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IMDbPro

The Secret Life of Bees

  • 20082008
  • PG-13PG-13
  • 1h 54m
IMDb RATING
7.2/10
27K
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
27K
YOUR RATING
    • Gina Prince-Bythewood
    • Gina Prince-Bythewood(screenplay)
    • Sue Monk Kidd(novel)
  • Stars
    • Dakota Fanning
    • Jennifer Hudson
    • Queen Latifah
    • Gina Prince-Bythewood
    • Gina Prince-Bythewood(screenplay)
    • Sue Monk Kidd(novel)
  • Stars
    • Dakota Fanning
    • Jennifer Hudson
    • Queen Latifah
  • See production, box office & company info
    • 163User reviews
    • 103Critic reviews
    • 57Metascore
  • See more at IMDbPro
    • Awards

    Videos1

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

    Photos80

    Queen Latifah in The Secret Life of Bees (2008)
    Dakota Fanning, Richard Todd Sullivan, 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 Owens
    Jennifer Hudson
    Jennifer Hudson
    • Rosaleen Daise
    Queen Latifah
    Queen Latifah
    • August Boatwright
    Alicia Keys
    Alicia Keys
    • June Boatwright
    Sophie Okonedo
    Sophie Okonedo
    • May Boatwright
    Paul Bettany
    Paul Bettany
    • T. Ray Owens
    Hilarie Burton
    Hilarie Burton
    • Deborah Owens
    Tristan Mack Wilds
    Tristan Mack Wilds
    • Zach Taylor
    • (as Tristan Wilds)
    Nate Parker
    Nate Parker
    • Neil
    Shondrella Avery
    Shondrella Avery
    • Greta
    Renee Ford Clark
    • Doll
    • (as Renée Clark)
    Sharon Conley
    Sharon Conley
    • Violet
    • (as a different name)
    Nicky Buggs
    Nicky Buggs
    • Cressie
    Jasmine Burke
    Jasmine Burke
    • Sugar Girl
    Emma Sage Bowman
    • Young Lily
    Emily Alyn Lind
    Emily Alyn Lind
    • Young Lily
    Addy Miller
    Addy Miller
    • Young Lily
    Taylor Kowalski
    Taylor Kowalski
    • Teenager
      • Gina Prince-Bythewood
      • Gina Prince-Bythewood(screenplay)
      • Sue Monk Kidd(novel)
    • All cast & crew
    • Production, box office & more 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
    Review
    Featured review
    10/10
    A Nutshell Review: The Secret Life of Bees
    It's been two years since we last saw Dakota Fanning on the big screen here, in a film which was a adaptation of the literary classic Charlotte's Web. And what a career it had been for this child actress, now an adolescent, to have grown from scream queen (no thanks to her stint under Spielberg's War of the Worlds) to one controversial role in Hounddogs, which I doubt would make it to our shores here.

    Based on a novel by Sue Monk Kidd and directed by Gina Prince-Bythewood, The Secret Life of Bees is one powerful drama above love and the looking for love, as well as running along the theme of forgiveness and reconciliation. It's easy to dismiss this as a chick flick because of its predominantly female cast, but that would be a mistake to make in making it an excuse to miss this film altogether. For all its worth, it's chock full of extremely well delivered performances from veterans such as Fanning herself, together with Queen Latifah, Jennifer Hudson (proving that she's no flash in the pan), Sophie Okonedo, Paul Bettany and even Alicia Keys!

    Set in the time of Summer in 1964 Southern USA where the Civil Rights Act was just signed and in effect, the sentiments amongst the racist bigots still run high in a charged environment still hanging onto their old segregated ways. Fanning's Lily Owens carries the weight of her guilt buried deep in her subconscious from a tragic event that happened when she was four, and ten years later, after receiving the last straw of punishment from her abusive dad (Bettany), runs away with her caretaker Rosaleen (Hudson).

    As if led by an invisible hand, they soon find themselves under the extreme goodwill of the Boatwright sisters, who earn a living through the cultivation of bees for honey, and a series of incidents that bring about some tying of loose ends, and the discovery that these strangers do tie back to Lily's own quest to finding out the truth about her mom, to debunk the lies as told by her father. And of course this allows opportunity for some serious girl power bonding between the characters as they find that they have a lot more in common, as well as the sharing and spreading of love through their ranks.

    The trump card that this movie has, is the excellent performances by the ensemble cast. Fanning leads the pack and gives a wonderful moving performance as the gangling Lily, who thinks that she's quite a jinx with plenty of bad karma to go around, bringing about unfortunate happenings to her hosts which provide the dramatic twists and turns to what would otherwise be a flat movie. Jennifer Hudson had much to do in the first act, though her character got quite muted by the time the trio of the Boatwright sisters August (Latifah), June (Keys) and Okonedo (May) come along. Queen Latifah brings about some serious gravitas in her role as the eldest with the largest heart, and you cannot deny her chemistry with Fanning. Keys on the other hand plays the sister the exact opposite of August, being aloof and starting off with intense suspicion as to the intent of their guests. And Okonedo's role could probably be the most unorthodox of the lot, a fragile soul who has her own wailing wall to deal with the harsh realities of life.

    The Secret Life of Bees is well worth the admission ticket, and you'll be hard pressed not to be touched by the film, or moved by the themes it explores, especially when the third act comes by leading to quite a number of powerful revelations and a solid conclusion. Set against its intended backdrop, it's a reminder of tolerance, which the world lacks these days, and of course it's not always hammering in such heavy themes as it has its fair share of romance as well, and for what it's worth, Fanning has her first on-screen romance in this movie, and if I'm right, has her first on-screen kiss as well.

    You might be surprised when I say this, but this film has won me over enough for it to be considered as a contender when I shortlist my list of ten top films of the year. Definitely recommended!
    helpful•36
    6
    • DICK STEEL
    • Nov 30, 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)
      • United States
      • Official site (United States)
      • English
    • Also known as
    • Filming locations
      • Lumberton, North Carolina, USA
    • Production companies
      • Searchlight Pictures
      • Overbrook Entertainment
      • Donners' Company
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Box office

    Edit
    See detailed box office info on IMDbPro

    Technical specs

    Edit
    • 1 hour 54 minutes
      • Color
      • DTS
      • SDDS
      • Dolby Digital

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