11-year-old Akeelah leaves audiences spellbound

By Kristina Chiapella

Name it, and 11-year-old Akeelah Anderson can spell it.

"Akeelah and the Bee" is about much more than a spelling bee, as the young girl makes new friends, gives heart to her community and exhibits a maturity that is well beyond her years.

Stuck in a Los Angeles school in a farfrom-academic atmosphere, an unmotivated Akeelah is coerced into the school spelling bee by her principal on the grounds that the school could use a bright, young representative and some good publicity.

Although she is reluctant to stand before an audience of her peers and be associated with the shameful "brainiac" image, spelling is already a secret interest of hers and something that provides a way for her to cope with her father's tragic death a few years earlier.

At the bee, Akeelah is introduced to the imposing figure of Dr. Larabee (Laurence Fishburne), who sees Akeelah's potential to compete at an advanced level.

At first skeptical about the whole affair, Akeelah spurns his offer to coach her and takes matters into her own hands.

As she continues to realize that spelling is something she wants to do, her halfhearted efforts turn serious, and she admits that she may not be able to do it alone.

With Larabee's high standards and innovative techniques pushing her to her intellectual limit, Akeelah makes impressive progress and enters the world of competitive spelling with the ultimate goal of attending the Scripps National Spelling Bee in Washington, D.C.

Ironically, Akeelah's mother (Angela Bassett) is the biggest hindrance on Akeelah's path to the championships, too distracted by her own troubles and Akeelah's delinquent brother to notice the gift that Akeelah is just beginning to discover. But as she begins to realize Akeelah's potential, mother, daughter and the entire family are brought closer together than ever before.

Keke Palmer, who plays Akeelah, is great in her role of the budding intellectual. Her character is both sassy and driven, transformed into a spelling machine who knows thousands of words the average person couldn't even pronounce.

It is unbelievable how much knowledge is necessary to compete in a bee at the national level, but Akeelah seems to cram the entire English language into her 11-year-old head.

Yet Akeelah's story proves to be no fairy tale, as she is pulled in different directions by old and new friends and deals with the turmoil and stress of her fame. Akeelah must also face rough competition in the form of Dylan, a Korean spelling wizard urged on by a demanding father.

Fishburne is satisfactory as Larabee, the tough taskmaster who guides Akeelah and suffers from his own personal issues. As Akeelah's mother, Bassett could be more convincing, since her discouraging Akeelah from the academic pursuit of a spelling bee is somewhat unbelievable.

Palmer and the other child stars in the film dominate the screen, bringing essential humor to the movie that would otherwise be lacking. Palmer herself nailed the role, and the rising star will likely be on screen again in the near future.

Watching this movie, you will be mesmerized by the power of something as simple as a spelling bee, as it unites families and neighborhoods, turns enemies into friends and heals everyone that it touches.

"Akeelah and the Bee" is a stirring film that will not only leave you itching to buy a dictionary, but will also give you a sense there is more than one way to come in first place.

Grade: B

Contact Kristina Chiapella at (408) 554-1918 or kchiapella@scu.edu.