Pratik Handore
Directed by Oran Zegman, ‘Honor Society’ is a teen drama film that revolves around Honor, an ambitious high school senior who plots the gain the coveted recommendation from her guidance counselor. However, she must first take down her competitors so that her career plan goes smoothly. Honor’s story has all the spices of a typical high school drama but is presented in a realistic and emotionally engaging manner. Therefore, viewers must be wondering whether the story is inspired by real events or true incidents. If you are wondering whether ‘Honor Society’ is based on a true story, we have gathered all the answers for you right here!
Is Honor Society a True Story?
No, ‘Honor Society’ is not based on a true story. It is based on an original screenplay written by David A. Goodman (‘The Orville‘). The film tells a fictional story that is not inspired by any real events. It is firmly rooted in the tropes of the teen drama genre and takes place in a high school. The story follows Honor (Angourie Rice of ‘Spider-Man: No Way Home‘), an intelligent high school senior who desires to attend Harvard. However, she must first eliminate her competitors for a chance to join the prestigious university. While trying to defeat Michael (Gaten Matarazzo of ‘Stranger Things‘), Honor becomes attracted to her nerdy classmate, and the two develop a romantic relationship.
Honor is an ambitious student and does not wish to stray from her goal. However, she is distracted by her blossoming romance with Michael. Hence, the film presents a typical high school conflict through Honor’s character that audiences will undoubtedly find relatable. The film also comments on the social hierarchy of high schools and society/club cultures. Through her misguided quest, Honor realizes the value of her time at high school and recognizes the human sides of her peers. Thus, Honor’s character is emotionally grounded and resonates with the viewers.
In an interview, actress Angourie Rice revealed that she closely worked with director Oran Zegman to craft Honor’s emotional journey and character arc. The duo conducted Zoom meetings to exchange notes about the character’s arc. As a result, their efforts to make the narrative more compelling while making viewers empathize with the character of Honor. Moreover, Rice stated that she found several similarities between her character and her real-life personality. Hence, she was able to channel her real-life persona into making her performance as Honor believable.
Given the high school setting and the simple teenage conflicts faced by the protagonist, viewers might find the movie similar to ‘Booksmart,’ ‘Moxie,’ ‘Crush,’ ‘Anything’s Possible.’ The film presents a lively and upbeat take on high school life. However, it does not stray away from the tropes of the teen drama genre. It features a game of wits between two nerds who are ambitious and unrelenting in pursuing their dreams. Thus, the movie subverts the stereotypical portal of studious and academically gifted characters in cinema.
Ultimately, ‘Honor Society’ is a fictional story that presents an electrifying teen drama in a familiar setting. The narrative is relatable and elevates through the believable performances. Nonetheless, the tropes of the teen drama genre are prevalent and slightly subverted to give viewers a fresh, engaging, and entertaining story.
Read More: Where Was Honor Society Filmed?
