The Secret Life Of Bees Movie
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Storyline
TAGLINES
Bring Your Girlfriends, Sisters, Mothers and Daughters
Set in South Carolina in 1964, the film is the moving tale of Lily Owens a 14 year-old girl who is haunted by the memory of her late mother. To escape her lonely life and troubled relationship with her father, Lily flees with Rosaleen, her caregiver and only friend, to a South Carolina town that holds the secret to her mother's past. Taken in by the intelligent and independent Boatwright sisters, Lily finds solace in their mesmerizing world of beekeeping, honey and the Black Madonna.
| Dakota Fanning | Lily Owens |
| Queen Latifah | August Boatwright |
| Jennifer Hudson | Rosaleen Daise |
| Alicia Keys | June Boatwright |
| Sophie Okonedo | May Boatwright |
| Paul Bettany | T. Ray Owens |
| Hilarie Burton | Deborah Owens |
| Tristan Wilds | Zach Taylor |
| Nate Parker | Neil |
| Shondrella Avery | Greta |
| Renée Clark | Doll |
| Sharon Morris | Violet |
| Nicky Buggs | Cressie |
| Jasmine Burke | Sugar Girl |
| Emma Sage Bowman | Young Lily #1 |
| Gina Prince-Bythewood |
7.00 out of 10 (3132 votes)
Visitor Reviews
Opinion
posted on 08 Aug 2009When I first heard about this movie I didn't know what to expect. In the previews the movie looked rather boring to me but then I actually got the chance to watch the movie I found it to be very attention grabbing. The movie is about Lily a little white girl (Dakota Fanning) and her Nannie Rosaleen (Jennifer Hudson) and the journey to find out the truth about what really happened to Lily's mother. The movie was very sentimental to me because through out Lily's whole life her father has always made her feel like her mother didn't want her. Convinced that her father was lying Lily searches for the truth and the truth actually turns out to be the complete opposite of what she believed. I would recommend this movie to anyone who likes drama movies.
A movie that will make you believe again...
posted on 06 Aug 2009Lily Owens (Dakota Fannin)is overwhelmed by guilt and constantly haunted by the death of her mother, who she accidentally killed at the age of four. She now lives with her abusive, drunken redneck father(Paul Bettany) and their housekeeper Rosaleen (Jennifer Hudson) in a small town in South Carolina, 1964, during the birth of the Civil rights movement. Rosaleen decides to take Lily to town with her for her birthday and to register to vote. But when a couple of racist towns people start to insult Rosaleen she stands her ground and snaps right back at them. Thus result is a good beating and an arrest.Absolutely outraged by the whole ordeal, Lily decides to free Rosaleen from the medical ward where she is being held until trial. They run off together, headed towards Tiberton, South Carolina, where Lily believes her mother once was. They find a house "the color of Pepto Bismal" where the the Boatwright sisters, August, May and June (Queen Latifah, Sophie Okonedo, Alicia Keys) welcome Lily and Rosaleen into their home in exchange for work around the house and on their bee farm. Lily doesn't reveal the true reason why she and Rosaleen are there but instead, makes up a story to give her time to sort out her thoughts and feelings. By the end of the film, Lily, through living with a group of strong black women, has grown in ways she couldn't have imagined. In the end she finds out more than just the truth about her mother. She also finds strength and love in a family she had always longed for.I highly recommend seeing this movie if you haven't already. It deals with race, love, life and religion in a heartfelt way that leaves you thinking and believing. With extraordinary performances from Dakota Fanning and Sophie Okonedo, we have some Oscar worthy material right here!
Truly Great American Film
posted on 25 Jul 2009This is one of the greatest films that I have ever seen! It should have won the Oscar for best picture. It wasn't glitzy but it dealt with important issues of life. All of the performances were superb! Queen Latifah gave a bravura performance that exerted a calm, loving force to the film. Dakatoa Fanning was marvelous in a restrained performance that burst through at key points in the story. Sophie Okonedo played an intriguing and captivating character who balanced the absence of emotion in Alicia Keys' role. Paul Betany's performance was so good that I didn't recognize him until I saw the credits. The central theme was love in its many manifestations and we need more experiences like this. The cinematography was beyond beautiful. This film was pure poetry in an age of chaotic noise.
Not worth the time
posted on 25 Jul 2009I was disappointed in this movie, which moved so slowly I thought I was watching paint dry. Having read the book, I knew the plot already, but even someone who doesn't know what's happening will likely get to bored to care by the time something happens. Dakota Fanning as Lilly turns in another great performance, but Rosalie displayed almost no personality. Mayand August were static; every line was delivered with the same tone and facial expression. As for the theme of the strength of women, this gets lost in an emphasis on race, instead of vice versa. Two white people in the movie are worthy of the air they breathe. Every black person is cultured, fair, kind, etc. No balance at all. I recommend renting it. At least then you can fast forward.
Beautiful Black women in an empty story
posted on 19 Jul 2009The Secret Life of Bees is about the slowest chick-flix I have ever sat through. The film should have used less narration and more story-telling, then maybe it would have had a satisfying ending. A lot of the most emotional moments fell flat bogged down by little emotional connection with the characters. Let's face it no one's story gets fully told in this movie and that's ashame. I guess it's what happens to most books (save LOTR) when not enough of the book's passion in infused into the film. Yes all of the performances are good but who really cares about good acting when there's nothing for the characters to do but look good and cry a lot.
Wonderful Hollywood performers waste their talents in this god-awful dud
posted on 13 Jul 2009There are dozens of really great movies that have been made. Sadly,this is NOT one of them. For one,this movie suffers from the usual and overused "abusive father and kind-hearted gentle mother who wouldn't hurt a fly" cliché,a hateful cliché that's been spreading like wildfire over the decades.Another thing that ruined this movie for me was the terrible over-acting done by the performers. As usual,the man overdid his anger and the woman overdid her panicked terrified screaming,a combo that would give ANY person a terrible migraine.A lot of wonderful Hollywood performers wasted their talents in this god-awful,migraine inducing dud.Were they so desperate for money that they agreed to embarrass themselves in this so called "movie"? Sadly,yes.I got the feeling that this movie was made just to make the director richer.I do NOT recommend this "movie" to ANYONE. Instead,go watch a REAL movie like "Casablanca" or " Brokeback mountain" or even a W.C. Fields movie-these are wonderful alternatives to "Sewcret Life of Bees".
The Secret Life Of Bees is a powerful, amazing & excellent film followed by strong performances.
posted on 13 Jul 2009Let me just say that the movie NEVER had dull moment or even a second in the ENTIRE film!!! Set in South Carolina 1964, Lily Owens (Dakota Fanning) who is haunted by the memory of her late mother, tries to escape her lonely life and bad relationship with her father (Paul Bettany), to get past her horrible incident with her late mother. So, she and her caregiver Rosaleen (Jennifer Hudson) flees to a South Carolina town where it holds the secret of her mother's past. Lily and Rosaleen finds the intelligent Boatwright sisters: August (Queen Latifah), June (Alicia Keys and May (Sophie Okenendo) where they take Lily and Rosaleen in, to have a place to stay for a while.The Secret Life Of Bees is a movie of what you call a "tearjerker" and that's what it is, the movie will touch your heart and teaches you about life, care, love & forget about your horrible past and move on. As for performances, everyone delivers and a couple of Oscar-worthy ones too. Dakota Fanning and Sophie Okenendo are the ones that delivers the Oscar-worthy performances. Come Oscars season, don't be surprised if any of those both actresses will be in the envelope (they deserved to get those nods!!) Queen Latifah, Alicia Keys and Jennifer Hudson (R.I.P her brother and mother who just passed away one day ago.) delivered their best performances yet even Jennifer (I thought this was her best performance yet and better than ever Oscar-winning performance in Dreamgirls.). As for the supporting actors: Bettany, Parker and Wilds, they did great as well.The Secret Life Of Bees is one of this year's best films, rush out and buy a ticket for this wonderful and amazing film!!
Well acted adaptation of the best seller
posted on 03 Jul 2009THE SECRET LIFE OF BEES (2008) *** Dakota Fanning, Queen Latifah, Jennifer Hudson, Alicia Keys, Sophie Okonedo, Paul Bettany, Hilarie Burton, Tristan Wilds, Nate Parker. Well acted adaptation of the best seller by Sue Monk Kidd about a young girl (Fanning) living in the Deep South during the Civil Right Era 1960s, who runs away from her belligerent father (Bettany) to discover who her mother really was, and is welcome into the unlikely arms of a trio of entrepreneurial sisters (Latifah, Keys and Okonedo) who produce honey from their bee farm. Director Gina Prince-Bythewood – who also wrote the screenplay - shrewdly avoids any syrupy emotional trickery and instead allows each character's voice to ring true to a fault, with each actress shining in her own right. Warm-hearted and full of life lessons; a pleasant surprise.
Recommended viewing with galpals when PMSing
posted on 27 Jun 2009Written for the screen and directed by Gina Prince-Bythewood, The Secret Life of Bees is set in 1964 South Carolina, when the Civil Rights Act was still being enforced and not taken very well in the south, where racism was still at an all-time high. Against this backdrop unfolds a heartwarming, girl-power drama based on Sue Monk Kidd's novel about 14-year old Lily Owens (Dakota Fanning) who accidentally killed her mother when she was little. Lily runs away from her abusive father T. Ray (Paul Bettany), taking with her their housekeeper Rosaleen Daise (Jennifer Hudson). They find solace in the Pepto-Bismol-hued home of the Boatwright sisters August (Queen Latifah), June (Alicia Keys) and May (Sophie Okonedo).Fanning is now tall and gangly but is still riveting on screen with her amazingly controlled emotional range; she seems to be one of those actors who can do no wrong. Bettany is a surprise, playing a vicious redneck that can still manage to elicit some twisted form of pity from the audience for his lot in life. I was hoping his story could have been fleshed out further. Latifah has come a long way from comedy and veritably anchors her scenes, while Keys transitions wonderfully from musician to movie star playing the beautiful but haughty June. Okonedo played the retarded twin May with great sensitivity and depth.A Hallmark sort of movie with a clear target market, The Secret Life of Bees is a warm and toasty pause from the usual Hollywood fare. Recommended viewing with galpals when PMSing.
Superb dramatic movie making.
posted on 23 Jun 2009These are cynical times, and the U.S. is still struggling with it's feelings on race, even today. The more of these types of movies, the better. Simple human love comes through in every frame. After a summer of superheroes and sex humor comedies, this was the most life affirming and refreshing film I've seen so far this year. If the academy doesn't recognize some folks from this film, they'd be remiss. I smell Oscar all over this film. Queen Latifah was wonderful as usual. Sophie Okonedo played an emotionally damaged woman with perfect pitch and demeanor. Paul Bettany's performance of the alternately hurt and hurtful father was a challenge. You needed to both hate him, and sympathize with him for the role to be effective, and I thought he pulled this off well. Just simply a moving story, a great script, top notch acting, and all beautifully shot. I place it in the must see category.
The Secret Life of Bees (2008) - It's a winner!
posted on 15 Jun 2009See this movie and you will not be disappointed folks. It's a film that truly deserves an award! I happen to think this has to be one of the BEST films of this type that has reached the theaters in a long, long time! Superior acting here by all the characters played and especially by Queen Latifah and that young star named Dakota Fanning. Dakota displays one of her very best performances in this film. Queen Latifah shows us all that she can become a very serious and impressive actress when her role calls for a more talented Latifah. This story line that takes place in South Carolina, 1964, during the peak of racism and the birth of the Civil rights movement demanded this serious side of Queen Latifah along with the other character roles in this film. I found this a most entertaining film and truly a very touching story. As with any film that is written and directed with such quality and expertise (like this movie so obviously is) there is always a sincere need for genuine talented acting. Acting to be at it's best in order to present the story line as it is truly meant to be. This film certainly has it all.. great acting and a captivating story to be told. Each character role played and so convincingly right before our eyes! There is a new tale to be told with each character played in this film, making this interesting from start to finish. Finally, here's a very powerful story told on the big screen that is well worth our time and money. I hope this one wins your heart, like it did mine. Oscar material for sure!
much better then I thought it would be
posted on 09 Jun 2009In 1964 a 14 year old girl runs away from home to find out about the mother she barely remembers and who died when she was 4. She ends up at the home of Queen Latifah and her sisters who make honey. Really good drama that is perhaps too perfectly feel good. Normally this amount of wisdom and love would get on my nerves but it didn't I really liked it. Perhaps the sweetness was made tolerable by the handful of scenes with Paul Bettany as the girls father. A gruff sad man I could relate to and found myself truly heart broken by his last line to his daughter. (Oh how I could relate to it.) Very much worth a look. 8 out of 10
Warm, heartfelt drama.
posted on 03 Jun 2009The Secret Life Of Bees, is a marvelous new drama. It's focus is 13-year-old Lily Owens (played with a deft emotional range, by Dakota Fanning). The film takes place in 1964 in the southern US, during the birth of the civil rights movement.Lily is haunted by the fact that she accidentally shot her mother, when playing with a pistol as a toddler. She also develops a strange affinity for bees, which is bewildering to her. Lily's violent father is abusive towards her. The Owen's black housekeeper Rosaleen, is a mother figure and confidante to Lily.One day, Lily goes to town with Rosaleen, when Rosaleen plans on registering to vote. Racist white men confront them, taunting Rosaleen. When Rosaleen refuses to tolerate their behavior, the men give her a vicious beating. The police soon intervene. Rosaleen is arrested, and held in custody at the medical ward of the local jail.Outraged at what happened to Rosaleen, Lily goes to the jail and frees Rosaleen, before the guards find out. Lily and Rosaleen then hit the road, leaving Lily's brutal father far behind. The two come upon a store in a small town, which stocks jars of honey. Intrigued with the unusual labeling on the honey jars, Lily asks the clerk where the honey comes from. She's told that the Boatwright sisters make the honey. Lily then asks the clerk, where they can find the Boatwright sisters. And she's told that they reside in a huge, 'bright pink' house, a 'ways up the road'. So, Lily feels strangely compelled to find the Boatwrights, for reasons that she doesn't quite understand. After traveling a long way, Lily and Rosaleen spot a bright pink house, in a remote area. Tired, hungry and needing shelter, they knock on the door of this house. The three women who answer introduce themselves as the Boatwright sisters, named May, June, and August.At first, the Boatwrights are reluctant to take in Lily and Rosaleen. They relent, when they realize that the two have no where else to turn. August, the eldest sister, lets Lily become their beekeeping apprentice. Rosaleen is allowed to stay on as the Boatwright's housekeeper. While living with the Boatwrights, Lily unravels the mysteries of her dead mother. Much to her astonishment, Lily discovers how the Boatwrights are deeply involved in her mother's past.Above all, this film celebrates love, and its power to transform human lives in amazing ways. The brilliant performances by the female leads, make this movie the gem that it truly is. Films with strong, positive women in leading roles, are still not as common as they should be. The Secret Life Of Bees, is a powerful film that's heartrending, uplifting, and a definite must-see.
Wonderful movie
posted on 28 May 2009I don't care what anybody says, this was a great movie compared to some of the crap out there. I did have a problem with the fact that Queen Latifah was supposed to be playing a person older than her true self, but she was great. So was Jennifer Hudson( Simon Cowel eat your heart out). She has really shown what talent she has. I don't want to forget about Dakota Fanning but she is a proved star and doesn't really need any accolades. The critics may not have liked this movie, but they aren't looking at, or for the same things we are. I like a movie that uplifts me and makes me want to be a better person. I think this one does it. Acouple of other movies that gave me the same warm fuzzies were The Visitor and Run Fat Boy, Run(yes, that's what I said.)P.S. I haven't cried so much in a long time.
Wonderful Movie!!
posted on 28 May 2009I went to see this movie with my mom and my daughter. Mom and I read the book before we saw the movie. The ladies picked to play their parts--you just can't put into words. It was like these parts were written just for each of them. They all did a fantastic job and really made each character come to life. I was afraid that the movie would be so much different then the book but overall it was a lot the same. There was so much emotion with this movie from laughing one minute to crying the next. Not many movies made these days have what it takes to make you feel that kind of emotion. And not many movies teach you morals and values like this movie. If we as adults could look at the world the way children do and stop all this hate and violence--the world might be a better place to live. This is a movie I will add to my collection when it comes out on DVD and I know for sure this will be a movie I watch over and over.
Open your heart and the Bees will fill it with honey
posted on 12 May 2009I don't go around throwing 10's around for movie ratings, but I extremely impressed by this movie. The emotional and visual scope offered by the story, the cinematography, and the acting, gave all viewers with eyes to see and ears to hear, a wonderful treat. I'm sure not everyone loves this particular type of movie, but if you haven't been desensitized by the CGI and special effects of many of today's movies, you'll appreciate the very core of this movie, which is the human struggle - especially the depiction of the search for identity, and the need to give and received compassion from those living on this big blue marble together with us. A reminder of the racism of a not too far distant time, and the timeless theme of love, death, friendship, and compassion, add the effective seasoning that helps us all relate in some very tangible way to this movie. Enjoy it with someone you care about, and taste the honey.
A very touching coming of age story great for any age to watch
posted on 30 Apr 2009I remember seeing the trailer for The Secret Life of Bees and honestly, the movie looked completely different than what I was expecting. I have not read the book, so I wasn't sure what to expect, but after watching The Secret Life of Bees, this story just touched my heart and I felt like this film couldn't have come out at a more perfect time than this year with our first bi-racial president. I think we always could use a history lesson or reminder of how far we have come these few decades. The actors, Queen Latifah and Dakota Fanning both pulled in beautiful performances and really make this film powerful and touching. Another surprise performance that I really enjoyed was Alicia Key's, I've never seen her in film before, but she did a great job. It's a strong drama that holds itself very well and is very heart warming.Lily is a young white girl in the 1960's southern America in the peak of racism. At only 14 years old she has a lot on her shoulders, she accidentally shot and killed her mother when she was just 4 years old, her father is extremely abusive, and her best friend is her black nanny who takes her into town and gets beat by several white men and is arrested for not apologizing afterwards. Lily breaks her out and runs away with her, they ask a black family for hospitality. The head of the house hold, August takes them in despite the suspicions from June and May, the other girls of the house. But Lily soon finds herself surprisingly when she least expected it and now has the most loving family in the world.The Secret Life of Bees is a charming film, I would say worth the price if you want to see it in the movie theater. This film reminds us of the little things and the happy feeling of love. Sounds cheesy, but it's true and honestly I think anyone could enjoy this movie if you open your heart up to it. The performances were great and the story is heart warming. Dakota is growing into a fine actress and held herself very well next to Queen Latifah. So I would recommend The Secret Life of Bees, I think somewhere down the line, this will be a little treasured classic.7/10
A very fine film
posted on 10 Apr 2009This movie is probably classified as a woman's empowerment film. I suppose it is that, especially for Black woman.I'm not a woman, much less a Black woman. Still, I found this movie to be a uniformly fine creation. It has everything I want in a movie: clearly defined and well-developed characters played by actors - or, in this case, actresses - who know how to deliver carefully modulated and developed performances. The story is about how a young white girl learns to stand on her own feet, but the most interesting parts of the movie are definitely those that develop the various black characters.I never looked at my watch once during this movie, much less went out to refill my popcorn. This is what movies are supposed to be - presentations of interesting characters participating in an interesting and involving story - but too seldom are.Even if you're a white guy, this movie has a lot to offer.
The long hot summer turned into never-never land
posted on 01 Mar 2009'The Secret Life of Bees' has a fine cast and strong atmosphere but its story never quite goes anywhere. Dakota Fanning is a 14-year-old white girl in 1964 rural South Carolina. She runs away from her abusive father (Paul Bettany) with his black housekeeper (Jennifer Hudson) and joins an all-woman black household led by Queen Latifah, who has a big house painted dark pink and 28 acres inherited from her grandmother and raises bees and bottles honey with a black Madonna on the labels.Each of three sisters has the name of a summer month and each is a distinctive character. Queen Latifah is August Boatwright and she's--well--Queen Latifah--a tower of serenity and warmth. So is Rosaleen (Jennifer Hudson), the runaway housekeeper, but she's shaken up, having been beaten by racists for trying to vote and taken by the girl on the flight to the honey farm to escape police custody. June (Alicia Keys) is a severe young woman, a cellist and music teacher constantly pursued by another teacher, Nell (Nate Parker), whom she flirts with but steadfastly refuses to marry. May (Sophie Okonedo) is a strange creature plagued by sorrows since the death of a twin; a mere thought of sadness can send her off to the wailing wall in the yard that is her solace.Lily (Dakota Fanning) has told a glib story about being orphaned and seeking an aunt but she's really come here because she knows her mother once did.The underlying story of what happened to Lily and her mother and her father is a mystery that never gets satisfyingly explored, even though that exploration seems to be the underlying point of Lily's existence--other than settling in with the Boatwright ladies and learning about bee-keeping. August has some information to offer Lily about her past which is heartwarming, as all her moments are, but not particularly enlightening. Obviously Lily is looking for a substitute family and she has found three mothers, but other than bathing in the glow of loving kindness it's not clear what the story's about. Whatever the bees' "secret life" is, we get only a glimpse of it.The real point of events in the present moment may be Lily's flirtation with August's godson, Zach (Tristan Wilds), who also gets beaten up by white racists as an offshoot of their friendship. So the need for civil rights action at this crucial, troubled moment in American history keeps getting hammered in on us, but it tends to seem an abstraction so long as Lily and Rosaleen live in the Eden of the bee farm presided over by Queen Latifah. There's something touching about Lily's neediness and Fanning's way of glomming onto Latifah seems quite real. But Lily is a void. As she says, all her life has been a hole trying to be filled, because of her missing mother. Though at the center of things, she's really most of all merely an observer. She's one of those characters who's noting everything down in her head because she's going to grow up to be a writer just as Zach wants to grow up to be a lawyer. In her own way Dakota Fanning, with her aged child's face, is as arresting as the others, but somehow as a personality she seems a bit thin. Haggard rather than luminous, she's so precocious she seems to have long ago abandoned real childhood and turned to child roles as a shtick. Yet she has a way to go before becoming a grown-up actor.The English actor Paul Bettany has the thankless task of playing a character even more incomplete and unhappy than Lily.The idea of a white person who's saved by blacks at a time when it's the blacks who need the saving feels uncomfortable to me. Nonetheless with all these fine actors and the warmth--there's no other word--of the Boatwright sisters' household and the authenticity and skill of all these actors, it turns out that despite all the honey and honey-making, treacly sweetness is avoided. Three are lots of nice moments--but unlike 'The Color Purple,' which this resembles, there's no deep emotional power. Nor does 'The Secret Life of Bees' provide an atmosphere in which subtlety can occur, as indicated by the fact that nearly all the white characters are either ardent civil rights activists (or activists in the making like Lily) or full time KKK members. The American South of 1964 seems a world mythologized rather than recreated, and the realities of what it would be like for a white kid to live in a southern black family are not broached.
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Really Great Film!
posted on 18 Aug 2009I absolutely loved this movie. It has been a long time since I have seen a movie that kept me interested from the very beginning all the way to the end. And with a good cry too!! You can't beat it. I recommended it to my daughter and she loved it too!!! This is a Wonderful movie! Just Awesome! I think Dakota Fanning was so impressive in this film. It is hard to believe she is all grown up now. But she really did a wonderful job. And Alicia Keys!! Who knew she could act. She did a great job. The entire cast was amazing. I think everyone men and women alike should take the time to see this movie. Set in 1964 this movie takes you back to when movies were about telling a story not just action blood guts and gore! I truly enjoyed the movie and the cast was really great!