Review of Bee Season (2005) by Eric R — 02 Sep 2007

At the onset, I thought that Bee Season is a film about the Spelling Bee competitions like Spellbound and Akeelah And The Bee. Based on the novel of the same title by Myla Goldberg, it is though a subtle and rather deep emotional journey through a family's breakdown. The veneer of a comfortable and cultured life painfully unravels as mystical and spiritual aspects are explored. The breakdown is caused, ironically, by something that should really be a cause for joy - the discovery of the young daughter's incredible (read: supernatural) talent in spelling.

The characters of this modern-day spiritual fable are surprisingly likeable. One can't help but to desire the best for each member of this family when they start to take this disastrous freefall sans parachutes. This is despite, without going into detail, the poor character development and the lack of support for certain plot elements.

I guess I will have to read the book for enlightenment.