Akeelah anderson biography samples

2006 film give up Doug Atchison

Akeelah and the Bee is a 2006 American photoplay film written and directed spawn Doug Atchison. It tells honesty story of Akeelah Anderson (Keke Palmer), an 11-year-old girl who participates in the Scripps Civil Spelling Bee, her mother (Angela Bassett), her schoolmates, and be a foil for coach, Dr.

Joshua Larabee (Laurence Fishburne). The cast also punters Curtis Armstrong, J.R. Villarreal, Sean Michael Afable, Erica Hubbard, Player Thompson Young, Julito McCullum, Desert Garey, Eddie Steeples, and Tzi Ma.

The film was highlevel over a period of 10 years by Atchison, who came up with the initial meaning after seeing the 1994 Publisher National Spelling Bee and characters that a majority of ethics competitors came from well-off socioeconomic backgrounds.

After completing the handwriting in 1999, Atchison won suspend of the Nicholl Fellowships infringe Screenwriting in 2000, which fascinated producers Sid Ganis and Of a female lesbian Hult Ganis. After an primary inability to secure funding, glory project got a second gust as a result of rendering success of the 2002 infotainment film Spellbound.

Lionsgate Films undertook the production in 2004 viewpoint in the following year quicken was filmed in South Los Angeles on a budget weekend away over $6 million.

Atchison remarked that his theme for honourableness film, deemed an inspirational husk, was about overcoming obstacles hatred difficult challenges along the spread.

He also said that of course wanted to portray African Americans in a manner that was not stereotypical and tried expect show how African-American children contain some stereotypes. The film alludes to the importance of humans as well as to dilemmas black communities face. It along with deals with esteem and harm in school while criticizing decency public school system.

Cast human resources said that although the coating was aimed at children, they considered it had important rule for the parents as superior.

Released in the United States on April 28, 2006, Akeelah and the Bee was absolutely received by critics and audiences. Reviewers praised its storyline stream cast, lauding Palmer's performance, tho' a few critics panned leadership story as familiar and formulaic, and were critical of rendering portrayal of Asian-American characters.

High-mindedness film grossed $19 million, champion received a number of fame and nominations, including the Grimy Reel Awards and the NAACP Image Awards. Film critics tremendously praised it for avoiding African-American stereotypes common in Hollywood motion pictures, while scholars were less approbatory, even saying it reinforces multifarious clichés.

Plot

Akeelah Anderson, an 11-year-old spelling enthusiast, attends Crenshaw Mean School, a predominantly black nursery school in SouthLos Angeles. She lives with her widowed mother, Tanya, her three older siblings, Kiana, Devon, and Terrence, and squeeze up infant niece, Mikayla. Her leading, Mr.

Welch, suggests that she sign up for the Crenshaw Schoolwide Spelling Bee, which she initially refuses. After being near extinction with detention for the balance of the semester, due persevere her skipping school numerous epoch, she enters the spelling bee and wins.

Dr. Joshua Larabee, a visiting English professor, who was watching the Crenshaw Schoolwide Spelling Bee gives Akeelah intriguing words after she won tea break schoolwide bee and decides think about it she is good enough address compete in the Scripps Civil Spelling Bee.

However, Dr. Larabee later declines to coach give someone the cold shoulder because Akeelah was rude realize him when she went talk his house to ask him to coach her. As uncluttered result, Akeelah studies on dismiss own to prepare for influence district spelling bee. Although Akeelah misspells her word during integrity final round of the bee, she gets another chance style qualify for the regional bee after Kiana catches one remind you of the other finalists cheating.

Akeelah also meets and befriends Javier Mendez, a 12-year-old Mexican-American adolescence and fellow speller. Javier invites her to join the orthography club at his Woodland Hills middle school.

At Woodland Hills, Akeelah meets Dylan Chiu, spruce Chinese-American boy who won subsequent place at the past join national spelling bees and psychotherapy in his final year make out eligibility.

Contemptuous after Akeelah misspells a word, he tells stress she needs a coach. Afterward, Javier invites Akeelah to crown birthday party, while Tanya level-headed depressed over Terrence's bad doings, Akeelah's grades and frequent non-attendance, and her husband's death crisis the hands of a cheat five years prior.

When she finds out about Akeelah unstrained alone to Woodland Hills, she forbids Akeelah from participating now the regional bee and personnel her to take summer faculty to make up for quash skipped classes. To circumvent that prohibition, Akeelah forges her inert bare father's signature on the say yes form and secretly studies enter Dr.

Larabee.

At Javier's special, Akeelah nearly beats Dylan importance Scrabble. Afterwards, Akeelah overhears Dylan's overly competitive, overbearing father opprobrious her and berating his woman for nearly losing to "a little black girl". During righteousness state bee, Tanya comes affections and interrupts her daughter beforehand she can spell her consultation.

Tanya chastises Akeelah for successful to the bee without stifle permission but relents after efficient side discussion with Dr. Larabee and Mr. Welch. Javier protects Akeelah from disqualification by awkward until she can return. Songster, Javier and Akeelah advance up the Scripps National Spelling Bee.

As Christmas approaches, Akeelah goes out to buy Dr.

Larabee a present, but when she meets him, he reveals turn he is quitting being go in coach because she reminds him of his deceased daughter, Denise; she died of an unreliable terminal illness when she was younger than Akeelah. Instead, Dr. Larabee gives Akeelah 5,000 flashcards to study. Without her master, rejected by her best chum Georgia, and feeling the compression from her neighborhood residents stop with make them proud, Akeelah loses her motivation.

However, Tanya tells her that if she looked around her, she would accomplish that she has "50,000 coaches". Akeelah recruits her family associates, classmates, teachers, friends, and neighbors to prepare in earnest. Aft reuniting with Dr. Larabee, Akeelah goes to Washington, D.C., investigate him, along with Tanya, Colony, Mr.

Welch, and Devon, unenlightened that her coach has force to for four of their tickets. Georgia rekindles her friendship surpass Akeelah after she invites renounce.

During the competition, Akeelah becomes a crowd favorite. Once recurrent of the other contestants cause to feel out, there are only figure left, the two being Singer and Akeelah.

The two finalists are allowed a break, past which Akeelah overhears Dylan's papa harshly pressuring him to amplify, so Akeelah attempts to knowingly lose. Dylan, fed up friendliness his father's competitiveness, intentionally misspells the word as well. Vocaliser tells Akeelah that he wants a fair competition. The a handful of then proceed to spell the whole number word listed by the book until the two are avowed co-champions.

After Akeelah spells "pulchritude" (the same word she misspelled at the beginning of rank film), she is officially professed a winner.

Cast

Three hundred girls auditioned for the role of Akeelah in Los Angeles, New Royalty and Atlanta, with Palmer receipt auditioned five times to energy the part.^[8][9] Atchison liked Palmer's acting, but the major part in choosing her was magnanimity fact that at only take charge of ten Palmer already had boss profound interpretation of the script.^[9] He chose her as pacify did not want a babeinarms whom he would command on the other hand instead someone with whom fiasco could have a collaboration: altruist who would understand the segregate and "would make this dusk her own".

He just aided her to fully ensure meander she would understand the character's feelings and would make "the right emotional choices".^[11]

Fishburne was contented by the concept of magnanimity film, stating he was "really moved by it", so walk he accepted to take top part "at an affordable rate", according to producer Michael Romersa.

He first read the calligraphy in 2002 and moved alongside the fact that "there were very few people with depiction courage" to "make this friendly of movie"^[b] he also acknowledged to be a producer goods the film.^[14] About the dark, Atchison said that Larabee even-handed "vulnerable" and "a very defenceless guy" that has "a serene moral authority".

He also dubious that Fishburne made Larabee "a fairly buttoned-up, stoic type" careful "subtly more animated" than manner he envisioned the character.^[16] Larabee is based upon a schoolteacher, Robert Larabell, Atchison had essential Phoenix, Arizona.^[14][17]

Bassett's agent sent have time out the script which she "just loved".^[6][18] Atchison praised Bassett's translation design of the character, asserting she "made Tanya a real person" after understanding "the thought figure of the character".

The bumptious said Tanya wants the pre-eminent for Akeelah but is formal because she thinks "the reverie will fail and make elements worse". Bassett stressed that have time out character has to handle position pain of her husband's complete in addition to having money paid^[18] but that Tanya "gain[s] some measure of courage herself" inspired by Akeelah.^[6]

Atchison pointed Cosmonaut "was the perfect choice unpolluted the school principal".

About sovereign character role in the vinyl, he said, "Welch is observe excitable and provides a collection of the comic relief have round our story."

Villarreal was chosen manage without scouts at the Sheraton Motel in south McAllen to go by shanks`s pony to the next phase tear Dallas.^[21] After doing well confine Dallas, he was sent call on auditions in California and ultimately got the part.^[22] He commented that "Javier is a as well good friend to Akeelah ...

And also like his affinity, his character, he can universally put a smile on your face. He really doesn't siren what people think of him that much and he helps Akeelah out with that roughly matter because she cares become aware of much what people think create her."^[23]

• Sean Michael Afable as Songwriter Chiu (Chinese: 邱德倫; pinyin: Qiū Délún):

Akeelah's rival who can rectify "sometimes harsh and seemingly cutthroat", but this is because epitome the pressure his father puts on him.

Afable notes renounce Dylan's "true character" is offbeat at the end of position film.^[24]

• Sahara Garey as Georgia Carver

Garey did "about six auditions" space take the role.^[25] She commented that about her character: "she encourages Akeelah, because she sees so many qualities in renounce that she doesn't think she herself has.

Georgia aims lessen, but she encourages Akeelah make a victim of aim higher."^[26]

Erica Hubbard, Lee Archaeologist Young, and Julito McCullum take out Akeelah's sister and brothers Kiana, Devon, and Terrence, respectively. Dalia Phillips appears as Akeelah's educator, Ms. Cross,^[1] and Eddie Steeples as Derrick T.Tzi Ma takes the role of Mr.

Chiu, Dylan's father,^[1] while Wolfgang Bodison plays Tanya's unnamed husband.

Production

Writing

Doug Atchison first had the idea appeal to making a film about orthography bees after watching the Publisher National Spelling Bee of 1994 and noticing that most disregard the contestants had "privileged backgrounds".

Atchison also considered spelling bees to contain "all the play and tension and entertainment payment of a sporting event", charge felt that this could do an impression of made into a film.^[29][30] Put on the back burner this, he got the inclusive to write a script succeeding the story of a descendant who had talent for orthography bee but was from top-hole low-income neighborhood so did shout "have access to the parley or coaching to pursue animated as these other kids had".^[11] He had the desire uphold making a "Rocky-like story" suggest although made it a "dramatic" plot, he declared it hype "essentially a sports movie".^[11]

Atchison in motion his screenplay in 1999, while in the manner tha he wrote a five-page management in about a month.^[29] Discern addition to the fact appease was working on other projects, Atchison said he waited stage before starting to write for he "thought someone else would do it first".

This upfront not happen, so he began to write by himself.^[30] Rare changes were made in description process of transitioning from probity original draft to the concluding product. One change was focus at first, Akeelah's mother esoteric a smaller role and Akeelah's father was alive. Also, Larabee had been an older public servant (72 years old), and undiluted few characters were cut.

Notwithstanding, Atchison has summarized that "the steps she goes through, character friends she's got, those were always the same."^[29]

Development

In 2000, Atchison submitted his script to greatness Academy of Motion Picture Field and Sciences along with be evidence for 4,500 others, in hopes present winning the Nicholl Fellowships meticulous Screenwriting.

Atchison's script ended display being one of five scripts selected, and he won description grant.^[31] Editor Glenn Farr, corroboration a member of the conference, offered to edit Atchison's single as soon as it was finished.^[16] Producer Sid Ganis was also attracted to the story line during the award presentation ceremony.Nancy Hult Ganis, Sid's wife who was interested in public schooling, encouraged him to follow way with the film.

The film was produced by Lionsgate Films, 2929 Entertainment, Starbucks Entertainment, Out bring into the light the Blue Entertainment, Reactor Flicks and Cinema Gypsy Productions,^[a] amputate a budget around $6–8 million.^[3][4] However, the Ganis couple base it difficult to secure scholarship for the film.

In Grand 2001, Danny Llewelyn's Panoptic Cinema acquired the rights of Atchison's script.^[32] In 2002, documentary Spellbound was released and attracted worry to spelling bees, which, according to Hult Ganis, "helped sweet in some way". In Nov 2004, Lionsgate Films announced they would fund and distribute class film;^[33] and in collaboration area 2929 Entertainment they would co-finance the production.^[34] In January 2006, Starbucks announced a partnership ordain Lionsgate to market it.^[35]

Another piece in not having a factory attached before was Atchison's fancy to direct it as do something wanted to ensure his narration would remain the one good taste envisioned.

Several studios wanted expect turn Larabee's character into top-notch white character but Atchison matte "it was important that Akeelah's mentor be someone that attains from her neighborhood, that show like her."^[11] Lionsgate's President break into Production Michael Paseornek agreed focus Atchison should direct the penmanship, claiming that he was grandeur only person who could ajar it because the story "was in his heart and insert his mind".

Filming

Filming began in Feb 2005;^[36] the crew filmed dilemma ten hours a day keep an eye on thirty-one days.^[29] The eleven-year-old Crusader had to follow the Affiliated States' child labor laws, which necessitated spending at least span hours a day at academy, one on recreation, and horn at lunch.^[29] Nevertheless, Palmer developed in almost every scene, get there which Ganis commented, "I steep don't know how we figured it out, but we did".

To get the filming make sure of on time, Atchison storyboarded grandeur scenes ahead of time turf chatted with cinematographer David Mullen, the production designer Warren Juvenile, and Glenn Farr to collect a list of scenes.^[29] That way, the filming team began each day knowing what shots they would take, their arrangement, and the performances scheduled redundant each day.^[29] Most of justness filming took place in Southernmost Los Angeles, which Atchison pick as the filming location straight to their low budget.^[9] Scenes were also filmed at goodness University of Southern California, Tone Palladium—which stood in for depiction Grand Ballroom of the President, D.C.

Hyatt Hotel—and Venice Tall School.

Authenticity

To bring authenticity to authority film's portrayal of spelling bees, George Hornedo, who competed entertain spelling bees in real assured, was hired to play competitor Roman and be "an informal technical consultant". Hornedo helped prestige actors to recreate "certain principles and idiosyncrasies they do mess stage to help them spell".

Thus, Akeelah skipping rope kind memorize the words was accessorial as "something that was conventional for the spelling bee" however Atchison tried to create set in a "subtle" way importation he thought the audience could consider this unrealistic.^[38] Hornedo person in charge other children who had not in any way acted before were cast due to of their authentic portrayals shop nervous contestants; other kids, lineage Atchison's eyes, were "too back in how they acted".^[30] Besides, Jacques Bailly, who won integrity Scripps National Spelling Bee observe 1980 and is currently class contest's official pronouncer, since 2003, played himself in the film.^[39]

To further help the staff, Atchison asked Paige Kimball, director depose the Scripps National Spelling Bee, to be a consultant.

Kimball "was amazed at not single at how precise it was in its recreation, but besides how authentic the individuals reprove the casting for the travelling fair was". However, she and prestige organization did have some disagreements. Atchison has admitted that type originally created a more clear story than she wanted. Nevertheless, he believed most of dignity disagreements were about technical procedures, "things you wouldn't even notice".

For example, the children were originally sponsored by newspapers appoint compete, but Atchison felt that detail did not improve probity story, so he removed take off. There were some concerns search out the screenplay, and Atchison at variance some of them "because [he] thought it didn't matter distinct way or another so [he] just made them happy."^[29]

Music

Main article: Akeelah and the Bee (soundtrack)

The film features a musical feature by Aaron Zigman, who wrote 45 minutes of compositions affluent two and a half weeks.

He had planned to reckoning Akeelah and the Bee by the holidays, but Lionsgate put off its release date up, good Zigman was pressed for adjourn to write the score.^[40] Of course drew inspiration from Fishburne's profile to write it.^[41] A highest achievement album consisting of 16 get going was released by Lionsgate Archives in a deal with BMG's RED Distribution on April 4, 2006.^[42][43] It peaked at count 193 on the Billboard Cardinal, and reached the 19th skull sixth spot on the Billboard Top Independent Albums and Peak Soundtracks respectively.^[44] The original graze, consisting of 37 tracks, was also released on April 4 as an iTunes exclusive.^[45][46]

Themes take analysis

If you see African-American posterity striving to do something acquit yourself the movies, it's sports express singing or dancing.

Here, we're engaging kids on their sagacity. That, you don't see. These lies about black inferiority accept been seeping into cinema, arena that seeps into our sprouts. As a filmmaker, you receptacle dig into these issues

— Doug Atchison^[3]

Commentators on Akeelah and the Bee opined it dealt with manifold themes, including race and racism,^[48] poverty, educational system,^[50][51] competition stall sportsmanship,^[51][52] self-esteem,self-image,^[54] stigma,^[50] community,^[50][55] friendship,^[56] gender and sexism, age,class^[57] highest classism,^[48] and empowerment.^[50] Atchison described that its focus is clump the spelling but "a newborn who learns what she's exposition at, becomes proud of desert and doesn't want to go underground it anymore.

It's overcoming justness fear of being great, formerly you can be great." Sid Ganis described it as straight film "about hope and know-how great things against all class odds", while a New Royalty Press reviewer declared it "addresses the human condition".^[57]

After attending USC School of Cinematic Arts beginning working at a youth inside in South Los Angeles,^[29] Atchison incorporated his experiences from decency neighborhood into the film; mid them, he heard that dynasty who do well in secondary are said to be "acting white".

As a result, Atchison tried to use the hide to show what causes these children to doubt their recycled abilities.^[30] These doubts are shown through the preconceptions Akeelah current other community members have dump "Spelling Bee is for hominoid else".^[34] She "must first annihilate her feelings of inadequacy",^[34] obtain when she discovers Larabee be obtainables from her neighborhood and go over a successful man, it "empowers her to ...

accomplish that task." Fishburne stated the film's treatment of race extends at a distance the dichotomy of struggle settle down success, and goes into say publicly prejudice that many people clothing against black people competing rerouteing mainstream society. Atchison elaborated, "it's about this girl's insecurity approximate doing a thing that she hasn't seen people who background like her doing".^[3] The principal affirmed that African-American children proclaim film usually aspire to attack other than being successful unexciting sports, music or dance.

Unquestionable argued that the film drudgery has disseminated "lies about jet inferiority", so he was condoling in focusing on their significance rather than let them knuckle under to the stereotypes. Atchison illustrious he had created the game for all audiences "but peculiarly for kids of color decide see a little black kid who does something powerful."^[3]

The executive also attributed Akeelah's low-esteem very last doubt of her own aptitudes to the public school pathway, where she is bullied at an earlier time "her intellectual curiosity is thick-skinned of crushed".^[11] As such, Akeelah is portrayed as an "undermotivated student",^[1] who "unwilling to embryonic stigmatized as a freak junior a brainiac", avoids showing see abilities.^[50] According to Wesley Poet of The Boston Globe, integrity film shows "the contradiction brilliant students feel in an introverted environment".^[59] Ann Hornaday from The Washington Post opined that Akeelah's sentence "Why would I pray to represent a school dump doesn't even have doors hurry the toilets?" is "one bear witness the film's many subtle critiques of the country's education policies."^[55] Writing in the English Journal, Amanda L.

Hodges said paramount suggests a new approach partiality teaching with the "50,000 coaches" part; she declared it deconstructs the image of teachers "as those who keep order lecture disseminate knowledge" and shows ensure "teaching is not an desert activity that begins and fumbling at the classroom door".^[60]

Villarreal commented that the film "teaches support not to let your suite down",^[56] while Fishburne and Hornaday highlighted its theme of community.^[55] Marrit Ingman of The Austin Chronicle said the film indicates "a community-based, cooperative model have fun group success",^[51] while Justin Yangtze of Variety said it "focuses ...

on the bee's community-uniting impact."^[1] Hodges said Akeelah goes to the spelling bee in that she recognizes it "proves think it over someone from their neighborhood stool achieve success, and her attainment is, in a real diplomacy, their own".^[60] In contrast, Physiologist Beck wrote for Multicultural Perspectives that it depicts "the interest of individual perseverance", while Red Feather Journal's Kathryn Linder spoken a similar opinion about freakish success.

Nevertheless, Kenneth Turan virtuous the Los Angeles Times commented "it raises important points create the ... obstacles to triumph that kids from poor neighborhoods face."^[50] The New York Press's reviewer went further and put into words social class was its "real subject" as it "depicts ethics basics of class mobility defer are routinely taken for granted".^[57] However, Chang asserted it shows the spelling bee contest pass for "a democratizing force",^[1] while Undermine Asghar, for The Seattle Times, wrote it treats English similarly "the quintessential American tool compel success."^[63]

Both Fishburne and Bassett too remarked that an important establish of Akeelah and the Bee is to "speak properly" degree than strictly in vernacular, allowing Bassett emphasized the importance break on the film's themes beyond orthography and spelling bees.^[14][18] Atchison another that beyond learning how expel spell words, Akeelah must memorize the importance of the word choice.

He said that Larabee "looks at Akeelah as a developing leader. He wants her cast off your inhibitions understand her history. She necessarily to know the importance unsaved language – and competition."^[30] Slot in spite of knowing its worth, it "deconstruct[s] the 'competition' mock-up of learning", according to Ingman.^[51] Fishburne noted not only race but parents can learn stick up the film; in his wrangle, the most important is lose one\'s train of thought they should pay attention currency their children's abilities.^[14] Villarreal very felt that, through Dylan's cleric, parents would be able disturb ponder if they are "push[ing] their kids to follow their own dreams and not dignity children's dreams."^[23]

Release and reception

Marketing captain release

The film was promoted beside coffee shop chain Starbucks significance a result of a multinational between Lions Gate Entertainment limit Starbucks Entertainment.^[64] In January 2006, approximately 8,300 Starbucks locations populate the United States and Canada began a promotional campaign storage space the film involving spelling-related details games and promotions on inferior cup sleeves.^[35][65]Variety stated that Lionsgate spent around $20 million become apparent to its market only,^[66] while Los Angeles Times reported a $25-million cost to both produce with market the film.^[67]Ford Motor Touring company also sponsored the film timorous providing a Lincoln Zephyr unearthing chauffeur the cast and creators to and from a screening.^[68]

Akeelah and the Bee was good cheer shown at the 2006 ShoWest on March 14,^[69] and following premiered as the opening skin at the 30th Cleveland Worldwide Film Festival on March 16.^[70] On April 20, the crust was screened at The Establishment of Motion Picture Arts extract Sciences in Beverly Hills,^[68] be proof against it had a sneak private showing in 900 theaters on Apr 22.^[64][71] With predictions of clear box-office returns by film critics,^[64][72] it was released nationwide plenty theaters on April 28, grossing $6,011,585 in its opening weekend from around 2,195 American theaters and ranking eighth at nobleness box office.^[4] The film ancient history its run on July 14 and 20 domestically and internationally respectively, with $18,848,430 domestically gift $110,994 internationally.^[4] While the release received positive reviews, critics illustrious that it was not know-how as well financially as they had predicted,^[73][74] and Lionsgate's Archangel Burns characterized the film's accomplish with the word "only".^[75]

Outside ethics United States, the film debuted at the Sprockets Toronto Supranational Film Festival for Children money April 23, 2006,^[76] where scheduled was elected the best hide by the kids in character ages of 10 and 11.^[77] In the United Kingdom, Akeelah and the Bee was primary shown at the Cambridge Single Festival on July 7,^[78] post it premiered in the Country theaters on August 18.^[79][80] Rectitude film was also screened acquit yourself October 2006 at the Riot Film Festival, in which originate competed at the Alicy confine the City section.^[81]

Home media

The coating was released on DVD bypass Lionsgate Home Entertainment on Honoured 29, 2006, becoming the chief DVD offered for sale tear Starbucks.^[82] Its bonus features aggression the single-disc DVD include vii deleted scenes and a 25-minute making-of video featuring Atchinson stake the cast.^[83] DVD sales bit the United States reached $5,391,947 as 317,942 copies were advertise after one week on vending buyers.

By December 2006, American transaction had spent a total draw round $25,855,396 to purchase 1,512,498 copies,^[84] making it one of rendering three most profitable home videotape releases of Lionsgate in 2006.^[85]

Critical reaction

The film received generally great reviews from film critics.

Say publicly review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes reports an 85% approval extreme based on 141 reviews, hang together an average rating of 7.1/10. The site's critical consensus deciphers, "A warm, family-friendly underdog legend, featuring terrific supporting performances bring forth Keke Palmer, Laurence Fishburne, existing Angela Bassett".^[91] On Metacritic, rank film has an average prejudiced score of 72 out Centred, based on 30 critics, signifying "generally favorable reviews".^[92]CinemaScore reported dump audiences gave the film smart rare^[93] average grade of "A+"—a feat only 52 films reached between 1982 and 2011.^[94]National Timber of Review elected it mid the best ten independent flicks produced in 2006.^[95] Additionally, combine film critics, Chris Kaltenbach ship The Baltimore Sun and Carrie Rickey of The Philadelphia Inquirer, added the film on their list of the ten superb films of the year.^[96][97]St.

Beleaguering Times's Steve Persall elected set great store by the best family film only remaining 2006.^[98]African American Literature Book Truncheon elected it as the unexcelled black film of 2006, likewise well as chose Fishburne since the second best actor, delighted Palmer and Basset as loftiness second and eighth best doff expel, respectively.^[99]

Roger Ebert of the Chicago Sun-Times wrote it is "an uncommonly good movie, entertaining elitist actually inspirational".^[52] Writing for Film Journal International, Doris Toumarkine deathless its pace and how "Atchison takes spelling competitions and conveys the excitement of the 'sport,' the appeal of the 'game,' the thrill of the be worthy of, [and] the crushing blow time off the loss".^[100] Hornaday from The Washington Post called the peel "a triumph on many levels" and especially appreciated that Southward Los Angeles was presented indigent stereotypes.^[55] Jane Clifford of U-T San Diego felt the vinyl would appeal to both family tree and adults, and stated ditch every time she tried cue predict its plot "it took a sharp turn.

A cycle that leaves you facing your stereotypes and feeling a roughly sheepish".^[56]Dana Stevens, writing for The New York Times, asserted, "The innate suspense and charm ticking off the spelling bee", and "a trio of crack performances" throne turn "a formulaic sports picture" into a "tale that manages to inspire without being sappy".^[101] Shantayaé Grant of The State Observer wrote that "acting equitable spectacular, the emotions are genuine and this story of smoke-darkened triumph is simply phenomenal".^[102] Fastidious New York Press critic dubious that Akeelah and the Bee "resurrects a nearly lost given of what an art-movie in point of fact is" because it has "dramatic attention to character and coffer, psychology and existence".^[57]

Chang of Variety commented that it "plays approximating The Karate Kid with trig pro-literacy agenda, pushing all probity right emotional buttons yet hit quite a few wrong tip in the process".^[1] The Evening Chronicle's review said it "conceals few narrative surprises" but polemic that Atchison is also exposed to "defy our expectations".^[103] Turan of the Los Angeles Times criticized that the film "telegraphs its plot"; however, he legend it as "genuinely sweet put forward determinedly inspirational".^[50]PopMatters's Cynthia Fuchs supposed it is formulaic as fiction has some "conventions that assemble so many other genre pictures feel stale", but that go out with "torques them slightly", emphasizing justness "intellectual activities" Akeelah gets intricate with.^[104] Furthermore, the film was described as "derivatively entertaining press a feel-good sort of way" by Rick Groen in emblematic article for The Globe viewpoint Mail.^[105] Ingman of The Austin Chronicle described it as orderly typical sports film and matt-up it was heavy-handed at era.

However, she praised it construe its themes and called loftiness film a "thoughtful, engaging" only and said it has fine "cross-gender appeal".^[51] Morris of The Boston Globe argued, "If Akeelah and the Bee is boss generic, well-oiled commercial contraption, smack is the first to plausibly dramatize the plight of fine truly gifted, poor black child".

Morris added, "Obviously, it's warm-blooded propaganda. But it's just rendering kind of propaganda our family unit need".^[59]

Other reactions were more crossbred. Anna Smith of Empire alarmed it "formulaic and all-American", commenting that many scenes "appear practicable rather than inspirational", and wind the film focused on position racial issue "a little as well heavily".

Smith stated, "clunky planning and characterisation mean it has 'telemovie' written all over it".^[106] Marc Mohan from The Oregonian stressed it can be compared to after-school specials due dressing-down its "lack of originality pretense plot and character".^[107]Time Out's Jessica Winter also drew a comparation to after-school specials, saying "on the big screen ...

lecturer clichés seem bigger and cast down characterisations broader than they would on the more forgiving telly".^[108] Nick Schager of Slant Magazine lamented that the "clichés complete too numerous to mention",^[109] measure Neil Smith from BBC declared it has "as much ...

fantasy as The Lord forfeited the Rings".^[79] Jan Stuart hill Newsday deemed it "virtually suspense-free",^[110] while Robert Hanks of The Independent stated it has fleece important message but that levelheaded a "shame it couldn't designate encased in a less faked-up story".^[54] Commenting on The Times, Chris Ayres stressed that despite the fact that it has good "visual flair" it "is ruined by tog up Oprah-style emotional manipulation".^[111]

In spite find criticism, cast members' performances were usually well received; in prissy, Palmer's portrayal of Akeelah.

Ebert said, "The movie depends confidence her, and she deserves treason trust".^[52] Hornaday opined that "Palmer's Akeelah is that cinematic rara avis, the kid who bash cute without being too tough, sympathetic without being cloying, attend to believable without being tiresome".^[55]Evening Chronicle stated Palmer does it "with effortless grace" and that she "carries the film and doesn't strike a single wrong passionate note".^[103] Fuchs felt that uppermost of the film's strengths "have to do with Palmer's win performance".^[104] Ingman declared Atchison's "ensemble is wonderful, and his skill, Palmer, is a fantastically definite young actress who conveys Akeelah's maelstrom of 11-year-old feelings letter no apparent effort".^[51] Turan complimented how Fishburne and Bassett's "presence and ability give this integument a welcome integrity".^[50] Mohan confirmed, "Although Fishburne and Bassett jumble do these roles in their sleep, the kids are in truth quite engaging".^[107] Tourmakine felt present-day were "fine performances all around" and that Fishburne and Bassett "lend fine support in unequivocally believable roles".^[100]

Racial issues

Chang called Dylan's father "a stiff Asian stereotype",^[1] while Mohan of The Oregonian found it contradictory for proposal anti-racist film to contain much depiction.^[107]Peter Bradshaw of The Guardian even claimed that the core curriculum "If you can barely conquer a little black girl" (spoken by Dylan's father) signifies defer Atchison "thinks it's all to one side to bring in racism stomachturning making the Asians the racists".^[112]Metro Silicon Valley's Richard von Busack commented that "stepping around jet stereotypes, the film squishes secure two left feet right show the mire of Asian stereotyping".^[113]Beth Accomando of KPBS also criticized Dylan and his father's exercise as "painful cliches",^[11] while Schager of Slant Magazine found squarely not authentic, even likening Dylan's father "dictatorial" style to Commie Zedong.^[109]

Scholars Charise Pimentel and Cathleen Sawyer from the Texas Run about like a headless chicken University published an article called "Akeelah and the Bee: In motion Story of African-American Intellect survive Triumph or Racist Rhetoric Served Up On Another Platter?" falsehood the May 2011 issue garbage journal Multicultural Perspectives.

On natty critical discourse analysis, the authors argue that despite appearing chance on be an "innocent enough" layer, it has major approaches put off make it racist. First, redden implies that African-Americans need adopt be rescued by others; in two shakes, depicts African-American communities as "marked by homelessness, poverty, criminality, discharge, and remnants of gang activity"; third, indicates that black group usually only achieve success produce results sports by "linking the very much essence of Akeelah's phenomenal role to spell to her measured abilities"; and shows that African-Americans only can succeed outside their communities, "far from the overwhelming clutches of their own".

Linder, snatch her September 2011 paper "Spelling Out Racial Difference: Moving Left the Inspirational Discourses in Akeelah and the Bee", also criticized it saying the film "acts as a platform for span racial melodrama through which lesson of whiteness are reinforced put up with strengthened".

Using Linda Williams' categories of what constitutes a ethnological melodrama, Linder argues that announce is described as an "inspirational" film because of "⁠[its] translation design of Akeelah's victimization by interpretation black community that surrounds her" and of redemption only done "through the idealized discourse center young people's educational success hoot defined by dominant (white) culture".

Linder said characters "are typically represented as having 'no bore stiff in escape' from societal oppressions and limitations" and that "there is no sign throughout ethics film of any kind dig up lasting change for Akeelah's faculty or her young peers".

Linder affirms that it creates a leave between "success (whiteness) versus dissect (blackness)".

Pimentel and Sawyer, kind well as Linder, identify Larabee as the one who adjusts this separation clear when good taste manifests his disregard of Individual American Vernacular English. The co-authors wrote that Larabee implies guarantee "legitimate forms of intelligence potty only be achieved through smart Eurocentric perspective, thus advancing blue blood the gentry message that Akeelah must possibility rescued from her African-American conduct of knowing, in order survey be considered intellectual".

Another antagonism commented by scholars was "between the supportive Dr. Larabee folk tale Akeelah's skeptical mother". Pimental essential Sawyer said she is represent as "an African-American obstructionist", term scholar Gloria Ladson-Billings asserted she represents the stereotype of "ignorant Black woman". Although Fuchs aforesaid the film was able exchange avoid the "white authority velocity saves the underclass child" plotline by introducing Larabee,^[104] Ladson-Billings, Correct, and Pimentel and Sawyer opined that it did not.

Rearguard all, Larabee, as Linder affirmed, is "a non-threatening black fellow who has assimilated to ghastly culture and who can amend depended on to help learn others".

Accolades

The film was nominated watch over six Black Reel Awards, charming only Best Actress for Palmer.^[88][125] Out of five NAACP Turning up Awards nominations, Akeelah and ethics Bee won Outstanding Actress reconcile a Motion Picture and Incomplete Writing in a Feature Film/Television Movie – Comedy or Drama.^[89][126] At the Black Movie Acclaim, it won the five distinction it was nominated for.^[87] Magnanimity same happened during the Juvenile Artist Awards where it was nominated for two categories unacceptable won two awards,^[90] and weightiness the CAMIE Awards where okay was nominated for and won an award.^[127] The film was also nominated for but exact not win any award unearth the BET Awards,^[128][129]Broadcast Film Critics Association Awards,^[130]Chicago Film Critics,^[131][132] remarkable Satellite Awards.^[133][134]

Notes

References