Release Date: 8/29/2006 Original Release: 2006 Format: DVD Length: 112 minutes Rating:PG (MPAA) Rating Reason: some language UPC: 031398195962 Studio: Lions Gate Home Entertainment
Following in the fine tradition of inspiring inner-city underdog tales like STAND AND DELIVER, and TAKE THE LEAD, Doug Atchison's AKEELAH AND THE BEE is a story of overcoming odds that never descends into empty formula. The narrative centers around the character of Akeelah (Keke Palmer, in a star-making performance), a charming yet insecure 11 year old girl from Los Angeles' gang-ridden South Central district. Upon flipping channels after school one day, she lands on ESPN's coverage of the National Spelling Bee. Having recently become aware of her innate talent in this area, Akeelah cannot help but fantasize about the prospect of being a star of the bee circuit. The tragic problem -- intelligence of this kind is not valued in her community, where skills of athleticism and rapping are coveted far more than school smarts. Though Akeelah attempts to hide her academic acuity behind a rebellious attitude, she cannot resist the temptation to enter her school's spelling bee, at which her stellar performance attracts the attention of her idealistic principal, who pairs her with a mentor, a former professor named Joshua Larabee (the always riveting Laurence Fishburne, who re-embodies the wise iconoclast character he played so well in the chess movie SEARCHING FOR BOBBY FISCHER). Meanwhile, Akeelah's strong, practical mother, (played by Angela Bassett, who worked with Fishburne on the Tina Turner biopic WHAT'S LOVE GOT TO DO WITH IT?) while always supportive of her talented daughter, does not necessarily see the point of spending such time and energy on what will likely amount to a fleeting hobby.
Perhaps taking its cue from the surprising popularity of Jeffrey Blitz's quirky documentary SPELLBOUND (2002), which explored spelling prodigies from diverse classes, races, and geographic locations, this drama makes what could be a narrow niche into a universal tale of triumph over adversity.
DVD Features
Region 1 Keep Case Full Frame - 1.33 Widescreen - 2.35 Audio: Closed Captioned - English - Optional Dolby Digital Surround Sound 5.1 - English Dolby Digital Surround Sound Stereo 2.0 - English Subtitles - English, Spanish - Optional Additional Release Material: Featurette: 1. "Making of AKEELAH AND THE BEE" 2. "Two Peas in a Pod" 3. "Inside the Mind of Akeelah" 4. Music Video - KeKe Palmer - "All My Girlz" 5. Gag Reel 6. Deleted Scenes
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Akeelah and the Bee is one of a few movies that Hollywood has spewed to be family-friendly. I always like positive movies like this that emphasize the importance of of an "education." Kudos to... Read the whole review at MatchFlick
Posted on April 10, 2007
Reviewed by: Jessica Film Junkie
A very sweet, heart-warming film about an 11 year-old girl (relative newcomer Keke Palmer) who is attempting to win the National Spelling Bee. The film centres around Akeelah's relationship with her... Read the whole review at MatchFlick
Posted on March 10, 2007
Reviewed by: Zara
This was a waste of good talent, as far as I'm concerned. A plot that is more see through than anything Paris Hilton has ever worn and a lead actress who comes off more annoying than cute, I just... Read the whole review at MatchFlick
Posted on March 10, 2007
