Akeelah and the Bee

Akeelah and the Bee is one of those films that manages to hit a familiar note (the underdog in a competition) without feeling like a paint-by-numbers afterschool special. The story revolves around Akeelah, an 11-year-old with a natural talent for spelling but a home life that keeps her ambitions low-key. Watching her navigate the expectations of her South Los Angeles neighborhood and her pushy yet well-intentioned mentor, I found myself rooting for her, even though the beats of the plot are pretty easy to predict from the get-go.

What works best about this movie is Keke Palmer’s performance as Akeelah. She brings that "not-trying-too-hard" kind of authenticity that makes you forget she’s acting. She’s both tough and insecure, and the moments where she hesitates or gets overwhelmed actually feel earned. On top of that, Laurence Fishburne (as her coach) brings a grounded energy that stops the movie from ever slipping into pure schmaltz.

The supporting cast is a bit of a mixed bag, though. Angela Bassett (as Akeelah’s mom) brings her usual gravitas, but a lot of characters orbiting Akeelah are standard-issue: the sassy best friend, the token bullies, the well-meaning teacher. Sometimes it feels like the script leans too hard on afterschool special clichés, like overexplaining the value of hard work or spelling as a metaphor for overcoming adversity.

For a family film, the pacing is impressive. The movie is under two hours and it breezes by. The actual spelling bee scenes are shot with surprising tension (shaky camera, quick close-ups, that ticking time pressure) and I found myself nervously spelling along in my head. The stakes feel real even though you know how these stories usually end.

There’s real emotional weight here, especially around how Akeelah’s talent affects her sense of identity and her place in her community. It's not just about winning; it’s about feeling seen. The film is careful not to shy away from the microaggressions Akeelah faces or the idea that her aspirations sometimes make her an outsider. It's more thoughtful than you'd expect for a PG-rated family drama.

Still, the movie can get a little heavy-handed with the uplift. There are montage scenes set to swelling music and some pretty obvious speeches about believing in yourself. Some of it lands, some of it feels like it’s written for a classroom discussion. Still, none of it is so corny that it ruins the film's heart.