Nick Nolte undertakes an unforgettable journey in the drama Head Full of Honey

Head Full of Honey is the upcoming family drama starring thrice Oscar-nominated Nick Nolte (Warrior, Affliction, and The Prince of Tides) as a recently-widowed man who is in the early stages of Alzheimer’s disease. As a way to deal with his illness and bond more closely with his remaining family before his memories fade, he undertakes a journey with his granddaughter (Sophie Lane Nolte) to the site of his greatest happiness.

It’s a remake of the 2014 German movie Honig im Kopf, which was co-written, co-directed, and starred Til Schweiger (better known to English-speaking audiences for his roles in Atomic Blonde and Inglourious Basterds), who also directs and appears in this version.

The official plot synopsis is as follows:

[quotes quotes_style=”bquotes” quotes_pos=”center”]Matilda (Sophie Lane Nolte) tries to help her grandfather, Amadeus (Nick Nolte), who is suffering from Alzheimer’s, to navigate his forgetfulness, and ends up going on a remarkable adventure with him.[/quotes]

Let’s take a look:

Hold on, just let me clear these onions away. For anyone who’s ever experienced any form of dementia affecting their loved ones this movie really is a punch to the gut because it’s instantly familiar. And while this is definitely a sentimental movie it doesn’t come across as wallowing in sentimentality, and instead of focusing on a depressing, woe-is-me storyline it takes the viewers on a touching, final journey between a fading grandfather and his young granddaughter to the site where he met the love of his life.

Nick Nolte looks like he’s delivering a sterling performance as the grieving widower suffering from Alzheimer’s, and his daughter (yes, really) gives an impressively self-assured debut performance as well – their real-life family bond adds a sense of authenticity to their relationship in the movie.

Head Full of Honey looks like a solid drama film that balances sadness with optimism, and should be a hit for drama lovers and tissue manufacturers alike. What do you think?

It’s due for a limited release in the US on 30 November, thereby sneaking into the Oscars nominations window. It also stars Matt Dillon, Emily Mortimer, Eric Roberts, Claire Forlani, and Jacqueline Bisset.