The Secret Life of Bees (2008)

User Rating:

7.0/10   

Director:

Gina Prince-Bythewood

Writers (WGA):

Gina Prince-Bythewood (screenplay)
Sue Monk Kidd (novel)

Release Date:

17 October 2008 (USA)

Genre:

Drama

Tagline:

Bring Your Girlfriends, Sisters, Mothers and Daughters

Plot:

set in South Carolina in 1964, this is the tale of Lily Owens a 14 year-old girl who is haunted by the memory of her late mother...

Plot Keywords:

South Carolina | South | Sister | Southern Accent | Statue

Awards:

10 wins & 14 nominations

Cast

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
Emily Alyn Lind	...	Young Lily #2
Addy Miller	...	Young Lily Owens
Taylor Kowalski	...	Teenager
Bob Hungerford	...	Frank Posey
Richard Todd Sullivan	...	Mechanic
Chris Moore	...	Posey's Buddy
Bill Oberst Jr.	...	Sheriff Gaston
Cullen Moss	...	Young White Policeman (as Cullen Dean Moss)
Walt Elder	...	Driver
Dan Beene	...	Mr. Kirven
Joe Chrest	...	Mr. Forrest
Robin Mullins	...	Miss Lacy
Tom Conder	...	White Man #1
Jay S. Pearson	...	White Man #2 (as Jay Pearson)
Dan Cox	...	Sheriff Brooks
Quentin Kerr	...	Police Officer
Kimberly Bailey	...	Voice Actor
Doug Burch	...	Voice Actor
Cathy Cavadini	...	Voice Actor
Lanei Chapman	...	Voice Actor
Barbara Iley	...	Voice Actor
Amad Jackson	...	Voice Actor
Tommy Lamey	...	Voice Actor
Terence Mathews	...	Voice Actor
Jeremy Maxwell	...	Voice Actor
Alan Oppenheimer	...	Voice Actor
Richard Penn	...	Voice Actor
Noreen Reardon	...	Voice Actor
Cheryl Tyre Smith	...	Voice Actor
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Linwood Mooring	...	On-looker (uncredited)
Lindsey Sherrin	...	Teen (uncredited)

Directed by
Gina Prince-Bythewood

Writing credits (WGA)
Gina Prince-Bythewood		(screenplay)
Sue Monk Kidd		(novel)

Produced by
Ed Cathell III	....	co-producer
James Lassiter	....	producer
Ewan Leslie	....	producer
Joe Pichirallo	....	producer
Jada Pinkett Smith	....	executive producer
Lauren Shuler Donner	....	producer
Will Smith	....	producer

Original Music by
Mark Isham

Cinematography by
Rogier Stoffers

Film Editing by
Terilyn A. Shropshire

Casting by
Aisha Coley
Lisa Mae Fincannon

Production Design by
Warren Alan Young

Art Direction by
William G. Davis
Alan Hook

Set Decoration by
James Edward Ferrell Jr.

Costume Design by
Sandra Hernandez

Makeup Department
Shutchai Tym Buacharern	....	makeup department head
Kelly Caldwell	....	additional hair stylist
Kari Delaney	....	key hair stylist
Camille Friend	....	hair department head
Julie Kristy	....	makeup artist: Queen Latifah
Rick Pour	....	key makeup artist
Jason Willis	....	makeup artist

Production Management
Ed Cathell III	....	unit production manager
Dale Williams	....	assistant production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Brian Avery Galligan	....	second second assistant director
Aldric La'Auli Porter	....	first assistant director
Joe Roddey	....	second assistant director

Art Department
Kip Bartlett	....	on-set dresser
Tracy Breyfogle	....	art department production assistant
Danielle Couture	....	art department coordinator
Thurston Edwards	....	buyer
James Gambino	....	typesetting
Craig Gilmore	....	concept artist
Craig Gilmore	....	storyboard artist
George Harding III	....	lead greensman
Chris Holcombe	....	scenic gang boss
Margie McLamb Holowaty	....	additional buyer
Tom Jones Jr.	....	construction coordinator
Alicia Lowe	....	construction auditor
Alex McCarroll	....	set designer
Paul Oliver	....	charge scenic
James F. Oñate	....	scenic foreman
John Sanders	....	property master
Chris Shader	....	props assistant
Michael Shapiro	....	set dresser
'Jungle Jim' Shaughnessy	....	on-set dresser
Barbara S. Shelton	....	stand-by painter
Bob Smith	....	set dresser
Greg Spencer	....	foreman
Dana White	....	greensman
Jesse Williams	....	carpenter

Sound Department
Robert Althoff	....	sound re-recordist
Julie Altus	....	adr recordist
Jeremy Balko	....	foley editor
Jeremy Balko	....	foley mixer
Jenny Elsinger	....	cable person
Marc Fishman	....	sound re-recording mixer
Nick Foley	....	adr mixer
Cameron O. Galloway	....	adr recordist
Matthew Iadarola	....	sound re-recording mixer
Hugo Jeffreys	....	adr recordist
Tony Lamberti	....	sound re-recording mixer
Jay Nierenberg	....	supervising sound editor
Todd Niesen	....	dialogue editor
Angelo Palazzo	....	sound effects editor
James Peterson	....	boom operator
Shelley Roden	....	foley artist
Carl Rudisill	....	sound mixer
Dean St. John	....	adr mixer
Ross Wissbaum	....	adr recordist

Special Effects by
Morgan McMath Rogers	....	special effects technician

Visual Effects by
Casey Allen	....	senior flame artist
Ian Baxter	....	production assistant: Hammerhead Productions
Ryan Beadle	....	digital I/O
Daniel Chuba	....	executive producer: Hammerhead Productions
Aliza Corson Chameides	....	digital compositor: Hammerhead Productions
Sam Dabbs	....	lead title designer
Victor DiMichina	....	visual effects producer: Pixel Magic
Jamie Dixon	....	visual effects supervisor
Michele Ferrone	....	visual effects producer
Gilbert Gonzales	....	digital compositor: Hammerhead Productions
Deborah Hiner	....	rotoscope artist: Hammerhead Productions
Shaina Holmes	....	digital compositor
Les Hunter	....	visual effects producer: Hammerhead Productions
Chris Ingersoll	....	flame artist
Justin Jones	....	compositing supervisor: Hammerhead Productions
Kelly Rae Kenan	....	visual effects coordinator: Hammerhead Productions
Paulina Kuszta	....	visual effects coordinator
Didier Levy	....	senior lighter
Shira Mandel	....	rotoscope artist: Hammerhead Productions
Richard Matsushita	....	modelling: Hammerhead Productions
Mamie McCall	....	digital compositor: Hammerhead Productions
Daniel Mellitz	....	digital compositor: Hammerhead Productions
Joel Merritt	....	digital compositor: Hammerhead Productions
Fatima Mojaddidy	....	system administrator: Hammerhead Productions
Paolo Moscatelli	....	CG Supervisor: Hammerhead Productions
Thomas Nittmann	....	visual effects producer: lola visual effects
Edson Williams	....	visual effects supervisor: lola visual effects
Manny Wong	....	animation supervisor: Hammerhead Productions
Ryan Zuttermeister	....	associate visual effects producer: Lola Visual Effects

Stunts
Dean Mumford	....	stunt coordinator
Valerie N. Robinson	....	stunt double

Camera and Electrical Department
Jamie Baglio	....	electrician
Troy Blischok	....	first assistant camera: "b" camera
Neil Boone	....	additional grip
Joe D'Alessandro	....	camera operator
Matt Doll	....	Steadicam operator
Charles Laughon	....	video assist operator
Jordan Lindsay	....	video playback assistant
John McIntyre	....	second assistant camera: "a" camera
Bob Shober	....	grip
Dan Turek	....	first assistant camera
Jessica Ward	....	second assistant camera: "b" camera
Bo Webb	....	camera operator: "b" camera

Casting Department
Kim Coleman	....	additional casting
Barbara Harris	....	adr voice casting
Jackie Sollitto	....	casting assistant

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Jeanie Baker	....	costume supervisor
Joyce Marling	....	key set costumer
Nina Schelich	....	assistant costume designer
Dawn M. Williams	....	set costumer
Jessica Williamson	....	costumer
Eulyn Womble	....	set costumer

Editorial Department
Tahj Gautier	....	post-production assistant
Scott Gregory	....	digital film colorist
Michael L. Holland	....	digital intermediate producer
Kenny Marsten	....	associate editor
Heather J. Morrison	....	assistant editor
Harry Muller	....	color timer

Music Department
Linda Cohen	....	music supervisor
John Fee	....	music preparation
Isobel Griffiths	....	orchestra contractor
Philip Klein	....	music preparation
Shawn Murphy	....	score mixer
Jennifer Nash	....	temp music editor
Cindy O'Connor	....	additional music arranger
Tyler Parkinson	....	music pre-recording engineer
Conrad Pope	....	orchestrator
Simon Rhodes	....	music scoring mixer
Curtis Roush	....	music editor
Clifford J. Tasner	....	orchestrator

Transportation Department
Russell l Byrd	....	driver: cast
Linda Pickett	....	driver
Scott Siler	....	transportation captain
Kim Smallwood	....	transportation
Tim J. Walters	....	transportation coordinator

Other crew
Ian Backer	....	production assistant
Carolyn Barrett	....	photo double
Ryan Bennett	....	key set production assistant
Jen Brett	....	production secretary
Cassandra Butcher	....	unit publicist
John Calvin Byrd	....	assistant publicist
Ava DuVernay	....	production publicist
D.R. Farquharson	....	project manager: Deluxe Digital Cinema
Gary Glushon	....	assistant: James Lassiter
Will Griffin	....	production assistant additional
Bass Hampton	....	location manager
Barbara Efthymiou Harris	....	assistant production office coordinator
Kasey Kiser	....	production assistant
Meg Lansaw	....	location production assistant
Richard Lyons	....	theatrical consultant: Queen Latifah
Katarzyna 'Kait' Malec	....	additional set production assistant
Jenna Mazer	....	accounting assistant
Shaun M. McGovern	....	production accountant
Tim Monich	....	dialect coach
Natasha Parker	....	assistant: Gina Prince-Bythewood
Thurston Pope	....	stand-in
Valerie N. Robinson	....	set production assistant
Jonathan Stanley	....	office production assistant
Lena Waithe	....	assistant: director
Pamela Williamson	....	first assistant accountant
Caleb Womble	....	production coordinator

Thanks
Guy J. Louthan	....	special thanks

Production Companies

• Fox Searchlight Pictures (presents)
• Overbrook Entertainment
• Donners' Company

Distributors

• Twentieth Century-Fox Film Corporation (2008) (worldwide) (all media)
• Fox Searchlight Pictures (2008) (USA) (theatrical)
• 20th Century Fox (2009) (France) (theatrical)
• 20th Century Fox (2009) (Japan) (theatrical)
• 20th Century Fox (2008) (Singapore) (theatrical)
• 20th Century Fox de Argentina (2009) (Argentina) (theatrical)
• 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment (2009) (USA) (DVD)
• 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment (2009) (USA) (DVD) (Blu-ray)
• Gativideo (2009) (Argentina) (DVD)

Special Effects

• Hammerhead Productions (visual effects)
• Custom Film Effects
• Lola Visual Effects (visual effects)

Other Companies

• Liquid Soul Media  marketing and promotion
• Movie Movers  star trailers
• Sessions Payroll Management  extras payroll services

MPAA:

Rated PG-13 for thematic material and some violence.

Runtime:

USA:114 min (director's cut) | Canada:110 min (Toronto International Film Festival)

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

DTS | Dolby Digital | SDDS

Certification:

USA:PG-13 (certificate #44411) | Ireland:15A | UK:12A | Canada:14A (Ontario) | Canada:G (Québec) | Canada:PG (Alberta/British Columbia/Manitoba) | Singapore:PG | South Korea:12 | Australia:M | Philippines:PG-13 (MTRCB) | New Zealand:M | Norway:11 | Argentina:13 | Mexico:B | Finland:K-11

Filming Locations:

North Carolina, USA

Company:

Fox Searchlight Pictures

Goofs:

Continuity: In the scene where Rosaleen and Lily walks down the dirt road to go to town it is seen that lily wearing shorts but when they get into town she is wearing longer pants. And also in the next seen where Lily is in the bedroom with her father she is back to wearing shorts again.

Quotes:

Lily Owens: You think something being an impossibility makes you think about it even more?
May Boatwright: Like what?
Lily Owens: I don't know. Like... kissin'.
May Boatwright: That ain't impossible. When I was 15, I made a 7UP cake for this boy. After that, he kissed me all the time.
Lily Owens: What'd it feel like?
May Boatwright: Like I was gonna burst.
Lily Owens: Miss May, I know you get real sad sometimes. My daddy never feels. He never felt anything. I had rather be like you.
May Boatwright: A worker bee weigh less than a flower petal, but she can fly with a load heavier than her. But she only lives for or five weeks. Sometimes not feeling is the only way you can survive.
[...]

Movie Connections:

References Surf Party (1964)

Soundtrack:

Song For Mia

Solid film...

I caught an exclusive screening of this film a week back and I must say, it might be the best film featuring a mostly black cast since "Antwone Fisher." The story centers around Lily (Dakota Fanning), a poor, lonely little girl in the deep south, who deals with a tragic past and a miserable, cruel father (Paul Bettany). Her life revolves around dreams of being every bit like her deceased mother and her relationship with her caregiver Rosaleen (Jennifer Hudson).

In the midst of the civil rights movement, Rosaleen finds herself in some trouble with the locals, inspiring Lily to flee with her to a South Carolina town that she believes holds the secret to her mother's past. In this town, they find refuge with the Boatwright sisters (Queen Latifah, Alicia Keys and Sophie Okonedo), who take them in on the strength of a story concocted by Lily. Through their cultured world, filled with beekeeping, a lucrative honey business, religious beliefs and love, Lily finds the security she has longed for and finds the answers to questions that haunted her for years.

The director (Prince-Brythewood) did a great job at making us care about the characters, even the miserable father played excellently by Paul Bettany. Alicia Keys shows that some R&B singers can actually perform well in a movie, playing the snooty June Boatwright. However, the best performances has to be between Fanning and Okonedo, who played the gentle, simple minded, manic depressive May Boatwright. If Okonedo reminded me less of Thandie Newton's character in "Beloved," I would've predicted an Oscar nomination depending on this year's competition. Maybe there's one in store for Bettany? Its all left to be seen.

The film has its flaws. It dragged for a good portion of the first thirty minutes as we watch Lily and Rosaleen mill about, doing mundane things in their pitiful lives. But then it really picks up when they meet the Boatwright sisters. The characters were balancing on a thin line between empathetic and sympathetic. You never want to be in the latter. And the filmmakers couldn't resist being a bit schmaltzy on occasion, making most of it play like a good after school special with nothing beyond two dimensionality. And my biggest problem with the film... anti-climatic.

Overall, its a solid film and definitely worth the time in seeing.