Common Sense Media Review
Inspiring drama about a young spelling champ has swearing.
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Why Age 8+?
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Akeelah and the Bee
Parent and Kid Reviews
Based on 37 parent reviews
Parents say this film delivers an inspiring narrative about a gifted young girl overcoming personal and societal challenges, supported by a diverse community. While celebrating themes of perseverance and mentorship, it includes some profanity and discussions of serious topics, prompting family discussions about resilience and identity.
- inspiring story
- community support
- language concerns
- perseverance themes
- strong female lead
Summarized with AI
Summarized with AI
Based on 48 kid reviews
Kids say this movie is inspirational and educational, with a compelling story about perseverance, friendship, and personal growth despite some mild language and themes of loss. While some feel it drags at times or includes awkward moments, many praise its positive role models and valuable life lessons, recommending it for families and children aged 8 and older.
- inspirational story
- positive role models
- educational value
- mild language
- family friendly
Summarized with AI
What's the Story?
AKEELAH AND THE BEE traces the delicate, courageous process of a little girl's growing up. Akeelah (Keke Palmer) is a resolute 11-year-old with a gift for spelling. Trying to fit in with her classmates at a middle school in Los Angeles' Crenshaw district, she misses her father (who was killed by gun violence when she was 6) and doesn't see enough of her hardworking mother, Tanya (Angela Bassett). After Akeelah wins a class-wide bee, her principal (Curtis Armstrong) decides that she should compete: He wants to promote the school, but he's also drawn to the earnestness of this brilliant girl who isn't being challenged enough by her underfunded school system. With the help of imposing professor Dr. Larabee (Laurence Fishburne) and her new friend, Javier (J.R. Villarreal), Akeelah faces off against rival Dylan Chu (Sean Michael Afable) on their journey to becoming Scripps National Spelling Bee champions.
Is It Any Good?
In large part, this film's delights have to do with Palmer's winning performance, most apparent in one-on-one scenes with her mom or coach. But Akeelah and the Bee also has something else going on: Embracing the conventions that make so many other genre films feel stale, director Doug Atchison tweaks them slightly with fun details, such as the way Akeelah taps out letters on her thigh with her fingers or sees the letters in her head as she jumps rope. Overall, the film's earnest messages of perseverance and sportsmanship are hard to refute. And feel-good scenes of a low-income neighborhood rallying around a prodigal daughter make this a charming watch.
Akeelah and the Bee may be too familiar of a sports narrative -- and too shallow to offer any real commentary on how Black children can thrive in an underfunded public school system -- but it does deliver a heaping dose of "Black girl magic" for older kids and tweens.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about the importance of pursuing your interests and dreams. How does Akeelah's success in Akeelah and the Bee inspire others to feel part of a group, as her spelling becomes a community project?
How is the issue of overly competitive parents addressed in the film? Do the examples feel realistic, or are they oversimplified?
How does Akeelah's school contrast with the suburban school she visits to practice spelling and hang out with her new friends?
How do the characters in Akeelah and the Bee demonstrate courage, self-control, and perseverance? Why are these important character strengths?
Are there clichés in this movie about poor Black residents living in South Los Angeles? Or are Black characters complex enough that they don't feel like stereotypes? What about Javier Mendez and Dylan Chu: Do they fall into Latino or Asian stereotypes?
Movie Details
- In theaters : April 28, 2006
- On DVD or streaming : August 29, 2006
- Cast : Angela Bassett , Keke Palmer , Laurence Fishburne
- Director : Doug Atchison
- Inclusion Information : Female Movie Actor(s) , Black Movie Actor(s)
- Studio : Lionsgate
- Genre : Drama
- Character Strengths : Courage , Perseverance , Self-control
- Run time : 112 minutes
- MPAA rating :
- MPAA explanation : some language
- Last updated : December 11, 2025
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