I knew nothing about this movie before seeing it. I then spent the entire movie trying to figure out whether it was trying to be a drama or a comedy. I suppose light drama describes it best, but I feel the movie would have had considerably more impact if it was played as a straight gritty drama. The material was there and taboo subjects were tackled in a mainly intelligent way. The Salford locations were spot on, bringing home the working class struggle experienced by so many. The lead character Jo, was difficult to like. She was clearly, deeply affected by her mothers promiscuous behaviour and pushed away anybody who showed her affection. This was a lovely performance by the actress, who was totally believable. Dora Bryan played her role the lightest, although she looked way older than 40, her song in the pub was a delight. Geoffrey the gay friend was a sad character, a shame he was portrayed in such a stereotypical way. I would have liked to have seen Jo's relationship with the sailor explored more and given more depth, it was so crucial to the story. Overall, this was a thought provoking, realistic film which was successful as no attempt was made to glamorise the setting or situation.
Review of A Taste of Honey
