THE SECRET LIFE OF BEES 3.0 *** You would expect a movie with the name "The Secret Life of Bees" to be sweet. Well, it is and it will be charmingly sweet for some and bittersweet for others who may shed a tear or two during this southern melodrama. There is also some sting because of the hateful racial attitudes that existed in South Carolina in 1964 which is the place and time of the story.
“Bees” follows the run-away from home by 14-year-old Lily (Dakota Fanning) after one more beating from her abusive father….her mother died by a tragic accident when Lily was only 4 years old . With nanny Rosaleen (Jennifer Hudson) in tow, she discovers that the makers of a popular brand of honey live nearby in a small town in South Carolina. After introducing themselves, Lily and Rosaleen are warmly welcomed into a “Pepto-Bismol pink” house by August Boatwright (Queen Latifah) and her sisters—independent minded June (Alicia Keyes) and a neurotically sensitive May (Sophie Okonedo) ( they were named after the months of the year). As Lily helps out with the bee hives, she responds to the love that warmly glows among the sisters and spreads to her, particularly from August—who maintains that bees, like any other living thing, need love.
All the performers are quite good. Fanning plays Lily with soulful eyes and a big, aching heart ….she will grow up to be an even better actress than she already is, if that's possible. And Latifah is, as always, pure pleasure to watch. She is wonderful as the wise head of the household who recognizes her role as the queen bee in the lives of those who swarm around her. Her portrayal of August is the kind of performance that keeps us going to the movies in the first place.
To see “Bee” or not to see “Bee”…. the answer is yes and it’s one the whole family will enjoy.