Akeelah and the Bee

"Changing the world... one word at a time."

2006 1h 53m EN

👍

7.0

SOLID

★7.0TMDB · 366

Drama

Synopsis

Spoiler shield

11-year-old Akeelah Anderson has a way with words. After winning her schoolwide spelling bee, she decides to enter the competition, despite her classmates' derision and the antipathy of her mother Tanya. Thanks to the efforts of her teacher Dr. Larabee, she reaches the finals. As she gets to know her fellow competitors, Akeelah realizes that coming first isn't everything in life.

“Changing the world... one word at a time.”

WhatsApp X Facebook Telegram

Where to watch · US

Amazon VideoRent

Apple TV StoreRent

Google Play MoviesRent

Google Play MoviesBuy

YouTubeBuy

Fandango At HomeBuy

Cast

Keke Palmer
Akeelah Anderson
Laurence Fishburne
Dr. Larabee
Angela Bassett
Tanya Anderson
Curtis Armstrong
Mr. Welch
J.R. Villarreal
Javier
Sean Michael Afable
Dylan Chiu
Sahara Garey
Georgia
Lee Thompson Young
Devon

Credits

Behind the camera

Director: Doug Atchison
Writers: Doug Atchison
Languages: English
Countries: United States of America

Want more? Switch to Cinephile mode in the header for DP, composer, budget, box office, production companies, keywords, and release history.

Did you know?

Fun facts 🍿

1 / 7

ERA

Did you know

Released 20 years ago.

MoodPlayr · trivia#01

2 / 7

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Directed by Doug Atchison, shot by M. David Mullen. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.

MoodPlayr · trivia#02

3 / 7

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Original score by Aaron Zigman. Worth a dedicated listen after — most great films lose half their impact without the score.

MoodPlayr · trivia#03

4 / 7

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Editor Glenn Farr shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.

MoodPlayr · trivia#04

5 / 7

CAST

Did you know

Keke Palmer and Laurence Fishburne and Angela Bassett carry the top of the cast.

MoodPlayr · trivia#05

6 / 7

FACT

Did you know

Marketing tagline: "Changing the world... one word at a time.".

MoodPlayr · trivia#06

7 / 7

WILD

Did you know

IMDB entry: tt0437800 — still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.

MoodPlayr · trivia#07

Cinephile deep dive

The take

Doug Atchison directs. M. David Mullen behind the camera. Aaron Zigman scores. Glenn Farr cuts. Profitable at the box office. Produced in United States of America. Dialogue in English.

Trivia

Things worth knowing

1Released 20 years ago.
2Directed by Doug Atchison, shot by M. David Mullen. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.
3Original score by Aaron Zigman. Worth a dedicated listen after — most great films lose half their impact without the score.
4Editor Glenn Farr shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.
5Keke Palmer and Laurence Fishburne and Angela Bassett carry the top of the cast.
6Marketing tagline: "Changing the world... one word at a time.".
7IMDB entry: tt0437800 — still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.
8Classified under 10 themes, including "spelling", "spelling bee", "family drama", "single mother".