Akeelah and the Bee is the inspiring story about how 10-year-old Akeelah (a powerful Keke Palmer) rose to be a top competitor in a national spelling competition, despite not sharing the same financial and social backing as her competitors. Laurence Fishburne (The Matrix) and Angela Bassett (The Black Panther) play her mentor and mother, respectively. While the film could’ve gone the Disney route and be a simple story about overcoming obstacles, Akeelah and the Bee goes a bit deeper by touching on topics like race and class. It’s sensitively told, but the most remarkable thing about it is Palmer’s firecracker performance. A scene-stealer to this day, Palmer solidified her place in Hollywood in this little gem of a movie.
11-year-old Akeelah Anderson has a way with words. After winning her schoolwide spelling bee, she decides to enter the competition, despite her classmates' derision and the antipathy of her mother Tanya. Thanks to the efforts of her teacher Dr. Larabee, she reaches the finals. As she gets to know her fellow competitors, Akeelah realizes that coming first isn't everything in life.
Nat. Board of Review
1 win
