Dakota Fanning, Queen Latifah, Jennifer Hudson

With pieces of her past all jumbled up in her head, young Lily Owens seizes an opportunity to leave behind her father and their South Carolina peach farm. Traveling with her nanny, Rosaleen, Lily enco...( read more  read more... )unters the Boatwrights, a trio of beekeeping sisters, who fold the girl into their strange, secret world.

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80% liked it

12,290 ratings

Critics

58% liked it

133 critics

PG-13, 1 hr. 49 min.

Directed by: Gina Prince-Bythewood

Release Date: October 17, 2008

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DVD Release Date: February 3, 2009

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Stats: 3,610 reviews

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Flixster Reviews (3,610)


  • April 4, 2009
    Everytime I cry when watching a movie, it's because I find something in it that I can relate to: a character, a situation, a choice. I see myself in it and the tears don't wait to start coming down like rain. I like to cry when watching a movie, and it's always a sign that the mo...( read more)vie itself is pretty awesome. But this is the first time, and I don't know if it's going to be the last one, that I've ever cried because of a performance, and not a character. For example, when I was watching The Wrestler, I cried for the character, even if I didn't relate to him (Thank God!) but this time, it was the actual performance of Dakota Fanning that set the tone for a nice crying when her breakdown near the end came along. I was moved to tears without even a warning, and I realized she has become the mature actress we all knew she was going to be someday, sooner or later. She has never been this subtle before, developing depth instead of sass or simple emotion. She has always been terrific (I still think her performance in Uptown Girls is fantastic, as her roles in Man on fire, Hide and Seek and I am Sam) but now she goes far away from her usual gimmicks and finds a new voice in the hands of a beautiful character and an awesome screenplay, which could've gone wrong (Lifetime wrong) but didn't.

    A gorgeous story of hope, anger, guilt and pain, surrounded by a magnificent production design and cinematography, along with a nice, quiet direction from Gina Prince-Bythewood, that puts emphasis in gazes, silence and subtlety, setting the perfect tone for breakdowns and crying, instead of filling the entire movie with grief, which would've become a cheesy chick-flick instead of the Southern masterpiece that it is.

    The entire cast is at the top of their game, from an awesome, almost divine, lovely Queen Latifah to a cute, masterful Sophie Okonedo (great, as usual) and a haunting Paul Bettany in a character I'd have loved to see more developed that it was. The thing is, I have a problem with Alicia Keys. I mean, if Norah Jones was able to make a good debut in My Blueberry Nights (of course, guided by WKW, duh), why couldn't she be at least mildly convincing at all?! She was dull from start to finish. But still, the whole movie made such an impact in me that I kept forgiving the filmmakers for trusting her with this. As for Jennifer Hudson, I'm starting to think she actually has a great future in front of her. I haven't seen Dreamgirls but she blew me away in this film, and I hope that all the haters see her here in order to realize she's a pretty damn good actress besides some cheesy diva musical.

    Awesome high-class drama. Nothing less than that.
  • March 9, 2009
    I love movies that tell a great story and make me cry. The Secret Life of Bees is one of those movies. It's the story of the different relationships people have, love, how we relate to one another, and changing times.
    Everyone in this cast gave a stellar performance. Dakota Fann...( read more)ing, I usually tend to find a bit annoying. But I seemed to love her in this, and even relate to Lily. Sophie Okonedo broke my heart, as May. She carried the weight of the world on her shoulders and the pain in her heart. As someone with soft heart, I can empathize with how difficult that would be. Queen Latifah, Alicia Keys, and Jennifer Hudson all gave outstanding performances in this film as strong, fearless women.
    The Secret Life of Bees is a must see movie, but you may want to bring a box of Kleenex or two.
  • February 21, 2009
    A brilliant cast! I thought that the chemistry was great between all of the female actresses, and a really inspiring story.
  • February 9, 2009
    Very different is my first thought. I've been wanting to see this for quite some time, finally rented it. Dakota Fanning was great in this. The scenery was very pretty. All the other ladies were great as well. It's just a sweet story.
  • February 8, 2009
    Living under the tight control of her alcoholic father T. Ray (Paul Bettany), young teen Lily (Dakota Fanning) is dealing with her own guilt over her mother's death and the questions left behind. Leaving T. Ray, Lily and fugitive housekeeper Rosaleen (Jennifer Hudson) hit the roa...( read more)d, soon stumbling upon the Boatwright family, June (Alicia Keys), May (Sophie Okonedo), and August (Queen Latifah), and their business of honey production. Joining the women under false pretenses, Lily finds a safe haven amongst the family, who allow the girl an opportunity to find herself and seek out answers to the mystery of her mother while tending to the bees. In a truly unprecedented tale for its time which finds the highly-educated, intelligent, compassionate and wealthy Boatwright women owning their own land and business, it's refreshing for a period film to provide fully realized characters for a predominantly African-American female cast as in most 60's. Fanning gives her best performance to date, really starting to come into her own as a remarkable young actress with extraordinary emotional depth. Hudson and Latifah are excellent, infusing the material with a sense of personal pride that helps balance out the occasionally cornball contrivances. The Secret Life of Bees puts something of a high-gloss sheen on times and struggles that were far harsher than the film suggests. But the narrative seems true to the thoughts and perceptions of its teen protagonist, a girl who's become something of a hero to an entire generation.
  • November 8, 2009
    An inspirational story that women of all ages can enjoy.
  • November 7, 2009
    Amazing story, really touched me :)
  • November 6, 2009
    Va beh, sarà quel che sarà ma io l'ho adorato, forse perché ho amato follemente il libro, forse perché era semplicemente una di quelle storie che scaldano il cuore, forse per il periodo e per il luogo in cui si svolge, ma sento che lo rivedrò altre mille e mille volte.
  • November 1, 2009
    Touching and real situations and great cast.
  • October 27, 2009
    I liked it...good acting

Critic Reviews


December 5, 2008
Nigel Andrews, The Financial Times

A god-awful chick flick about black women bonding in a sugary, never-never South. It should be renamed How to Make an American Wilt (and any other viewer). full review

October 20, 2008
Jessica Reaves, Chicago Tribune

Sweat and good intentions, however, will take you only so far. And they take Bees right up to the threshold of entertaining%u2014but not one step further. full review

October 20, 2008
Peter Rainer, Christian Science Monitor

The honey runs thick in The Secret Life of Bees, and so does the treacle. full review

October 18, 2008
Pete Hammond, Hollywood.com

Buzz should be strong for 'Bees'. A heartfelt and moving adaptation of the beloved novel. full review

October 17, 2008
Marco Cerritos, Boxoffice Magazine

The by-the-numbers story structure of The Secret Life of Bees is its primary drawback from being something special. full review

October 17, 2008
Claudia Puig, USA Today

Those who were moved by the book are likely to find this adaptation affecting and emotionally satisfying. full review

October 17, 2008
A.O. Scott, The New York Times

The Secret Life of Bees insists so strenuously on its themes of redemption, tolerance, love and healing that it winds up defeating itself. full review

October 17, 2008
Andrea Gronvall, Chicago Reader

Jennifer Hudson adds some grit to a project that might have worked better as a Hallmark TV special. full review

October 17, 2008
Wesley Morris, Boston Globe

Prince-Bythewood demonstrates a lovely gift for capturing the unsaid. full review

October 17, 2008
Chris Kaltenbach, The Baltimore Sun

Love and family may not be able to overcome everything, but you couldn't prove that by The Secret Life of Bees, a refreshingly clear-headed film version of Sue Monk Kidd's best-selling novel. full review

View more The Secret Life of Bees reviews at RottenTomatoes.com

Comments


  • oerigjerogjoierjg
    April 5, 2009
    This is great touching movie that will move you. It also portrays well the racism experienced in 1964.
  • theaterprincess24
    September 13, 2008
    I'm in the middle of reading the book and I think it's kind of a "heavy" plot if you know what I mean. THere's a lot of racism, abuse, and even her mother's murder will be interesting to see on screen. However, it's a heartwarming story and I will probably still go to see it. Dakota Fanning doesn't look anything like how I pictures Lily.
  • mrbicklethepickle
    August 1, 2008
    I loved the book..but I'm still skittish to see it become a movie. They tend to f**k up the story.

    Plus I kinda mad that people don't have original ideas anymore...and have to make a movie based on a book...or they have to remake something ( Cough cough Friday the 13th).

    But anyway..as long as they keep it true to the book... I will probably see it..and like it.

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The Secret Life of Bees Trivia


  • Missing word: The secret life of the _____ (08)  Answer »
  • Secret Life of Bees: Who made the "wall of prayers" after her twin sister died?  Answer »
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