Evidently when Doug Atchison saw the exceptional 2002 documentary Spellbound, he decided that the subject matter was ideal for a fictional, against-the-odds movie version, and so the seeds of Akeelah and the Bee were sown.

Writer/director Atchison, who is partnered on this project by coffee superpower Starbucks on their first venture as a film production company, has managed to assemble a decent cast, which he then proceeds to waste on sentimentality, melodrama, predictability, and a smattering of cringingly Disney-esque characterization.

The story kicks off in the 'hood, where Akeelah lives with her dysfunctional family. Her mother works hard at the hospital to provide for her family – the father having been shot dead a few years ago – and her siblings include a gangbanger, a pilot and a single mother. Akeelah skips a lot of school thanks to classroom bullying and domestic strife, and when her high school principal notices her aptitude for spelling, he offers her a lengthy dose of detention unless she agrees to try out for the school Spelling Bee competition. With a haunted mentor, Doctor Larabee, on board to coach her, can Akeelah overcome her problems, solve everyone else's and win the national finals? Have a wild guess.
While some may argue that the sentiment is noble, one would hope that children are a little tougher these days. Films such as Toy Story 2, Holes, Monster House and Lemony Snicket's A Series of Unfortunate Events, have opted to ditch cloying condescension for a refreshing approach of wit, adventure and originality, harking back to a time when we were treated to gems like The Goonies and Flight of the Navigator. But Barney the Dinosaur invaded our screens many years ago and it seems, if we are to go by the reaction of the American public to this film, that in a harsh, cruel world some people still want to see sweetness and happiness over darker, more interesting preteen fare.

Akeelah and the Bee is not a bad film. The choice of Curtis Armstrong (Booger from the Revenge of the Nerds series) raises a smile, while Keke Palmer (who, in typical Hollywood fashion, is currently recording a music album) is more than capable in the starring role. Credit must also go to the incredibly named J.R. Villarreal as Akeelah's plucky buddy Javier. With parts in stark contrast to their performances in What's Love Got To Do with It, Angela Bassett's portrayal of the mother is suitably convincing while, Laurence Fishburne, as the traumatised UCLA professor who coaches the little girl, sleepwalks his way through another 'wise guru' role – the type of which he has played in one form or another from Boyz in the Hood through to Higher Learning and even The Matrix.

This film plods along, spelling out every character and emotion with painstaking effort, and the mild highlights occur mostly when the actual spelling bees are taking place. Some of the children are entertaining, with their idiosyncrasies providing some humour, but when the credits roll, the lack of edginess and overdose of syrup will have you either cradling your horrified head in your hands or trying to fight back the tears of joy at the triumph of goodwill and hard work over adversity. Or at the very least, maybe your spelling will have improved.

Adam Lacey

Rated PG (see IFCO website for details)
Akeelah and the Bee is released on 18th August 2006
Akeelah and the Bee – Official website