It was a great movie, .
Spellbound
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Is it age appropriate?
About our ratings -
Is it any good?
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Common Sense says
Families should see this m-a-r-v-e-l-o-u-s film.
Why We Rated This 
for Ages 10 and Up
The good stuff
What to watch out for
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Violence:
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Sex:
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Language:
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Consumerism:
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Drinking, drugs, & smoking:
What Parents Need to Know
This review of Spellbound was written by Nell Minow
Parents need to know that this documentary has some tense and sad scenes. Children are upset when they lose (they are escorted onstage to a "comfort room"). One child uses a mildly bad word.
Families Can Talk About
Talk to your kids about the media in their life. We have more tools and tips that can help
- Families can talk about how the families in the movie, especially the immigrant families and those at the lower end of the economic spectrum, see the importance of the spelling bee.
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More on Spellbound
What’s the Story?
SPELLBOUND is the true story of the 1999 National Spelling Bee in Washington, D.C., and especially of eight regional winners in the competition. The eight featured competitors include three children of immigrants (one's father still speaks no English) and a wide range of ethnic and economic backgrounds. The contestants, over 240 of them, are all 8th grade and younger. With their slightly old-fashioned area of expertise, these kids have an engaging sense of adventure, affection, and wonder about words and language. One shows off her huge dictionary almost as big as she is and about to fall to pieces from use, and says she does not think she will ever part with it. Three boys talk about how they lost to a tough contender named Nupur. Ashley tells us she is a "prayer warrior" who feels like her life is a movie. And we get to see every kind of family. All the parents assure their children that they are winners no matter what happens at the national bee, but some do so more convincingly than others. Each family has its own idea of what it means to achieve success and what they think success could mean for their future. One father hires special spelling tutors and runs constant drills. Others look on all but speechless at children whose talents seem as exotic to them as though they had sprouted feathers.
Is It Any Good?
Every family should see this m-a-r-v-e-l-o-u-s documentary, because it is about so much more than the spelling bee. It is about the strength of American diversity and the commitment of this country to opportunity. It is about ambition, dedication, and courage. It is about finding a dream that speaks to each individual. Most of all, it is about family -- the opportunity to discuss the wide variation in styles of family communication and values is in itself a reason for every family with children to watch this movie together.
Plus, it is one of the most genuinely thrilling, touching, and purely enjoyable movies of the year. The movie is filled with brilliantly observed moments that illuminate the lives of the individuals but also the lives of all families and all dreamers. As we watch these kids, girls towering over boys, more with braces than without, puberty's uneven effects everywhere, many of the kids confessing that they feel all alone in their school, we see them hold on to this mastery of words eclipsing anything an adult can do as a lifeline, or maybe a flashlight, leading them to their adult selves.
Movie Details
Studio: Think Film, Director: Jeff Blitz
Run time: 96 minutes
Theatrical release: 5/16/2003, DVD release: 1/20/2004
MPAA Rating: G for all audiences
Run time: 96 minutes
Theatrical release: 5/16/2003, DVD release: 1/20/2004
MPAA Rating: G for all audiences
Our Members Say
See all 9 member reviews
Most Recent Reviews
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I rate this title on for age 5 and give it
- My highlights are:
- Good role models
A movie for the whole family
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I rate this title on for age 10 and give it
- My highlights are:
Good movie for all.
I watched this movie in my school classroom (we're having a spelling bee) and I have to say: It's a bit boring during the interviewing parts, they interview around 8 kids and each interview is probably 15 minutes long. However, during the most intense parts, my friend and I agreed that the scenes were tenser than any suspense movie I've ever seen. The movie will inspire kids to spell, and I'm sure you'll hear s-p-e-l-l-i-n-g w-o-r-d-s repeated by your kids for quite a while after the movie.
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I rate this title on for age 0 and give it
Nice movie
I liked this movie a lot. I thought that the diversity was great. IT wasn't just a whole bunch of rich kids who have a million tutors (well there were some...). I enjoyed how suspenseful it was but no one was getting a head chopped off. It was a great wholesome film. I recommend it!
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I rate this title on for age 8 and give it
Sparked conversation
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I rate this title on for age 8 and give it
A fantastic film for the whole family!
This movie has something for everyone --suspense, humor, drama ... and no violence, sex, or profanity! The stories are inspirational, the kids and families are fascinating, and the documentary makes you believe that you can do anything you set your mind to doing. What a treasure!
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I rate this title on for age 0 and give it
Fantastic Movie! It really shows you how hard work really pays off!
This is a great movie about a group of kids all in the national spelling-bee. They all study extremly hard and keep working at the words that the need to memorize. It is fun, intense, and really pulls you into a day in the life of each of these smart kids.
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I rate this title on for age 0 and give it
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I rate this title on for age 0 and give it
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I rate this title pause for age 0 and give it
Suspenseful
Spellbound is a pretty good movie. It is suspensful and can even be exciting. I give it 3 stars.
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Ratings at a Glance
| 100% | of parents say there are good role models |
| 100% | of parents say it gives kids positive messages |
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