Honeydripper

Colour, 35 mm
USA, 2007, 122 min
Section: Horizons

Synopsis

Retired bluesman Tyron (Danny Glover) owns a juke joint which is way past its prime, like the aging solo singer who used to pull in the punters in former years. In order to save his club, he intends hiring the guitarist Sam to help get the bar back on its feet. However, when the train arrives and only the guard gets out – Sam is nowhere to be seen – it looks as if the one-off concert is doomed. But then a young man with an electric guitar turns up on his doorstep. Rock’n’roll isn’t just the road to perdition, but also to freedom. This deftly staged film set in 1950s Alabama reinforces the reputation of director John Sayles as a resourceful filmmaker who strives for a consistent portrayal of the lives of his characters and the more general social backdrop. On this occasion, apart from presenting a kind-hearted perspective on the black community, he also traces the first steps taken by rock’n’roll, long before it became a symbol of modern decadence.

About the director

John Sayles (b. 1950, Schenectady, USA) began his film career working for Roger Corman, who also produced the film Piranha (1978) based on Sayles’s screenplay. He financed his directorial debut himself, Return of the Secaucus 7 (1979), in which he betrayed his sensitivity towards the depiction of social issues and human relationships. This trait appeared in quite diverse projects, such as the sci-fi The Brother from Another Planet (1984) or the competing title at Cannes Limbo (1999). He received his first Oscar nomination in 1993 for his original screenplay for the film Passion Fish (1992) and, four years later, he was also nominated for the script for the film Lone Star (1996). He features in many of his films in episodic roles and has directed three video clips for Bruce Springsteen. Honeydripper is his sixteenth film.