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Poster for Akeelah and the Bee

Akeelah and the Bee

Seen it?

2006 | 113 min | Drama

Saturday Special

Why it’s a Saturday Special

It earned strong reviews (85% on Rotten Tomatoes) and audiences rate it highly (7.0 out of 10). A strong pick for the weekend.

Based on critics, audiences, awards, box office and buzz. Details below.

Is it for you?

Who'll love it
Made for anyone who loves a strong drama.
The mood
Thoughtful and character-driven.
The pace
Takes its time with its characters, at 1 hr 53 min.
What might put you off
Rated PG. Worth a look first if you have very young kids.

11-year-old Akeelah Anderson has a way with words. After winning her schoolwide spelling bee, she decides to enter the competition, despite her classmates' derision and the antipathy of her mother Tanya. Thanks to the efforts of her teacher Dr. Larabee, she reaches the finals. As she gets to know her fellow competitors, Akeelah realizes that coming first isn't everything in life.

How it earned its rating

  • CriticsStrong

    85% on Rotten Tomatoes, 72 on Metacritic

  • AudiencesStrong

    7.0 out of 10

  • AwardsSolid

    7 wins and 6 nominations from smaller awards and festivals

  • Box office & staying powerSolid

    $19 million worldwide on a $8 million budget; still draws a steady audience long after release

  • Buzz & cultural impactSolid

    About 174K people sought it out in the past year

Trailer

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Cast & crew

Directed by Doug Atchison

  • Keke PalmerAkeelah Anderson
  • Laurence FishburneDr. Larabee
  • Angela BassettTanya Anderson
  • Curtis ArmstrongMr. Welch
  • J.R. VillarrealJavier
  • Sean Michael AfableDylan Chiu
  • Sahara GareyGeorgia
  • Lee Thompson YoungDevon
  • Julito McCullumTerrence
  • Erica HubbardKiana