Akeelah and the Bee

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Akeelah and the Bee

Promotional poster For Akeelah and the Bee.
Directed by Doug Atchison
Produced by Laurence Fishburne
Sid Ganis
Nancy Hult
Daniel Llewelyn
Michael Romersa
Written by Doug Atchison
Starring Keke Palmer
Laurence Fishburne
Angela Bassett
Curtis Armstrong
J. R. Villareal
Sean Michael
Music by Aaron Zigman
Cinematography M. David Mullen
Editing by Glenn Farr
Distributed by Lions Gate Films
Release date(s) April 28, 2006
Running time 112 minutes (approx.)
Country United States
Language English
Gross revenue $18,948,425
Allmovie profile
IMDb profile

Akeelah and the Bee is a 2006 film written and directed by Doug Atchison. It tells the story of Akeelah Anderson, portrayed by Keke Palmer, an 11-year-old girl who participates in the Scripps National Spelling Bee, her mother portrayed by Angela Bassett, schoolmates, and also her coach, portrayed by Laurence Fishburne. It also explores issues of education in the black community. It has been given a PG rating from the MPAA for some language.

The film was developed over a period of 10 years by Doug Atchison, the germ of the idea having started after his watching the Scripps National Spelling Bee of 1994 and combined with his experiences spent tutoring disadvantaged students in the area around the University of Southern California, where he attended film school. After four years of trying to secure funding for the film, the documentary film Spellbound came out in 2002 and perhaps, according to one producer, Sid Ganis, facilitated funding. Spellbound features a black girl, Ashley White, from Washington, D.C., in rough parallel to the independent idea developed in Akeelah and the Bee.

The film has been heavily promoted by Starbucks as a result of a partnership between Lions Gate Films, 2929 Entertainment, and Starbucks Entertainment. It became the first DVD offered for sale at Starbucks.[1]

The film earned positive reviews from most critics, getting an 84% from 115 people at Rotten Tomatoes.[2]

Contents

[edit] Plot

Akeelah Anderson attends Crenshaw Middle School, a predominantly black school in South Los Angeles. Akeelah is especially talented at spelling, and never makes errors on her spelling tests. Her teacher recommends that she sign up for the Crenshaw Schoolwide Spelling Bee which she wins easily. After that, Dr. Joshua Larabee (a visiting English professor) tests her with some difficult words, and finds that she has the potential to reach the National Spelling Bee. But after failing to correctly spell the word "pulchritude", she is upset because she doesn't meet her own expectations of being a "brainiac."

When Akeelah asks Dr. Larabee to coach her, he rejects her for being insolent. Instead, she studies on her own for the district spelling bee. During the bee her sister Kiana catches one of the contestants cheating, which allows Akeelah to take the tenth and final qualifying spot for the regional/state bee. She also meets Javier, a twelve-year-old Mexican-American boy and fellow speller. Javier invites her to join the spelling club at Woodland Hills.

In Woodland Hills, Akeelah meets Dylan Chu (played by Sean Michael), a Korean-American boy who had won second place for the past two national spelling bees. HE tests her word knowledge and tells her she needs a coach. After the spelling club, Javier invites her to his birthday party.

During the party, Javier impulsively kisses her on the cheek. Dylan plays Scrabble with Akeelah and several other guests. Akeelah almost defeats Dylan, but loses by just two points. She later overhears Dylan's father reprimanding him for nearly losing to "a little black girl" and harshly telling him he must win first place.

Akeelah's mother, Tanya, is depressed at her husband's death, and does not want Akeelah to participate in the state bee because it would be too much on top of her homework. The bee is so important to Akeelah that she forges her father's signature on the consent form. Her father was killed by being shot on his way home from work when she was only six years old.

As the state bee draws near, Akeelah memorizes all the winning words from past spelling bees and works with Dr. Larabee, learning not only words, but also life lessons.

During the state bee, Akeelah's mother interrupts to try to stop Akeelah from competing, but she relents when she comes to realize how serious the people trying to help her daughter are, giving the condition that Akeelah has to do double chores for the next three months. (But, by the way she acts for the remainder of the film, she might have repealed it.) Javier walks slowly to the microphone uses the word "ratatouille" to stall for time while Akeelah talks to her mother so that Akeelah can come by back her turn and avoid being disqualified. Javier asks the judge to repeat the word, define it, and use it in a sentence, over and over -- and even to use it in a song. Just in time, Akeelah returns. Dylan finishes first, Javier second, and Akeelah third; they all advance to the Scripps National Spelling Bee.

As Christmas approaches, Akeelah goes out to buy Dr. Larabee a present, not knowing that he plans to give up coaching her because she reminds him too much of his deceased daughter, Denise (to the point that he accidentally addresses Akeelah as Denise). Instead, he gives Akeelah four boxes of 5,000 flashcards to study. Without her coach, Akeelah loses her motivation. She is rejected by best friend, Georgia, and feels the pressure from her neighborhood to do them proud. After a pep talk from her mother, Akeelah begins to recruit neighborhood coaches and prepare in earnest.

Dr. Larabee comes through with tickets for four people to the national bee, so that Akeelah's family and friends can go with her. Her performance is solid and steady thanks to her "jump rope" strategy from Dr. Larabee. With only a few stumbles, she is smiled on as a crowd favorite. Javier and Dylan also appear; Javier is finally eliminated on "Merovingian", finishing 5th, and begins rooting for Akeelah.

But when Akeelah goes to wish Dylan good luck, she overhears his father's intense, pressured expectations of Dylan: win first place this year, win first place every year. When Dr. Larabee tells her how proud he is of her Akeelah asks him whether she can come back if she loses; he replies "Of course you can!"

Akeelah attempts to throw away the competition by deliberately misspelling “xanthosis" as "zanthosis". Dylan wonders what he should do, knowing she must have done this on purpose -- he taught her how to spell the word way back in Woodland Hills. Dylan then misspells on purpose as well, choosing "xanthoses". Dylan tells her he only wants to win fair and square, with her doing her best. The spellers go word for word up to number 24, “logorrhea”, which Dylan spells correctly to earn first place. Akeelah, looking to earn co-champion status, spells “pulchritude” (the word she couldn't spell from Dr. Larabee at the Crenshaw Bee) correctly to lock up the win and set off cheers from California to D.C. (Note: There have been three instances of co-champions, but none since 1962.)

[edit] Controversy

Reviewers praised the positive image of African Americans presented, but note usage of prominent stereotypes of Asian Americans in the portrayal of Akeelah's rival Dylan Chiu and his father. Dylan is portrayed as being brainy and condescending.

Variety.com called the film “conventionally uplifting,” but pointed out that “Dylan's authoritarian dad (Tzi Ma) is arguably the film's most questionable creation, a stiff Asian stereotype who[] . . . calls Akeelah a 'little black girl.'” [3] A review from KPBS, San Diego’s public radio station, also noted that “the Asian speller and his strict, uptight dad are painful clichés.” [4] Richard von Busack of Metroactive observed that, “[S]uspicious is the one-dimensional Asian-kid villainy. Stepping around black stereotypes, the film squishes its two left feet right in the mire of Asian stereotyping.” [5] A contributing blogger to Filmjerk wrote that although Akeelah was “a well-intentioned and likable picture,” the film’s “the parents of Akeelah’s Asian rival . . . provid[e] the obligatory moment of racism toward Akeelah.” [6] Finally, ‘’Internet Reviews’s’’ Steve Rhodes wrote on ‘’Rotten Tomatoes’’ that “[i]n one of the most blatant incidents, the father of Dylan (Sean Michael) sternly lectures his son about not letting himself be beaten by some inner city black kid. Dylan and his father are Asian Americans who have a strict all-work-and-no-play agenda. Dylan's father always sits stoically with his hands crossed during spelling meets and, while never applauding, gives dagger eyes to Dylan, which suggests death comes to those who fail.”[7]

[edit] Awards/nominations

  • Black Movie Awards
    • Outstanding Actress in a Motion Picture: Keke Palmer Winner
    • Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Motion Picture: Laurence Fishburne Winner
    • Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Motion Picture: Angela Bassett Winner
    • Outstanding Motion Picture: Winner
  • Image Awards
    • Outstanding Motion Picture: Nominated
    • Outstanding Actress in a Motion Picture: Keke Palmer Winner, became the youngest person to win in this category
    • Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Motion Picture: Angela Bassett Nominated
    • Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Motion Picture: Laurence Fishburne Nominated
    • Outstanding Writing in a Feature Film/Television Movie or Comedy: Doug Atchison Winner

[edit] Words spelled in the film

Word Meaning Significance to the film
Xanthosis A yellow discolor of skin. Although Akeelah purposely spelled the word wrong, trying to give Dylan a chance to win the Scripps National Spelling Bee, he deliberately misspells it as well. First mentioned at Woodland Hills by Dylan Chiu to Akeelah.
Pulchritude Physical beauty. (Derived from the Latin word Pulcher.) Akeelah's winning word of the National Spelling Bee. One year prior to this, Akeelah spells this word incorrectly when Joshua Larabee is testing Akeelah's vocabulary at Crenshaw.
Pluviosity A quality of being rainy The word Akeelah spelled after a discussion with her mother during the state spelling bee.
Ratatouille Dish of stewed vegetables, originally from southern France, usually consisting of tomatoes, onions, peppers, aubergines, and courgettes cooked slowly in olive oil. Javier used this word to try and stall time before Akeelah comes back from discussion with her mother. Javier requested the judge to repeat, define, use it in a sentence, repeat the pronunciation five times, and even to sing it in a song.
Ratiocinate To reason methodically and logically The first word Akeelah spells at the National Bee.
Argillaceous Of or relating to clay (from Latin "argilla" meaning clay). The one word that Akeelah stumbles on but eventually spells correctly during the national bee.
Miscible Able to be mixed together into a homogeneous mixture Akeelah spells this word during the Scripps National Bee.
Palynological Of or relating to the scientific study of spores and pollen. One of the words Akeelah correctly spells during the championship round of the National Bee.
Scheherazadian Weaving story after story without apparent end. (Scheherazade was the storytelling sultan's wife in The Arabian Nights entertainments, who told stories so engaging that her husband repeatedly spares her life to hear the next installment.) One of the words Dylan spelled in the championship round of the National Bee.
Merovingian Pertaining to dynasty of Frankish kings that ruled from the fifth to the eighth century. Javier spelled this word wrong in the Scripps National Spelling Bee, finishing in fifth place.
Logorrhea Excessive and often incoherrent talkativeness. Winning word for Dylan Chiu at the National Bee.
Prestidigitation Sleight of hand First word Joshua Larabee tested Akeelah on.
Xylem The woody tissue of a plant. One of the words Javier spelled in one of the spelling bees.
Doubt Uncertainty The first word Akeelah spelled in the Crenshaw Spelling Bee.
Fanciful Imaginative or whimsical. The second to last word spelled in the Crenshaw Spelling Bee, enabling Akeelah to be the Crenshaw Spelling Bee winner.
Pterodactyl A prehistoric flying reptile. Used in the Crenshaw Spelling Bee as a "trick word", because the 'P' is not pronounced.
Psoriasis A skin condition in which red scaly patches appear on the skin. One of the words posed by Akeelah to Javier and two other members of the Woodland Hills spelling bee study group.
Synecdoche Using a part of something to refer to the whole, or a whole to refer to a part. Akeelah incorrectly spells this word at the District Bee, but is able to carry on and go to the Regional Bee after another speller is caught cheating.
Grovel To humble oneself in an abject manner. The first word spelled in the film.
Ambidextrous Able to use both hands at an equal level; double dealing. A word given to Akeelah in the Crenshaw Bee by Dr. Larabee.
Placid Calm or peaceful. Third word spelled in the film.
Love Deep affection and attachment to another. Last word spelled in the film.
Staphylococci A genus of gram-positive bacteria (plural) Given to Akeelah to spell by Dr. Larabee in his garden. Staphylococci was the winning word of the 1987 Scripps National Spelling Bee.
Loquacious Talkative A word spelled in the Regional bee.
Embrocation A lotion for diseased skin A word spelled incorrectly as "embrication" by a girl in the regional bee.
Jambalaya Rice cooked with meat and vegetables and seasoned with herbs. A word spelled incorrectly at the state bee.
Jacquard A fabric of intricate or figured weave or pattern A word Akeelah and Dr. Larabee spelled before the state bee.
Effervescent Producing gas in the form of tiny bubbles A word given by Dr. Larabee
Gabbro A dark coarse-grained basic igneous rock containing calcium-rich plagioclase feldspar and pyroxene. The first word given to Akeelah by Tanya, Akeelah's mother.
Pastiche A medly of ingredients, often in the arts The word Akeelah spells correctly at the district bee to move on to the regional bee.
Madrigal A song with parts for several usually unaccompanied voices that was popular in England in the 16th and 17th centuries.
Doublure A lining, especially one made of leather or highly decorated, inside the cover of a book.
Manifest Clear to see or understand.
Cabalistic Of mystic arts or teachings. A word Akeelah learns with Dr. Larabee while reading an essay.
Cognizant Being fully aware or having knowledge of something.
Tzigane A member of a Romany people, especially one from Hungary.
Psalmody The singing of psalms, especially in public worship. Spelled by Akeelah at the Regional Bee, shortly before having a discussion with her mother during the bee.
Brunneous Dark brown, used chiefly scientifically Winning word from the previous National Spelling Bee, which Akeelah sees and adds to her notebook.
Rhesus A brownish yellow monkey of India. A word spelled by Javier in the School District Spelling bee.
Euphoric Characterized by or feeling intense excitement. Spelled by Akeelah during the meeting of Javier's spelling club in Woodland Hills.
Carmagnole A lively song and street dance Spelled correctly by a speller at the District Bee, but Akeelah's sister Kiana caught the speller's mother giving him the letter "G" in the word, and the speller is disqualified. If the cheating had not been noticed, Akeelah would not have moved on to the Regional Bee.
Intussusception Biology. growth of a cell wall by the deposition of new particles among the existing particles of the wall. A misspelled word in the previous National Spelling Bee.
Hypertrophic  : of, relating to, or affected with hypertrophy . A word fastly spelled by Dylan in the Los Angeles School District Bee

Affenpinscher

When Mr. Larabee is giving Akeelah words to spell, he gives this word to her and she says "Affen what"?. He then bombards her with another word before she has a chance to spell this one.

Grallatorial

This is the next word Mr. Larabee gives her. She says G-R-A-L-A and he says WRONG! without telling her what the spelling is. He then gives her jacquard, which she spells jaquard. He asks her where the c is. Jacquard has already been listed.

Although these words are not actually spelled, they appear on a board at Mr. Larabee's house for Akeelah to practice. He describes SOLITERRANEOUS to her. SOLITERRANEOUS, GRANDILOQUENT, CATASTASIS, EDENTULOUS, QUINQUEVIR, BIOLUMINESCENT, OBJURGATORY, KOOKABURRA, EFFERVESCIBLE, QUIDDITY, PYROPHANOUS, MOUNTEBANK, NUMISMATICS, ARBORICULTURE.

Effleurage is one of the last words given to Akeelah to spell. ORTHOEPY is another.

Here are some words Dylan spells in the National Spelling Bee: LAGNIAPPE, OERSTED, EMPLEOMANIA

One girl in a spelling bee incorrectly spells MALLOSEISMIC early on in the film.

[edit] Trivia

This is Laurence Fishburne's and Angela Bassett's 3rd film together. They also starred in What's Love Got to Do With it and Boyz in the Hood

[edit] References

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  1. ^ http://www.videobusiness.com/article/CA6340569.html Videobusiness.com
  2. ^ http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/akeelah_and_the_bee Rottentomatoes.com
  3. ^ http://mobile.variety.com/review/VE1117929981.html?categoryid=31&cs=1 “Variety”
  4. ^ http://www.kpbs.org/blogs/movies/2006/05/04/akeelah-and-the-bee-2/ “KPBS”
  5. ^ http://www.metroactive.com/metro/04.26.06/akeelah-0617.html “Metroactive”
  6. ^ http://www.filmjerk.com/reviews/article.php?id_rev=817 “Filmjerk”
  7. ^ ROTTEN TOMATOES: An uplifting film about a ghetto child who makes good, but the script is marred by several extremely contrived and needlessly schmaltzy moments. ... Spellbound is so much better

[edit] External links

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