Look, I’m not a fan of bees at all. I’ve never been stung and I don’t plan on it. I know you are wondering how I’ve escaped the bee’s sting for so long. Okay, here’s what I’ve done and will continue to do so I don’t get stung. I RUN!!!. I run as fast as I can.

Anyhoo, you’re looking for a review and not talk of my skills of how not to get stung by a bee.
The Secret Life of the Bees is so sweet and endearing, so uplifting, sentimental and little sad too. Whew, I was TOUCHED. I haven’t read the best-selling book yet this movie is based on by the same name, but I hear that it’s great. I wonder if it was ever in Oprah’s book club. You know how Oprah loveeees these old timey stories from back in the day.

Bees is about a young teenage girl named Lily (Dakota Fanning) who is bent on finding out the truth about her deceased mother. Her father T-Ray (Paul Bettany, The Da Vinci Code), sure doesn’t offer up any scoop and doesn’t show the type of love that Lily is craving for. She is so haunted by the death of her mother because she blames herself. Lily opts to flee her home with her nanny Rosaleen (Jennifer Hudson) in search of answers.

Lily and Rosaleen make their way down to South Carolina and boldly go to the Boatright sister’s home. They were led by a memorabilia of Lily’s mother she’s kept of a black Mary and a baby that is a label for the Boatright’s homemade honey. Lily decides to make up some cockamamie story to weasel her way into the Boatright’s home.

Ahhh, meeting the Boatright sisters, August (Queen Latifah, Mad Money), June (Alicia Keys, Smokin’ Aces) and May (Sophie Okonedo, Hotel Rwanda) was sheer joy. These women just make you feel so empowered and good. Goodness, just thinking about it has me wanting some honey and go see my mommy for a hug.

Queen looked lovely and came off quite well as the matriarch of the Boatright sista-gals. She was also quite convincing when it came to knowing about bees. Shoot, if I knew years ago that making and selling honey would be so lucrative, I might have suited up, kept bees and made me some honey. I’m talking this movie is set in 1964. Feel me now, and these BLACK women had a big bad home and lots of land. Well, the land was in the family for 40 years, but still, they had it going on. So cultured, beautiful, and financially stable.

Dakota Fanning gave a stellar performance as always. This girl has an Oscar coming to her sometime in her acting career. I just know it. She can act her little booty off. Another great actress is Sophi Okonedo, she played the heck out of her role as May. I can see why she was nominated for an Academy Award before. I was quite impressed with Alicia Keys’ tough woman act. Considering she spent her life behind a piano and not acting school, she didn’t do too badly. Her character was a mean so & so at times.

I loved the chemistry among the ladies. Heck, I wanted to live with the Boatright sisters too. They had so much love for everything. Their family, spirituality, honey making. Their bond was so strong. Their message of “Love is all around you” is true when you just take a moment and see who is caring for you. Poor Lily felt so unlovable, but that was just her perception.

Lily’s father seems mean, but if you really watch his character, he truly loves his daughter. He never beats her. He works hard and provides a roof over her head. It was different times back then during the Jim Crow days. Sure T-Ray has issues, but he’s dealing with his own demons and the past with his deceased wife. I always think about the back-story if it’s provided.

There’s a scene, that for me…it seemed fake and forced. When August was kickin' spiritual knowledge to her sisters and friends it just seemed so darn over played. I felt awkward watching it. There are also some very preachy parts, but who really cares, the movie is so special and I’d like to see it again when I just need a little Boatright love. This movie makes for a great matinee and there were some men in the theater watching it. I had invited my Dad to go see the Bees and he was going to until he read the promotions for the movie and they stated to bring your momma, grandmother, sisters, girlfriends and just all those females. I guess I can’t much blame him for not wanting to see the movie. I believe that men will like Bees too. Daddy, you missed a good one.

My Rating ~ 4 Reels

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