The Secret Life of Bees Review

Overall 4.70 of 5 view all 37 reviews

LauraBelle
South Elgin, IL

A Great Story and 5 Amazing Actresses

a believer of fate, a storyteller, Movie Reviewer, A Big Giant Sap

Pros

Queen Latifah, Jennifer Hudson, Alicia Keys, Sophia Okoneda, Terrific story, Dakota Fanning

NOV

2008

The Secret Life of Bees —

Sometimes you watch a movie that touches you in ways you don't expect, and The Secret Life of Bees did just that with me. I knew from the promotional materials that I would like this film, but I didn't know how much it would affect me. I was glad I picked up a few napkins at the concession stand when I got my Diet Coke. I put them to good use mopping up my tears. Even on the drive home, I was still absolutely sobbing, sobbing over the film and everything it ended up representing to me.

I haven't had the opportunity to read the book that The Secret Life of Bees is based on yet, but I'm told it's very good, and if it's anything like the film, it has to be. Helping the film out even more than the incredible story is the impressive list of costars, Dakota Fanning, Jennifer Hudson, Alicia Keys, and Queen Latifah. What struck me while watching these women carry this whole film was remembeirng seeing Hudson in Dreamgirls, and thinking how she completely lit up the screen every time she was on it, stealing the limelight away from Beyoncé even. These collection of women, including young Fanning, all have that same ability to carry a film and steer your eyes over to them. It was hard to know where to look with all of them on the big screen at the same time.

Fanning starred as young Lily, a girl with a very difficult start in life. She had seen her parents fighting while she hid in a closet, and picked up a gun, accidentally shooting her mom. Now as a teenager, she lives with her dad, although calls him by his first name as she's so indifferent to him. He is very abusive to her, both physically and emotionally, and refuses to talk to her about her mother.

Hudson stars as Rosaleen, Lily's nanny of sorts and also somewhat of a housekeeper. She gets herself in trouble by challenging some of the white men in town that were being mean to her, and she and Lily run away. There aren't many people back in 1964 that would take negroes in, so they're stuck for a place to stay. They end up at a bee farm run by a family of sisters (Latifah, Keys, and Sophia Okonedo) who know the story told by this young white girl and black woman isn't true, yet they take pity on them nonetheless, letting them work on the farm to pay for their boarding.

The relationships that develop throughout the storyline between the different women are very warm. Each of these actresses always present a warm light on their own, and together, they're almost like a cozy blanket. In addition, secrets are learned here that are heartbreaking, and as more and more comes out, I actually found myself clutching my chest in the theater shortly before the tears started flowing.

I identified with the sadness in The Secret Life of Bees, just like anyone would, but I also identified with Okonedo's character who at times is overly empathetic just like myself. She, too, would have been clutching her chest in the theater and walking out with a swollen face from way too many tears. I saw things in her that perhaps explained why I was the way I was, and I certainly didn't expect to find that in the film. But instead of feeling shameful of being able to connect with others on such a deeper level, her sisters found a way to help her honor that side of herself.

I walked away not only having seen an incredible story, and watching some terrific acting by some of the best actresses in the business today, but also becoming just a little more enlightened about myself.