It takes real courage to put your life, warts and all, out there on display like Shia LaBeouf is willing to do in Honey Boy. Willing to go all in, LaBeouf has penned a biographical drama that will almost certainly make you look at him in a different way. That he started writing the script while in court mandated rehab only furthers that. Reframing some of his more controversial moments within the microscope of a troubled childhood, this movie is truly touching. Not only is it one of Amazon Studios’ hopefuls for the Academy Award race, it’s on of the year’s better works overall. Opening this week, prepare to be floored by this one. The film is a drama, based on LaBeouf’s own life/upbringing. A somewhat fictionalized account of not just his quick jump to movie stardom during childhood, as well as a look at his adult issues with the law, which landed him in rehab, this is also an examination of who his father was. Here, it’s Otis Lort (Noah Jupe at age 12, Lucas Hedges at age 22), a stand in for Shia, while James Lort (LaBeouf) looms large. An ex rodeo clown, James is on his pre-teen son’s payroll, as much an employee as a legal guardian, something that poisons their relationship. Sometimes he’s a bitter father figure, sometimes he’s a bully, and other times he’s too much of a bully, but he’s rarely the dad that Otis needs. A decade later, while recovering in rehab, an older Otis begins to unpack this all, trying to figure out who his father is, why he was the way he was, and what this means for his own self. The results are fascinating and moving in equal measure. Alma Har’el directs LaBeouf’s screenplay, with Natasha Braier handling cinematography, while Alex Somers contributes the score. Supporting players include Byron Bowers, Clifton Collins Jr., Natasha Lyonne, Maika Monroe, Laura San Giacomo, Martin Starr, FKA Twigs, and more. Honey Boy is an introspective and piercing bit of self examination on the part of LaBeouf. The exploration of his early career, his recent troubles with the law, as well as his complicated relationship with his father, makes this a truly unique form of therapy. That he also manages to make the movie funny, sad, and even uplifting is truly an achievement. This is further proof that the man is a real talent, not just in [...]