Review of Akeelah and the Bee (2006) by Mia S — 03 Nov 2007

[font=Arial][size=2]The add campaign for ?Akeelah and the Bee? might make the film appear to be yet another predictable, inspirational, family movie. However, this is a film that took me by complete surprise to be a real encouraging delight. Let me begin by stating, ?Akeelah and the Bee is the best family film so far this year.? No, it doesn?t have magical wizards, spaceships, or wise-cracking supporting characters. But who declared that audiences ever needed those elements to enjoy a family movie? Here?s a family film of equal entertainment even without the traditional ingredients of a family picture.

Keke Palmer is absolutely wonderful in this movie, giving one of the strongest child-star performances I?ve ever seen. Despite here young age, Palmer?s performance should not be forgotten at Oscar time. She could turn out to be the youngster nominee surprise like Keisha Castle-Hughes in ?Whale Rider.?

Plamer plays Akeelah, a poor, black, eleven-year-old girl, with a gift for spelling. Her father was killed and her family is facing a great emotional crisis. Akeelah is pushed into entering a spelling bee by here teacher and principal. Akeelah however, is somewhat embarrassed by here gift, fearing her classmates will pick on her for being intelligent. Well what kid hasn?t felt that way in elementary school, right?

Akeelah is given a spelling coach, played by Laurence Fishburne. Fishburne delivers an equally strong performance as this father-like figure that embraces Akeelah?s gift. The relationship between the two is somewhat like Good Will Hunting.

Another strong performance comes from Angela Bassett as Akeelah?s struggling mother. Akeelah?s mother is an angry bitch on her period. She desires for Akeelah to concentrate on her studies and to forget about this silly spelling bee. But I bet you ten bucks that she will come around to except her daughter?s talent by the end of the movie.

In the end, this is a movie about more then just a spelling bee. Akeelah and the Bee tells a real story about the importance of friendship, family, race, and embracing your gifts. Sure that might be the morals of all movies on the rating scale from ?G? to ?PG.? But the masterfully written screenplay by Doug Atchison, delivers to make the movie original.

The audience feels real suspense as Akeelah stands on that stage, attempting to spell the next word. We care about Akeelah because she is an utterly likable and sympathetic character. The film has such great emotional impact that it?s even a little touching in the end. Two words can sum up what this movie is. Allow me to spell them out for you. E-N-O-R-M-O-U-S-L-Y E-N-T-E-R-T-A-I-N-I-N-G: Enormously Entertaining.[/size][/font].