Review of Akeelah and the Bee (2006) by Thomas A — 02 Feb 2012

Overall, Doug Atchinson has done a wonderful job in conveying the message that though one's self-concept is highly reliant on other people's opinion, eventually it is up to ourselves whether we want to transform our own self-concept for the better.

This is especially evident in the quote that Dr Larabee asks Akeelah to recite during the month before her national spelling bee. The quote by Marianne Williamson says, "Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate.

[It] is that we are powerful beyond measure. We ask ourselves, who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented and fabulous? Actually, who are you not to be?". The quote, which gives her encouragement for doing her best (and thus, winning) the national spelling bee, sums up the recurrent theme of the film.

And that, I believe, is something we can all learn from.