of the pleasures of the film. One scene of a drug effected festival can give an edge of vertigo. The film touches on a lot of issues through its characters, rich versus poor, traditional versus modern, female equality, but does not explore any of them in any depth. While this may annoy some, I believe many would argue that this is not the point of the film. Overall, do not expect a classic or a memorable impression on your life, but if you are open minded and let yourself simply be entertained then you could well have an enjoyable time watching this.

This must have looked great on paper... Imagine three beautiful sisters, in swinging-sixties London, who steal for a living. Get three pop stars (Nicole and Natalie Appleton, Melanie Blatt of the 'All Saints) as the cast and package with pop star turned director, Dave Stewart (of Eurythmics fame).It's the perfect pitch. OK - maybe not, but there will be a buzz and people will want to see it. But should they? In my opinion, probably not.From the outset, the film couldn't decide whether it wanted to be sixties a pastiche comedy, or a thriller edged movie.The plot was pedestrian and you were never really drawn to care about the characters. The script was peppered with sixties stereotypes, posh kids, tripping hippies and some decidedly one-dimensional mobsters. The cast seemed to struggle under the weight of the plot, some of the scenes were truly painful to watch - especially the comedy drug-dealer villain and the extended 'trip' sequence. Some of the emotional pay-offs were lame to say the least. Co-writers Clement and La Frenais (with Stewart) are capable of much, much more than this.All that said, there are a couple of good comedy moments, including a chase into Mornington Crescent Tube Station in a camper van. Sadly, these moments are few and far between.Nicole Appleton, as the oldest sister Gerry, seemed reasonably at home in her role. Sadly though, she was let down by a mock-cockney accent which seemed to have escaped from the Dick Van Dyke school of dialect coaching. Others were guilty of this too. Peter Facinelli, the American love interest was missable. Corin Redgrave brought a little dignity to the proceedings with his mob boss.Points must also go to one of the most obvious continuity errors I have ever seen... a full back tattoo that goes missing!With an 18 Certificate in the UK for the drug-taking, language and nudity the film was doubtless pitched at an adult audience. I feel that, unless all want to see is some pop star nudity, you will walk away disappointed. "Honest" is destined for the same bargain bin that you may pick 1997's 'Spiceworld' out of, and that's a shame as this had the potential to be far, far better. One to miss.