Honey Bunch is a strange and immersive relationship odyssey

Grace Glowicki as Diana and Ben Petrie as Homer in Honey Bunch - Courtesy of Shudder

Honey Bunch is a weird, yet oddly affecting and immersive exploration of love, obsession, and devotion that would make one heck of a watch this Valentine's Day weekend. It features two young college professors, including one named Homer who frequently quotes The Odyssey, secluded at a facility as the other half of the couple, Diana (Grace Glowicki), tries to recover her memories after a car accident. Set against a 1970s Gothic aesthetic, the film is a sharp turn from directors Dusty Mancinelli and Madeleine Sims-Fewer's last work, the harrowing rape-revenge thriller Violation. Honey Bunch is much more of a genre-bender that's also peppered with plenty of dark humor.

When the movie opens, Homer steps into the ocean, carrying Diana in his arms, while an old-timey song plays with lyrics that repeat, "I wore my elbows down to the bone for you." Based upon this scene and the song, it's evident Homer will care for Diana, through the good times and the bad, including her disability. What unfolds from there, however, is also an exploration of bodily autonomy. Additionally, that shot of the water also nods to Homer, considering Odysseus' many years lost at sea following the Trojan War, until he's finally reunited with his love, Penelope, who remains faithful to him, despite several years apart and the threat of many suitors, who grow impatient and increasingly violent.

At the secluded facility, Farah (Kate Dickie), who oversees the treatment, assures the couple that as long as Diana commits to the program, she'll be healed. During the process, we learn a lot about the couple, and some of my favorite moments in this film are the conversations between Diana and Homer, when they reflect upon the relationship. Maybe these scenes work so well because Glowicki and Petrie are a real-life couple. The chemistry is there from the get-go. My favorite anecdote is when Diana recalls meeting Homer for the first time, catching him hanging out a window, begging students to participate. As the treatment deepens, we learn more about the couple's good times and bad, including various arguments that are a natural part of any relationship. They're also the quirkiest couple I've ever seen on screen, for better or worse. I suspect that may annoy some viewers after a while.

The full extent of what Diana's treatment involves becomes clear by about the halfway point, and this is when the film leans into some gnarly sci-fi territory, while underscoring the theme of bodily autonomy. Diana didn't exactly consent to all that the treatment involves. Yet Homer justifies it by stating he wanted to do whatever he could to save her and help her recover her memories. Still, it ignites a justified heated argument or two between the couple, and the film presents both perspectives well.

There is another storyline regarding an additional patient, Josephina (India Brown), who befriends Homer and Diana. Diana eventually witnesses painful incidents Josephina endures, which causes her to make a break for it. While Josephina certainly has her own narrative, this film works best when it focuses on Diana and Homer. They're the more engaging and interesting narrative, despite their many odd quirks. Unfortunately, Josephina feels too in service of Diana's arc and her awakening.

Honey Bunch is also a gorgeous viewing experience. This feels like a film straight out of the 1970s, thanks to the lenses used and ariel shots. Diana even references the 1975 movie The Stepford Wives at one point. Meanwhile, the facility resembles a Gothic location, with its long and narrow hallways, flickering lights, wooded surroundings, and whispered conversations behind closed doors. It gets to the point where you wonder if Diana will ever be allowed to leave.

Though Honey Bunch hits some narrative snags, it's a creative and compelling look at a relationship, through sickness and in health. The genre-bending movie and its 1970s look and feel is an offbeat watch for those who want an alternative to My Bloody Valentine this holiday weekend. With their second movie, Mancinelli and Sims-Fewer have again crafted a feature with substance and style, though thankfully with a little more humor juxtaposed with the horror.

Honey Bunch will stream on Shudder beginning February 13.

For more horror news and reviews, be sure to follow The Horror Lounge on Facebook, Twitter/X (@TheHorrorLounge), and Bluesky (@TheHorrorLounge).