`AKEELAH AND THE BEE' GOES TO THE HEAD OF ITS CLASS.Byline: Glenn Whipp Film Critic The utterly irresistible ``Akeelah and the Bee'' is basically ``Hoosiers'' or ``The Karate Kid'' - but with geeks. In fact, there's a scene halfway through the movie where a foursome of normal-looking preteens toss a ball around on a basketball court while throwing multisyllabic spelling words at each other. Spell the word or take a shot. One kid elects to shoot the ball. It doesn't come within a country mile of the basket. Like the inspirational sports movies that it closely follows, ``Akeelah'' imparts lessons of the be-all-that-you-can-be variety. What distinguishes ``Akeelah'' is its almost giddy emphasis on learning, which will undoubtedly make this movie a perennial classroom favorite. But parents shouldn't lose the experience of watching this movie with their children. It's one of the best feel-good family movies to come along in years. Akeelah (Keke Palmer) is an 11-year-old sixth-grader at Crenshaw cren·shaw also cran·shaw n. A variety of winter melon (Cucumis melo var. inodorus) having a greenish-yellow rind and sweet, usually salmon-pink flesh. [Origin unknown.] Middle School in South Los Angeles South Los Angeles is the official name for a large geographic and cultural area lying to the southwest and southeast of downtown Los Angeles, California. The area was formerly called South Central Los Angeles, and is still sometimes called South Central. . She's smart, but unmotivated. Her private passion is words, something she shared with her late father. Akeelah's mom, Tanya (Angela Bassett), is too busy trying to keep her life and family together to pay much attention. The principal (Curtis Armstrong Curtis Armstrong (born November 27, 1953) is an American actor. Biography Early life Curtis Armstrong was born in Detroit, Michigan to Norma E. and Robert Leroy Armstrong. ) at Akeelah's school sets up a spelling bee spelling bee n. A contest in which competitors are eliminated as they fail to spell a given word correctly. Also called spelldown. Noun 1. , almost as a way of encouraging her and combating the prevailing mindset mind·set or mind-set n. 1. A fixed mental attitude or disposition that predetermines a person's responses to and interpretations of situations. 2. An inclination or a habit. among many of her peers that ignorance is somehow cool. Akeelah wins, but she's going to need help if she wants to make it through other contests. She finds her Mr. Miyagi in the no-nonsense Dr. Larabee (the great Laurence Fishburne Laurence John Fishburne III[1] (born July 30 1961) is an American Academy Award-nominated, Emmy- and Tony Award-winning actor of screen and stage, as well as playwright, director, and producer. , in full Zen master mode). The evolving relationship between Akeelah and her mentor forms the core of this movie, but Akeelah's fellow competitors get some play as well. Both featured spellers hail from Woodland Hills, but the similarities end there. Javier (JR Villarreal) affably offers advice and birthday party invitations; Dylan (Sean Michael Afable), a two-time runner-up, tries to intimidate her, but he's really a softie Short for "Microsoftie," a person who works for Microsoft. trying to get out from under the thumb of his win-at-all-costs dad (Tzi Ma, playing the film's one walking cliche). Writer-director Doug Atchison, a first-timer, lays on the drama a bit thick at times, but his button-pushing doesn't really rankle ran·kle v. ran·kled, ran·kling, ran·kles v.intr. 1. To cause persistent irritation or resentment. 2. To become sore or inflamed; fester. v.tr. because his cast is so good. You expect nothing but emotional truth from Fishburne and Bassett, but it's young Palmer who wins your heart with a performance that's completely free of guile and affectation af·fec·ta·tion n. 1. A show, pretense, or display. 2. a. Behavior that is assumed rather than natural; artificiality. b. A particular habit, as of speech or dress, adopted to give a false impression. . Akeelah begins the movie afraid of failing. By the end, she has recognized that knowledge is power. And that power, like this wonderful little film, packs quite a punch. Glenn Whipp, (818) 713-3672 glenn.whipp(at)dailynews.com AKEELAH AND THE BEE - Three stars (PG: some language) Starring: Laurence Fishburne, Angela Bassett, Keke Palmer. Director: Doug Atchison. Running time: 1 hr. 52 min. Playing: In wide release. In a nutshell: South L.A. girl finds power in knowledge in this irresistible, inspirational family film. |
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