Honeyjoon Review – Stunning Cinematography, Entertaining Dramady Delivers

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Category: Indies, Docs, Foreign Film

Published on Tuesday, 16 June 2026 11:27

Written by Janet Walker

Honeyjoon, from Circle Collective and Utopia Films, presents an entertaining comedic drama as a mother and daughter seeking to memorialize the death of their husband/father, book a resort getaway without realizing the weekend is the honeymoon special.

The film opens as the camera focuses on the curve of a woman's body, we understand she is pleasuring herself and is quickly interrupted when another female returns to the bed. It isn't until Lela, played by Amira Casar, asks June, played by Ayden Mayeri a random question that we realize they are mother and daughter, sharing the same room and bed at a resort hotel.

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As the day progresses, we begin to understand why the two women are here. They booked the honeymoon couples weekend, and as they arrive at the front desk, the concierge asks them are they ready for the couple's massage.

The closeness is overwhelming for the pair, as they are visiting this amazing paradise to memorialize the anniversary of Lela's husband and June's father who passed away one year ago.

Surrounded by honeymooners, June tries, and flirts, to reclaim her joie de vivre, while Lela is deep in the memories of the past. The next day, they had arranged a tour of the island, and when they discovered they would be touring with the honeymooners, June arranges for a private island tour.

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The next day, Joao, played by José Condessa, a hot philosophical surfer takes them on a private tour, and as June sees him as her vacation man, her mother seems to connect with him on a deeper, more meaningful level. Soon the day becomes a wildly funny, sensual, emotional journey unfolds as each of them are seeking connection, and a new future.

In the middle of this memorial weekend, Lela is watching the violence in Tehran and recounts the stories of when Iran was a westernized nation, when women were respected members of society, doctors, teachers, contributors, not restricted from actively participating in society. The film was made during the Women-Life-Freedom movement, and the murder of Mahsa "Jina" Amini, who was arrested and beaten to death for not wearing her hijab properly.

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Honeyjoon is an entertaining dark comedy, with moments of genuine realism.  

The director skillfully depicted the differences between the mother and daughter, especially on the stair scene, as a double set of stairs, one on the right, the other left, each leading to a magnificent viewing platform, June climbs one set and Lela the other. It is the perfect imagery to visualize the differences in the women.

The cast brought the dialogue to life beautifully and were able to deliver excellent performances. The captivating cinematography is stunning, with rugged coastlines, a luxurious resort, and the inland's countryside and famed architecture, one would expect to visit when traveling.

Honeyjoon, an outstanding portrayal of grief, recovery, and the resilience of the human spirit, opens in select markets June 19, 2026. See it.

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Country: Portugal.

Language: English, Portuguese, Persian, with English subtitles.

Runtime: 75 minutes.

Director: Lilian T. Mehrel.

Producer: Andreia Nunes, Lilian T. Mehrel.

Executive Producer: Rostam Zafari, Sepanta Mohseni, Azadeh Vatanpour.

Writer: Lilian T. Mehrel.

Cast: Ayden Mayeri, Amira Casar, José Condessa, Antonio Maria, Tiago Sarmento, Teresa Faria.

Janet Walker is the publisher, founder, and sole owner of Haute-Lifestyle.com. A graduate of New York University, she has been covering international news through the Beltway Insider, a weekly review of the nation's top stories, for more than a decade.  A general beat writer/reporter and entertainment/film critic, she is also an accomplished news/investigative news/crime reporter and submitted for Pulitzer Prize consideration "Cops Conspire to Deep Six Sex Assaults" in the Breaking News Category and was persuaded to withdraw the submission. Ms. Walker has completed five screenplays "The Six Sides of Truth," "The Assassins of Fifth Avenue," "The Wednesday Killer," "The Manhattan Project," and the sci-fi thriller "Project 13: The Last Day." She has also published "Unholy Alliances: A True Crime Story," and "Days, Times, Seasons, and Events: A Collection of Poetry & Prose," which can be purchased here. She is a member of the Los Angeles Press Club, the National Writers Union, and a member of the International Federation of Journalists.