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Akeelah and the Bee

Keke Palmer is extremely precocious in her acting skills as Akeelah Anderson of Akeelah and the Bee. Produced by and costarring Laurence Fishburne, Akeelah and the Bee is a genuinely heartwarming story about a young, African-American girl’s struggle to accept her gifts of intelligence and spelling prowess, in a community that does not nourish them, and a family that almost discourages them.

One thing I loved about this movie was that it was truly a family movie. It’s perfect for watching with your family and it is, in fact, about family—how different families deal with loss, with supporting each other, and with staying together with external pressures trying to tear them apart. But what was amazing about this movie is that it manages to be uplifting, with plenty of “aww”-inducing moments, without being preachy or syrupy sweet. And, the acting by every cast member was superb.

There were some worrisome moments. For one, some of the dialogue discussing the racial dichotomies in Los Angeles sounded a bit contrived. It wasn’t as artlessly stated as the dialogue of 7th Heaven, but you might still struggle to stifle a groan. This occurred so rarely, however, that you completely forgot those lapses by the time the credits rolled.

I worried for a moment about the character of Akeelah’s mother, played by Angela Bassett. Her lack of support for Akeelah’s academic endeavors made her completely unsympathetic at times, perhaps unjustly. She was struggling with the same loss Akeelah was suffering from, and should not have been cast as one of the film’s antagonists. She was also, however, redeemed by the end of the film, and I sympathized with her to the point of forgiving her earlier shortcomings.

I’d recommend buying this movie and cozying up with Akeelah whenever you need a morale-boost.

Written by: Katherine E. Webb

Reviewers Rating: 9
Reader's Rating: 8.50
Reader's Votes: 2

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