The Secret Life of Bees (2008)

58% of critics liked it
(135 reviews)
78% of users liked it
(109,062 ratings)

Gina Prince-Bythewood's adaptation of Sue Monk Kidd's novel The Secret Life of Bees stars Dakota Fanning as Lily, a 14-year-old growing up in a small Southern town in 1964. She is haunted by memories of shooting her mother when she was a young girl. Lily lives with her emotionally distant father,… More Gina Prince-Bythewood's adaptation of Sue Monk Kidd's novel The Secret Life of Bees stars Dakota Fanning as Lily, a 14-year-old growing up in a small Southern town in 1964. She is haunted by memories of shooting her mother when she was a young girl. Lily lives with her emotionally distant father, and her best friend is their African-American housekeeper Rosaleen (Jennifer Hudson). After locals beat Rosaleen for attempting to register as a voter, and Lily's dad goes one step too far during an argument with his daughter, Lily and Rosaleen set out to find the place where the only picture Lily has of her mother was taken. That place turns out to be the home of the independent Boatwright sisters, a trio -- Queen Latifah, Sophie Okonedo, and Alicia Keys -- who make a very successful living producing honey. Lily and her friend move in with them, and soon the girl learns about both beekeeping and life. ~ Perry Seibert, Rovi

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Rating, Runtime: PG-13, 1 hr. 50 min.
Directed By: Gina Prince-Bythewood
Written By: Gina Prince-Bythewood
Genres: Drama, Action & Adventure

In Theaters: Oct 17, 2008 Wide
On DVD: Feb 3, 2009
Studio: Fox Searchlight

Critic Reviews

Carrie Rickey, Philadelphia Inquirer
The filmmakers give Latifah and Fanning room to create characters that breathe in the sweet smell of clover and breathe out the contented sigh of independence.
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.
Peter Rainer, Christian Science Monitor
The honey runs thick in The Secret Life of Bees, and so does the treacle.
Dana Stevens, Slate
It's hard to roll your eyes when they're full of tears.
Richard Corliss, TIME Magazine
The film is full of sweet, subtle touches.
Michael O'Sullivan, Washington Post
Through it all, Fanning more than keeps up with the big girls.
Joshua Starnes, ComingSoon.net
All the pieces are there for a good movie but there's an undeniable sense of reluctance to put them into play. Every time it seems like the film might be taking a chance it retreats to safe ground.
Don Groves, sbs.com.au
A sweet, sentimental story with a sting in the tail.
Kamal 'The Diva' Larsuel, 3BlackChicks Review
Can I tell you a secret? This movie is *really* good. Grab Nana and go see it!
Clay Cane, BET.com
Bees is almost too sweet, but with enduring enough performances to make a solid movie.
Enrique Buchichio, Uruguay Total
(...) Hay un mérito atendible en la directora y es evitar caer en la sensiblería barata que el asunto arriesgaba.
Jason Di Rosso, MovieTime, ABC Radio National
The story is a gentle depiction of harsh times that works best as a coming-of-age parable, not so well as a historical drama.
Pauline Adamek, FILMINK (Australia)
Once again, Dakota Fanning demonstrates that, even as a teenager, she already has the acting skills and range equal to -- if not better than -- her A-list contemporaries.
Eddie Cockrell, Sydney Morning Herald
Glossy yet ultimately shallow, this platitudinous, unconvincing drama makes The Colour Purple look like Mississippi Burning.
David Stratton, At the Movies (Australia)
On most levels the film, which has a surprising number of unconvincing details, takes the sugary option; it shies away from the harsher realities whenever possible.
Andrew L. Urban, Urban Cinefile
A dense story about a little girl and the impact her mother's death has on her makes terrific cinema in this beautifully realised film
Louise Keller, Urban Cinefile
The film has a dream-like quality above its punchy emotional core
Kam Williams, NewsBlaze
Smart and sentimental but not syrupy, with a well-executed script guaranteed to leave you in tears.
Christian Toto, Donne Tempo
The Secret Life of Bees features another buzz-worthy turn by Dakota Fanning.
Liz Beardsworth, Empire Magazine
The source material remains affecting and the cast work hard to add dimension to a lacklustre screenplay. But sadly, it adds up to less than the sum of its parts.

Read all 20 critic reviews

Critic ratings and reviews powered by RottenTomatoes.com

Fresh (60% or more critics rated the movie positively)

Rotten (59% or fewer critics rated the movie positively)

Featured Audience Ratings

Jennifer X

Complete and utter feel good Oprah trash.
Nicki M

Good movie, sad, but not totally depressing. The whole cast are excellent, particularly Dakota Fanning, Jennifer Hudson and Queen Latifah. I am not sure I would have wanted to go to the movies and see this one, but as a DVD movie, no complaints.
Dean M

Dakota Fanning becomes teenage in this drama movie and delivers a remarkable performance... and what feels like the first where her screaming skills aren't overused. She strikes me as a young Jodie Foster... one who has just transitioned from child actor to real actress. I… More
Dakota Fanning becomes teenage in this drama movie and delivers a remarkable performance... and what feels like the first where her screaming skills aren't overused. She strikes me as a young Jodie Foster... one who has just transitioned from child actor to real actress. I can't wait to see where her career takes her. Paul Bettany is such a shock here as he typically plays a well dressed, under-spoken British. As a southern redneck whose bitterness rages against the world, he not only pulls it off, but manages to make grits seem even worse than I previously thought. Sophie Okonedo pulls off the always difficult task of making a "special" adult seem very real and vital. A most touching performance from a top notch talent. This is a good story with strong performances, though to take the next step as a film, it needed to dig a little deeper into its wide range of characters and settings.
Fernando Rafael Q

In the hands of a more talented writer/director, "The Secret Life of Bees" could've been another "The Color Purple"; instead, it's a cheesy, forgettable movie. Watch solely to witness the awesomeness of Dakota Fanning's mature performance, as well… More
In the hands of a more talented writer/director, "The Secret Life of Bees" could've been another "The Color Purple"; instead, it's a cheesy, forgettable movie. Watch solely to witness the awesomeness of Dakota Fanning's mature performance, as well as the great supporting turns by Queen Latifah, Jennifer Hudson, Sophie Okonedo and Paul Bettany.
Bruce B

So Far the very Best film in 2009 that I have seen. Can't pick the best actor in this one. Dakota Fanning, Jennifer Hudson, Queen Latifah, Alicia Keys, Sophie Okonedo should of all gotten awards for there acting in this one. A 1000 other people will review this film, bottom line… More
So Far the very Best film in 2009 that I have seen. Can't pick the best actor in this one. Dakota Fanning, Jennifer Hudson, Queen Latifah, Alicia Keys, Sophie Okonedo should of all gotten awards for there acting in this one. A 1000 other people will review this film, bottom line is you need to see it. A better understanding comes from living in the south. I never knew anyone but my father knew another use for grits besides eating them I about fell over on that scene. 5 stars nothing else. Oh yea add it to your collection.
Nani V

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.
Red L

This is an engrossing movie. During the early 1960's, Dakota Fanning lives a damaged life with her father. In rebellion to what has happened to her and to her nanny, they leave him and move in with a trio of sisters - beekeepers. This is a very powerful movie - if you are not… More
This is an engrossing movie. During the early 1960's, Dakota Fanning lives a damaged life with her father. In rebellion to what has happened to her and to her nanny, they leave him and move in with a trio of sisters - beekeepers. This is a very powerful movie - if you are not careful, you will need to dab your eyes while Lily (Miss Fanning) determines her roots.
Alice S

Dakota Fanning impresses me more and more. Not a bad story, but I think the handling of race issues was a bit contrived in the film-about-race-with-a-white-protagonist way.
Lewis C

Guys that are looking for a movie that they the can watch with their girlfriends without being extremely bored should consider The Secret Life of Bees. It's fairly interesting and not too sappy. My only real gripe was with the women's fascination with the carving of… More
Guys that are looking for a movie that they the can watch with their girlfriends without being extremely bored should consider The Secret Life of Bees. It's fairly interesting and not too sappy. My only real gripe was with the women's fascination with the carving of Mary. It seemed a little odd and cult-ish, and it really didn't add much to the story in my opinion.
Mason W

The Secret Life of Bees, is such a good film with a great cast and a powerful message. This film reminds people that Love and friendship are blind to everything including color. Queen Latifah, Jennifer Hudson, Dakota Fanning, Alicia Keys, and Sophie Okonedo all make a strong cast.… More
The Secret Life of Bees, is such a good film with a great cast and a powerful message. This film reminds people that Love and friendship are blind to everything including color. Queen Latifah, Jennifer Hudson, Dakota Fanning, Alicia Keys, and Sophie Okonedo all make a strong cast. Many poiniant moments that will want a tissue or two.
Mister C

This excellent film tells the fable of a 14-year old Lily(played to perfection by Dakota Fanning),and her black caretaker(Oscar-winning actress Jennifer Hudson) who escape and seizes an opportunity to leave behind her abusive father and their South Carolina peach farm and leave a… More
This excellent film tells the fable of a 14-year old Lily(played to perfection by Dakota Fanning),and her black caretaker(Oscar-winning actress Jennifer Hudson) who escape and seizes an opportunity to leave behind her abusive father and their South Carolina peach farm and leave a racist town for another marginally less racist town during the height of the civil rights movement in 1964(when the state of South Carolina was hell on earth regarding opportunities for blacks). There they stumble across a bee farm run by three sisters(Queen Latifah, Sophie Okonedo,and Alicia Keyes). The performances her are worth seeing including Fanning's performance that recalls a young Jodie Foster. Interesting note: The film was produced by Jada Pinkett-Smith and Will Smith and directed by Gina Prince Bythewood. Filming on location in Robeson County,North Carolina in and around the towns of Lumberton,Maxton,and Red Springs.
Walter M

In "The Secret Life of Bees," T.Ray(Paul Bettany), a peach farmer in South Carolina in 1964, looks at his 14-year old daughter Lily(Dakota Fanning, who fared better in the criminally misunderstood "Hounddog") with barely held disgust and physically abuses her.… More
In "The Secret Life of Bees," T.Ray(Paul Bettany), a peach farmer in South Carolina in 1964, looks at his 14-year old daughter Lily(Dakota Fanning, who fared better in the criminally misunderstood "Hounddog") with barely held disgust and physically abuses her. While not excusing his actions, it might have something to do with Lily accidentally shooting her mother(Hilarie Burton) during a fight between the couple when she was four. At least, she gets to go out on her birthday with her friend and housekeeper Rosaleen(Jennifer Hudson) who almost starts a riot. Lily rescues her from a hospital and together they escape to a town where August Boatwright(Queen Latifah) lives and runs a successful honey business. She once might have given shelter to Lily's mom and which they now ask for in exchange for work. While it is impossible to hate a movie as achingly sincere and beautifully shot as "The Secret Life of Bees," it is almost as hard to admire it, either. The movie has a tendency to sugarcoat history and several of the characters' actions are born of pure naivete.(Yes, it is okay to be angry, as long as it does not lead to violence.) For example, it was not until 1965 that the Voting Rights Act was passed that would make it easier for Rosaleen to register to vote. On a more personal level, nobody is willing to associate Lily with being a walking disaster area, someone who is going to be very troubled for most of her life. And we definitely need a moratorium on characters who want to be writers.
Mark A

Halfway in, this viewer was contemplating the task of downgrading every other film he has ever rated in order to place this one at the top of the heap. It was that good. However, the second half did not live up to the promise and five stars will have to do. A powerfully moving story… More
Halfway in, this viewer was contemplating the task of downgrading every other film he has ever rated in order to place this one at the top of the heap. It was that good. However, the second half did not live up to the promise and five stars will have to do. A powerfully moving story of a young girl carrying burdens far too heavy for someone her age. When the situation at home becomes unbearable, Lily (Dakota Fanning) rescues her caregiver, Rosaleen (Jennifer Hudson), runs away and lands in a safe haven with Miss August (Queen Latifa) and her sisters, May (Sophie Okonedo) and June (Alicia Keys). The cast is superb! The interplay between the three sisters spotlights their differences and celebrates their connectedness. The backdrop of the Civil Rights era in the Deep South provides an underpinning of dread that seeps into the film's fabric. Sadness and joy are present in equal measure. Ultimately, this film is about exorcising one's demons and finding one's place in the world, even if that place is far from one's place of birth. Outstanding!
Sol C

I thought the film was ok. On the positive the performances were very good. On the negative, the pacing was off. If they would have fixed the pacing, I believe the film would have been much better.
Panta O

[b][size=5][color=orange]THE SECRET LIFE OF BEES (2008)[/color] [/size] [img]http://images.rottentomatoes.com/images/movie/custom/63/1200563.jpg[/img] [color=blue]Moja drugarica Rachel je pre mesec ipo dana pogledala ovaj film i bila je odu?evljena, a po?to sam ja odu?evljen njom,… More
[b][size=5][color=orange]THE SECRET LIFE OF BEES (2008)[/color] [/size] [img]http://images.rottentomatoes.com/images/movie/custom/63/1200563.jpg[/img] [color=blue]Moja drugarica Rachel je pre mesec ipo dana pogledala ovaj film i bila je odu?evljena, a po?to sam ja odu?evljen njom, re?io sam da na njenu preporuku provedem 110 minuta u dru?tvu Dakote Fanning, Queen Latifah-e i Jennifer Hudson i nisam za?alio! [img]http://images.rottentomatoes.com/images/movie/gallery/1200563/photo_09_hires.jpg[/img] Ova drama u re?iji Gine Prince-Bythewood o èetrnaestogodi?njoj Lily Owens (Dakota Fanning) je u vi?e nivoa, ali je to te?ko primetiti pod izvanrednom re?ijom, koja nam dramu prenosi tako uverljivo da smo uvek u centru i sami... [img]http://images.rottentomatoes.com/images/movie/gallery/1200563/photo_08_hires.jpg[/img] U celoj prièi se provlaèi duh Liline majke, koja je tragièno nastradala deset godina pre dogaðaja opisanih u filmu... od Lilinog begstva od oca, sa svojom jedinom prijateljicom koja se brine o njoj u Ju?noj Karolini, do prestoja i duhovnog razvoja pod voðstvom sestara Boatwright... a sve bi to bilo u redu, da se nije ume?alo i rasno pitanje... [img]http://images.rottentomatoes.com/images/movie/gallery/1200563/photo_07_hires.jpg[/img] Ovo je za mene film tipa Color Purple u odrastanju... tako bih ga nekako opisao... Lilz ubrzo nalazi zadovoljstvo, duhovni mir i sazreva uèeæi tajnu pèelarstva kroz koju shvata i sebe, i majku, i oca i prijateljstvo koje ima sa svima oko sebe... Divan film za sve koji imaju iskru ?ivota u sebi. Ovoga puta 7/10.[/color][/b] [img]http://images.rottentomatoes.com/images/movie/gallery/1200563/photo_05_hires.jpg[/img]
Dannielle A

Beautiful cinematography and engaging storytelling! Both director and actors did a fine job capturing emotions. There were people crying to the left, right, and behind me in the theatre. I understand the movie had to respect Sue Monk Kidd's novel, but I really didn't like… More
Beautiful cinematography and engaging storytelling! Both director and actors did a fine job capturing emotions. There were people crying to the left, right, and behind me in the theatre. I understand the movie had to respect Sue Monk Kidd's novel, but I really didn't like the exalting of Mary as a deity. It was sacrilegious to Christ that His mother was mentioned more times than He and they prayed to Mary instead of God. But I still have to give this movie three 1/2 stars.
Naughtia N

A very touching story about a little girl who loses her mother and has a tense relationship with her father. She runs away from her home to another loving family. This movie is very good and Dakota Fanning clearly has an aspiring actress career ahead of her. This movie is definetely… More
A very touching story about a little girl who loses her mother and has a tense relationship with her father. She runs away from her home to another loving family. This movie is very good and Dakota Fanning clearly has an aspiring actress career ahead of her. This movie is definetely worth watch as it touches your heart.
Andrew F

Another blah and boring "inspirational" film that begs for attention.
William G

Gooey melodrama has no shortage of singing, to make everyone feel better, or sobbing, to get Dakota nominated already.
Juli R

The movie was better than the book. The actors are good, and the script is OK. It's a sentimental, sappy movie, and it's not realistic. But it isn't terrible either.