The Secret Life of BeesMovie Reviews

Gifts + Promos

• Go Based on 11,098 reviews
  Breakdown:

• Sort by: Helpfulness
• Review Date

• Must Go!
  Written October 18, 2008

  Bravo!!!

  by Grandma Kathy

  This was about the best movie I've seen this year. We need more heartwarming movies like this. People don't want to go to the movies to be depressed. This movie lifts us up and gives us hope for a brighter tomorrow. The acting was perfect, Academy Award quality for sure! This is a must see for people of all ages!

  • 20 out of 25 found this review helpful.
  • Was this helpful to you? 
  • Yes
  • No
• Go
  Written October 20, 2008

  Great movie, but lacking...

  by katjm

  I loved this book so was excited to see that the movie was being made with this cast. They did a great job turning the book into a movie. The acting was good. I cried and cheered. Dakota Fanning was truly phenomenal.
  
  The only thing holding me back from giving this a "Must Go" was Queen Latifa. I LOVE her, normally. But the character she plays, Miss August, is a strong woman who has been through a lot - is very loving, but has a hurt in her too. Latifa played the part with a constant smile. Even the most important lines in the film, regarding the secret life of bees, was nearly thrown away, the way she played it - it just didn't come through right. I don't know how else to say it other than there was a depth to Miss August in the book that was completely missing in this movie, and that depth would have made this an outstanding, all-around Oscar winning movie that I'd buy and watch over and over again. Without that depth in her performance, it was just a good movie

  • 35 out of 58 found this review helpful.
  • Was this helpful to you? 
  • Yes
  • No
• Must Go!
  Written October 25, 2008

  Bees and their secret life.

  by JDB728

  I went to this expecting a good movie. I ended up being greatly impressed.
  This is an amazing movie. It's a very emotional movie with great acting to match.
  Strong performances by Fanning, Latifa, Hudson, and company help to tell this terrific heartfelt story set when the Civil Rights Act went into effect. This is probably the best movie I've seen about what can come from mixing different races & cultures since Crash. This was however a completely different movie.
  
  I would say to anyone looking for a good child friendly family movie(even though parental guidance is a great idea for the mild violence and innuendo), this is a great choice.
  
  Thanks for reading.

  • 16 out of 21 found this review helpful.
  • Was this helpful to you? 
  • Yes
  • No
• Must Go!
  Written October 22, 2008

  Very true to the book

  by liaden

  Whenever I see a movie made from a book, I always cringe a little, wondering what they are going to change that I won't like, what they will leave out that I think was absolutely crucial to the story. The good news is, they did an absolutely fabulous job with this one! Every bit of the book was there, every happy moment and every painful one as well. My best advice to anyone coming to see this is BRING KLEENEX. I had to send my husband out to the lobby for napkins and everyone around us was crying, some openly sobbing. It was that kind of movie. Marvelous job by all the actors. Just a really fantastic movie.

  • 19 out of 30 found this review helpful.
  • Was this helpful to you? 
  • Yes
  • No
• Must Go!
  Written October 19, 2008

  I loved it!

  by Movie_Go'er

  Our book club read this book and went to see the movie. I think reading the book helped to connect the dots, but the movie is solid in its own right. The acting was believable and allowed you to put yourself in the time frame, How timely to have a movie with a sub-plot regarding the civil rights movement to allow African Americans to vote. It just reminded me how far we have come to actually have an African American running for president. This is a heartwarming movie about a young girl finding her voice, sisterly love, strength, and hope. My hat is off to the author, the actors, and the director! Go see this movie and take a friend!

  • 9 out of 11 found this review helpful.
  • Was this helpful to you? 
  • Yes
  • No
• Must Go!
  Written November 12, 2008

  Perfect movie for people of all ages...

  by starx95

  I took my 11 yr old daughter & her friend to see this. Neither are girlie types ~ they were both transfixed by the story. I hadn't read the book, so I didn't know what to expect. We all laughed and cried, and I was quite surprised that they loved it as much as they did... I loved it too... the acting was superb. Sophie Okonedo was so amazing as an emotionally damaged woman, I will be shocked if she doesn't get an Oscar nod for best supporting actress. Having lived around many different types of mental illness, I know what I'm talking about...
  I was surprised that I had the only kids in the theater! It's a perfect way to help youth to understand, in a rather milder version of reality, the history of prejudice in some parts of our country. It is a good way to have serious conversations with your children about the ugliness of prejudice and the importance of love. Don't waste the opportunity, take your kids and talk to them about it. You'll be glad you did.

  • 12 out of 17 found this review helpful.
  • Was this helpful to you? 
  • Yes
  • No
• Must Go!
  Written November 5, 2008

  The Secret Life of Bees

  by Vivianryan1

  This was an amazing movie compounded by the fact that almost 50 of us went to see it at the same time and date. My friend Sally, is Sue Monk Kidds Cousin and she gathered us al together for a "BEE SOIREE,"afterward, and it was almost as amazing as the movie. The Bee-tinis were incredible. I read the book and loved it. It was sweet and heart wrenching at the same time. I grew up in that time frame and could relate quite well to the issues at hand. Bravo MS Kidd and Bravo and thanks to our Sweet Sally. Truly,VRD

  • 8 out of 9 found this review helpful.
  • Was this helpful to you? 
  • Yes
  • No
• Must Go!
  Written October 19, 2008

  Beyond Expectations

  by dikelmm

  An extremely nuanced movie weaving a tale of a white girls's sturuggles with the truth of her acceptance in her family with the history of African-Americans' changing acceptance in 1964 America. Brilliant all around. Dakota Fanning is outstanding.

  • 12 out of 18 found this review helpful.
  • Was this helpful to you? 
  • Yes
  • No
• Must Go!
  Written November 5, 2008

  the secret life of bees

  by moviergoer25

  The secret life of bees is based on the novel by Sue Monk Kidd. The film stars with a all star cast including Queen Latifah, Dakota Fanning, Jennifer Hudson, Alica Keys, and Sophie Okonedo. This movie could make you cry however it was just as sad as the Steven Spielberg film The Color Purple. The plot is set in the 1960's that is about Lily Owens (Fanning) who lives with sadness and her terrible father (Paul Bettany). Lily has a Rosaleen Daise (Hudson) who runs away to a pink colored house in North Carolina who she meets August, June, and May Boatwright. The Boatwright's have a small honey making buisness. The film is great so I say see it and tell your friends to see it.

  • 10 out of 14 found this review helpful.
  • Was this helpful to you? 
  • Yes
  • No
• Must Go!
  Written October 30, 2008

  The Secret Life of Bees

  by ml7478

  This movie was inspiring and uplifting. I am an independent woman of the Christian faith and I could definitely relate to this positive and motivating film featuring sisters, black and white, supporting one another.

  • 9 out of 12 found this review helpful.
  • Was this helpful to you? 
  • Yes
  • No
• Must Go!
  Written November 8, 2008

  Best Movie I've seen in a LONGGGGGG time....

  by vivalasjamaba

  The Secret Life of Bee's is an amazing story. This movie will keep you mezmorized from the very beginning to the very end. I think every woman should go see this moive with her mother, sister, best friend, or even just by themselves. It is a really wonderful film....

  • 7 out of 8 found this review helpful.
  • Was this helpful to you? 
  • Yes
  • No
• Must Go!
  Written October 25, 2008

  Glad I Didn't Listen to the Critic

  by FanAndie

  Watching "At the Movies" airing on NBC last Sunday night, I heard one movie critic say that this movie basically had no relevence and was not worth seeing. That guy sure got it wrong, and thankfully I did not pay attention to his review. I don't know if this movie really deserves my highest rating. If there were a space between Must Go and Go, I'd put it there because I have been to movies slightly more interesting than this one. However, as a depiction of the true meaning of family and learning to accept life's lessons with grace and grow from them, this movie succeeds wonderfully. And furthermore, the cast was excellent!

  • 6 out of 6 found this review helpful.
  • Was this helpful to you? 
  • Yes
  • No
• Go
  Written October 23, 2008

  The Secret Life of Bees

  by Chivondatyann

  I really enjoyed the movie! It was so close to the book! The movie and actors/actresses were just as I pictured them when reading the book! Alicia Keyes was an excellent portrayal of June. Jennifer Hudson was Rosaline as I saw her and Dakota Fanning WAS AWESOME! May's character was perfect. I Laughed a lot, I cried. I really enjoyed this movie!

  • 7 out of 8 found this review helpful.
  • Was this helpful to you? 
  • Yes
  • No
• Must Go!
  Written November 7, 2008

  Secret Life of Bees

  by dreatrvls

  I LOVED this movie!! I read the book a while ago...when it first came out I think...and usually movies have a hard time living up to the book...but this movie is definitely an exception. With a cast like that though...how could you go wrong really??

  • 7 out of 8 found this review helpful.
  • Was this helpful to you? 
  • Yes
  • No
• Must Go!
  Written November 7, 2008

  LOVED THIS MOVIE

  by bobbiekay

  I loved this movie. Very heart-warming and heart-wrenching. Bring kleenex! Dakota Fanning is and has been such a phenomenal actress and is getting better as she grows up. Great characters.

  • 6 out of 7 found this review helpful.
  • Was this helpful to you? 
  • Yes
  • No

• Page: 1
• 2
• 3
• 4
• 5
• 6
• 7
• 8
• 9
• 10
• More Reviews