Review of The Secret Life of Bees (2008) by Brendan V — 12 Jul 2009

Dakota Fanning becomes teenage in this drama movie and delivers a remarkable performance... and what feels like the first where her screaming skills aren't overused. She strikes me as a young Jodie Foster... one who has just transitioned from child actor to real actress. I can't wait to see where her career takes her.

Paul Bettany is such a shock here as he typically plays a well dressed, under-spoken British. As a southern redneck whose bitterness rages against the world, he not only pulls it off, but manages to make grits seem even worse than I previously thought. Sophie Okonedo pulls off the always difficult task of making a "special" adult seem very real and vital. A most touching performance from a top notch talent.

This is a good story with strong performances, though to take the next step as a film, it needed to dig a little deeper into its wide range of characters and settings.