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IMDbPro

The Secret Life of Bees

  • 20082008
  • PG-13PG-13
  • 1h 54m
IMDb RATING
7.2/10
26K
YOUR RATING
The Secret Life of Bees (2008)
This is the first theatrical trailer for The Secret Lives of Bees, directed by Gina Prince-Bythewood.
Play trailer2:38
1 Video
80 Photos
  • Drama
In 1964, a teenage girl in search of the truth about her mother runs away to a small town in South Carolina and finds a family of independent women who can connect her to her past.In 1964, a teenage girl in search of the truth about her mother runs away to a small town in South Carolina and finds a family of independent women who can connect her to her past.In 1964, a teenage girl in search of the truth about her mother runs away to a small town in South Carolina and finds a family of independent women who can connect her to her past.
IMDb RATING
7.2/10
26K
YOUR RATING
  • Director
    • Gina Prince-Bythewood
  • Writers
    • Gina Prince-Bythewood(screenplay)
    • Sue Monk Kidd(novel)
  • Stars
    • Dakota Fanning
    • Jennifer Hudson
    • Queen Latifah
Top credits
  • Director
    • Gina Prince-Bythewood
  • Writers
    • Gina Prince-Bythewood(screenplay)
    • Sue Monk Kidd(novel)
  • Stars
    • Dakota Fanning
    • Jennifer Hudson
    • Queen Latifah
  • See production, box office & company info
    • 163User reviews
    • 101Critic reviews
    • 57Metascore
  • See more at IMDbPro
    • Awards
      • 11 wins & 17 nominations

    Videos1

    The Secret Lives of Bees: Trailer #1
    Trailer 2:38
    The Secret Lives of Bees: Trailer #1

    Photos80

    Queen Latifah in The Secret Life of Bees (2008)
    Dakota Fanning and Jennifer Hudson in The Secret Life of Bees (2008)
    Queen Latifah, Dakota Fanning, Alicia Keys, and Jennifer Hudson in The Secret Life of Bees (2008)
    Alicia Keys and Nate Parker in The Secret Life of Bees (2008)
    Alicia Keys in The Secret Life of Bees (2008)
    Dakota Fanning in The Secret Life of Bees (2008)
    Paul Bettany in The Secret Life of Bees (2008)
    Dakota Fanning and Tristan Mack Wilds in The Secret Life of Bees (2008)
    Alicia Keys and Nate Parker in The Secret Life of Bees (2008)
    Queen Latifah and Dakota Fanning in The Secret Life of Bees (2008)
    Queen Latifah, Alicia Keys, and Jennifer Hudson in The Secret Life of Bees (2008)
    Dakota Fanning and Jennifer Hudson in The Secret Life of Bees (2008)

    Top cast

    Edit
    Dakota Fanning
    Dakota Fanning
    • Lily Owensas Lily Owens
    Jennifer Hudson
    Jennifer Hudson
    • Rosaleen Daiseas Rosaleen Daise
    Queen Latifah
    Queen Latifah
    • August Boatwrightas August Boatwright
    Alicia Keys
    Alicia Keys
    • June Boatwrightas June Boatwright
    Sophie Okonedo
    Sophie Okonedo
    • May Boatwrightas May Boatwright
    Paul Bettany
    Paul Bettany
    • T. Ray Owensas T. Ray Owens
    Hilarie Burton
    Hilarie Burton
    • Deborah Owensas Deborah Owens
    Tristan Mack Wilds
    Tristan Mack Wilds
    • Zach Tayloras Zach Taylor
    • (as Tristan Wilds)
    Nate Parker
    Nate Parker
    • Neilas Neil
    Shondrella Avery
    Shondrella Avery
    • Gretaas Greta
    Renee Ford Clark
    • Dollas Doll
    • (as Renée Clark)
    Sharon Conley
    Sharon Conley
    • Violetas Violet
    • (as Sharon Morris)
    Nicky Buggs
    Nicky Buggs
    • Cressieas Cressie
    Jasmine Burke
    Jasmine Burke
    • Sugar Girlas Sugar Girl
    Emma Sage Bowman
    • Young Lilyas Young Lily
    Emily Alyn Lind
    Emily Alyn Lind
    • Young Lilyas Young Lily
    Addy Miller
    Addy Miller
    • Young Lilyas Young Lily
    Taylor Kowalski
    Taylor Kowalski
    • Teenageras Teenager
    • Director
      • Gina Prince-Bythewood
    • Writers
      • Gina Prince-Bythewood(screenplay)
      • Sue Monk Kidd(novel)
    • All cast & crew
    • See more cast details at IMDbPro

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    Storyline

    Edit

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      Alicia Keys learned to play the cello in 4 weeks for this part.
    • Goofs
      The story takes place in 1964. Throughout the story, June wears a silk-screen NAACP t-shirt. Silk-screened t-shirts did not exist until the issuance of a patent for the garment screen printing machine in 1969.
    • Quotes

      Zach Taylor: Miss August told me about you being here helping out. She didn't mention anything about you being white.

      Lily Owens: Maybe she didn't notice.

    • Alternate versions
      Home video versions (DVD and Blu-ray) include both the original theatrical version and the extended director's cut of 114 minutes.
    • Connections
      Featured in The 35th Annual People's Choice Awards (2009)
    • Soundtracks
      Hippy Hippy Shake
      Written by Chan Romero (as Robert L. Romero)

      Performed by The Swinging Blue Jeans

      Courtesy of EMI Records Ltd.

      Under license from EMI Film & Television Music

    User reviews163

    Review
    Top review
    6/10
    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.
    helpful•87
    27
    • QStrum
    • Sep 14, 2008

    FAQ4

    • Is "The Secret Life of Bees" based on a book?
    • Doesn't Lily look different than Fanning?
    • Aren't the Bee sisters in their 60s?

    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • October 17, 2008 (United States)
    • Country of origin
      • United States
    • Official site
      • Official site (United States)
    • Language
      • English
    • Also known as
      • Tìm Lại Yêu Thương
    • Filming locations
      • Lumberton, North Carolina, USA
    • Production companies
      • Fox Searchlight Pictures
      • Overbrook Entertainment
      • Donners' Company
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Box office

    Edit
    • Budget
      • $11,000,000 (estimated)
    • Gross US & Canada
      • $37,770,162
    • Opening weekend US & Canada
      • $10,527,799
      • Oct 19, 2008
    • Gross worldwide
      • $39,952,437
    See detailed box office info on IMDbPro

    Technical specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      1 hour 54 minutes
    • Color
      • Color
    • Sound mix
      • DTS
      • SDDS
      • Dolby Digital
    • Aspect ratio
      • 2.39 : 1

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