The trailer for Andrea Arnold’s American Honey – which recently held its world premiere at the Cannes Film Festival and won the Jury Prize – may not showcase much on terms of plot, but exudes youthful energy and a sense of danger that’s not often found in contemporary independent cinema. Boasting a nearly three-hour run time and a cast of largely unknown actors (and Shia LaBeouf), there appeared some head-scratching at Cannes, but many critics also took note of the film which is being pegged for U.S. release sometime later this year courtesy of A24 Films.
American Honey follows Star (newcomer Sasha Lane), a young misfit who joins a traveling magazine sales team. While traversing the American midwest, Star gets caught up in the hard-partying, unlawful ways of her ragtag team. The trailer points of a possible romance as well with LaBeouf’s Jake. Riley Keough (Mad Max: Fury Road) and Arielle Holmes (Heaven Knows What) co-star. While perhaps slightly polarizing, many critics were so taken with Arnold’s fever dream that some suggested the filmmaker ought to have had a better showing with the Cannes jury. Arnold previously won the Jury Prize at Cannes for Fish Tank (a 2009 critics favorite that featured a simmering performance for then fresh breakout Michael Fassbender) and Red Road (2006).
Arnold since directed a critically endorsed remake of the literary classic Wuthering Heights and last year directed two episode of the Amazon hit series Transparent. She won an Oscar for her 2003 short film Wasp.
American Honey might have a good home at A24 Films, which in recent years has had success in turning rather outre product (like Spring Breakers, Under the Skin to current oddity The Lobster) into indie hits. No U.S. release plans have been revealed as of yet but American Honey will likely hit the festival circuit this fall (Telluride, Toronto, New York all seem possible). Check out the trailer below.
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