Now Add Honey

When her stage mother sister Beth (Portia de Rossi) returns to Australia and is promptly arrested for drug possession, Caroline (Robyn Butler) is left to look after her niece, teenage international superstar Honey (Lucy Fry). To say she’s an odd fit with Caroline’s all-Aussie family – and her other sister (Lucy Durack) and her fiancée (Hamish Blake) – is an understatement. Having a creepy paparazzi (Angus Sampson) lurking in the bushes is the least of their worries.
This comedy from the makers of Upper Middle Bogan is a bit uneven (like a sitcom pilot, perhaps), with a plot that manages to be both predictable and muddled with a strong theme of body-shaming and teen sexualisation (it’s firmly opposed to both) that doesn’t quite gel with the funnier moments. An excellent cast provide a vital emotional core to proceedings – Hamish Blake shines in a rare purely comedic role – and while Butler’s trademark live-wire performance suits proceedings well, for a movie so concerned with character it’s surprising more isn’t made of how Caroline got to be so jittery. But story isn’t this film’s strong point; there’s enough sweet character moments and solid jokes to make this worthwhile for comedy fans – though it’s maybe a bit thin for anyone looking beyond the laughs.
Reviewed by Anthony Morris