Wednesday, May 02, 2007

Movie Review: Akeelah and the Bee

When eleven-year-old Akeelah Anderson's teacher suggests she participate in the school spelling bee, she naturally resists, fearing the negative response of other kids and preferring to hide her smarts instead. But at the urging of her principal and big brother, she agrees to give it a try. Much of the film centers around the coaching sessions between Akeelah and Dr. Joshua Larabee, a distinguished academian fighting his own demons. Along the way, Akeelah learns much more than just how to spell, and long before she competes at the Scripts National Spelling Bee, she becomes a winner.

This was one of the best movies I've seen in ages. I rarely cry over a movie, but anything to do with teaching will usually bring on the tears. This was much more than just a feel-good heartwarmer, so rich with truth and life lessons for us all. The "Behind the Scenes" features on the DVD enhanced my appreciation of the movie incredibly, so I will be watching this movie once more before returning it to Netflix.

9 comments:

gail@more than a song said...

We watched this one a while back and I LOVED it also! I'm partial to spelling bees because one of mine went far with it but also loved all the teaching aspects of it too. Definitely a feel good movie with good life lessons! Glad you got to see it.

Stacy at Exceedingly Mundane said...

I've had this one on my rental list for quite a while, but we haven't gotten to it yet. I have heard such good things about it and really want to see it. When all of our TV shows go off in a few weeks, I hope we can catch up on a lot of movies I want to see.

Great review, Dianne!

Peculiar Blogs said...

oh we loved this too!!!

Barb said...

Rob and I both thoroughly enjoyed this movie, too.

Tammy said...

I've heard good things about this...and after reading your review, I think I'm just going to have to rent this one!
Blessings!

Unknown said...

Thanks Dianne. This one is going on my list. I always like to get a movie I have heard personally about from someone I "know" - Like you!

Susanne said...

We watched this one too, last year, and the whole family really liked it. It was right around the time of the big national spelling bee so it made all the work those kids have to put into something like that very real. Great review!

Unknown said...

Oh, yea (clap clap). Thank you for this timely review. I had Netflixed it for Amanda and I to watch together and we didn't, so I almost returned it. I think that I will watch it tomorrow alone and THEN return it.

Katrina @ Callapidder Days said...

Thanks for this review. It's on my "to-rent" list, and I appreciate your thoughts on it.