Dakota Fanning gives a sensitive, thoughtful, if somewhat familiar performance as a troubled white teenager in the racially-charged South, circa 1964, who has run away from her abusive father and now finds herself boarding with three black sisters in South Carolina who have inherited the family business, manufacturing and jarring the best honey in the county. Director Gina Prince-Bythewood also adapted her overcooked script from Sue Monk Kidd's bestseller, and the melodramatic entanglements that push the plot forward are often ridiculous and illogical. Prince-Bythewood, attempting to get every little nugget of sentimentality and 'importance' from Kidd's novel onto the screen, leaves some of her supporting characters wanting--what with a perplexing (and unlikely) suicide and the kidnapping of an innocent black boy by police which is summed up by an infuriating series of hugs. The ladies (Queen Latifah, Alicia Keys, and Sophie Okonedo) are an interesting, magnetic trio, but Jennifer Hudson (as Fanning's caretaker who escapes along with her) seems to get lost in the shuffle. Some marvelous moments are ultimately undercut by too much artificial sweetening. ** from ****

I am a film buff, yet there are just a handful of films that blew me away emotionally at first watch. This is one of those films.I wasn't expecting this. I actually had gotten the DVD months ago and couldn't figure out why I hadn't seen it yet. I did not know the story, but I did like the cast and I had heard some good things. Even though I was a child at the time, that era has always fascinated and perplexed me. It's probably why my all time favorite TV series was "I'll Fly Away." This movie has a flawless cast. I was especially impressed with Dakota Fanning's continued development as an actress. But Jennifer Hudson and Sophie Okonedo were incandescent. Alicia Keys was a revelation in this film, though it took me a little while to warm up to her. And, Queen Latifah...well, this lady just seems to center everything.Movies to me are sometimes life-changing events. The ones that resonate the best are the ones that effectively give lessons about life.I guess if I mention that my all time favorite film is "A River Runs Through It," it might begin to explain why I instantly fell in love with this film. It has something profound to teach. And it does it with unforgettable imagery. Only time will tell if this film will stay with me like "River" did, but I suspect it will be a film I think about for quite some time.I have only watched the director's cut, so my comments are based on that, though I will go back and watch the theatrical version.This film truly is a gift.

This is the movie you end up getting when you say to wifey "pick something you like tonight, I'll probably just potter around anyway". I ended up getting bored and sat down to watch it."The Secret Life Of Bees" is not really about bees at all, more about a young girl called Lily (Dakota Fanning, which i didn't realise until about half way in) who has lived through adversity. As a young child she accidentally shot her own mother, who was in the midst of domestic dispute with her father. Her father raises her, but not very well and causes her heaps of psychological issues. As a teen she one day leaves home with her nanny (played by Jennifer Hudson) and looks to start a new life. She stumbles across a bee farmer called August and her family and is allowed to stay and work with them. They all soon form a lovely bond until more tragedy occurs and many are forced to face up to their fears.Pretty girly, but an OK story with a decent cast. Covers family issues, racism and facing up to your fears.

A delightful film for a Sunday afternoon, The Secret Life of Bees is a softly poignant, but tellingly polemical, story of black and white in South Carolina in the sixties, but with a welcome emphasis on black characters rather than white. With the excellent acting skills of all involved, especially Dakota Fanning, Queen Latifah, and Sophie Okenedo, the tale of racism, parental abuse and neglect contrasted with kindness and compassion, with a background of beautifully shot landscape and bee-keeping, offers a commendable film of quality, and one which I recommend. A nice change to place compassion instead of violence in the forefront, and for that compassion to be strongly centred in a cultural and educated black family.