The Movie
Directed and written - along with Porridge (1979)'s Ian La Frenais and Dick Clement - by The Eurythmics' David A Stewart, Honest is a tale of three thieving sisters in 1968 London.
Marking the acting debut of All Saints' Appleton sisters (Nicole Appleton and Natalie Appleton), along with band mate Melanie Blatt, Honest centres on the relationship between eldest sister Gerry Chase (Nicole Appleton) and American law student Daniel Wheaton (Peter Facinelli), who manages to catch her during a gem robbery.
Though the film stumbles along with nothing beyond characterisation of the West End stereotypes for the main part, events take a turn for the interesting when Gerry's sisters Mandy and Jo (Natalie Appleton and Melanie Blatt) are shot and injured whilst holding up a club. Discovering that local hard-man Duggie (Corin Redgrave) owns the club, Gerry is offered an ultimatum - she must surrender the takings from the robbery, along with her previously-stolen gems or face Duggie's wrath.
The remainder of the film concerns the improbable events that surround the Cash family's escape to France, along with Daniel and a bundle of drug money stolen from his boss, played - in an entertainingly foppish performance - by Jonathan Cake.
Though they managed to add some of their trademark wit to films like Rock, The (1996) and Never Say Never Again (1983), Clement and La Frenais' influence on Honest is rare, with precious few lines raising a smile. For his part, David A Stewart turns in some occasionally disorienting direction, which, in places, seems to stumble over its own artistic intentions.
6/10
Picture Quality.
Presented in a 16:9 widescreen format, the picture appears grainy, even at a reasonable viewing distance, and colours are muted.
5/10
Sound Quality.
Taking no noticeable advantage of the surround sound capabilities offered by the Dolby 5.1 soundtrack, the sound is nevertheless clear, though decidedly uninvolving.
5/10
Extras.
With only the trailer, English for the hard of hearing and scene selections to its name, Honest's extras are virtually non-existent and feature an ugly interface.
4/10
Overall Score: 5/10
A bland movie gets a fittingly bland DVD release.
