Review of Akeelah and the Bee (2006) by Thomas P — 14 Sep 2013

A great inspirational family film with a few cuss words. The actors make this especially poignant and triumphant, especially the naturalistic child actors.

I fully enjoyed this movie as an underdog story where you see the many obstacles that need to be overcome, and one-by-one making it happen.

On a personal note, the truth is that I'm contemplating the necessity of Angela Bassett playing an angry 'ghetto mama' spouting her 'diss'-pleasure with all but two snaps back, and it made something in me bristle - like so much stereotypical junk that doesn't seem to belong in such an otherwise elegant, smart, and powerful movie.

Pardon my indulgence here, but.

I think it's like Bill Cosby kicking Lisa Bonet off his show for tarnishing the image of excellence he wanted for his ensemble cast to maintain.

For me, there didn't seem to be enough of a redemptive catharsis for Bassett's character later - it struck me that she could have been a selfish mother momentarily caught up in the emotions of the spelling bee, but still internally unchanged after "the big event" is over, and be back to ghetto thinking again.

Thankfully, thats my only peev -.

I wanted a clear, full circle change for the mom as well, or ast least a clarity about get character.

The rest of it is SO GOOD, tho this one thing stuck with me. Sorry.

Now Fishburne seemed born to play this wise yet wounded character who must also conquer his demons to take a kind of personal challenge against his self-protective instincts.

A joy of a movie that started a bit roughly for me.

4 out of 5 sweaty palms..