OK, I knew I was in for something special, but I didn't know how special. Today my son and I went to see this movie and we were blown away. So, I thought I would come home today and put my new education (graduated on May 13th with a BA in Film & TV) to work for you. I will attempt a basic analysis of this film, and give my reasons, although they carry no weight, for why "Akeelah and the Bee" should be nominated and hopefully win an Academy Award for "Best Something".

The film stars Lawrence Fishburn of "The Matrix" fame, Angela Bassett of "How Stella Got Her Groove Back", and newcomer KeKe Palmer as Akeelah. First, it is good to see Fishburn and Bassett back together on the big screen. Their portrayal of Ike and Tina Turner in 1993's "What's Love Got To Do With It" moved us to tears, and their on-screen chemistry is still there.

Bassett plays a distraught, widowed, working mother of four in South Central Los Angeles. Her oldest son is an E-4 in the Air Force working towards a college degree and with aspirations of being a pilot; Her oldest daughter is a teenage mother who's baby is no more than six months; she has a teenage son with gangster leanings; and then there's 11 year old Akeelah who has a love for words inherited from her dead father, and who would be a straight A student if she would just go to class.

Lawrence Fishburn plays Akeelah's word coach. He is a former University of California at Los Angeles professor who lost his daughter years earlier to a childhood disease, and his wife soon after to depression and despondency over their daughter's death. All this makes for a film with more acting ability and strength than any one-movie screen can handle.

Akeelah hates her school and doesn't yet understand much of her life and why things happen. She's no different than any other 11-year-old girl. She looks to her dad's photos for inspiration when times are especially tough. She has the potential to free herself and her family, but she has not been taught to embrace it.

She wins her first spelling bee in spite of her best attempts to lose, and is suddenly catapulted into the spotlight from her obscure urban existence. She soon finds herself amidst new friends and places, and comes face to face with her strongest competitor - Dillon - the best speller from the cross-town Woodland Hills elementary school. More on him later.

She meets Javier who takes an immediate shine to Akeelah and becomes her constant companion for the rest of the journey to the national championship. I loved their interaction and innocence. What they shared was clean and natural, just as it should be.

Mr. Fishburn who plays Dr. Larabee, has long been one of my favorite actors since his "Cornbread Earl and Me" days, and gives one of the best performances of his life. He takes his mentor role developed in "The Matrix" trilogy to new heights with Akeelah. He comes full circle in this movie by allowing Akeelah to come into his secret life of quiet suffering. The initial meeting of Akeelah and Dr. Larabee is one of the most emotionally charged moments of the entire film.

At her school spelling bee, which she wins, Dr. Larabee stands and challenges Akeelah with much bigger and more difficult words than she or even her teachers expected. He fires them at her one right after another, and she fires back spelling each one with devastating accuracy, except the last one. She misses the last word, but instead of being happy about her exceptional performance she runs from the room and swears she will not compete in the competition. After some negotiations, she is forced to return to Dr. Larabee for coaching and goes to his house. He lays down the rules - no ghetto slang, no tardiness, no insolence - again she runs away only to return once again this time in the right frame of mind - open.

Under Dr. Larabee's tutelage, Akeelah makes some amazing discoveries. She discovers that she is more afraid of herself and her own potential than she ever could be of anything or anyone else. It is a quote from W.E.B DuBois that Larabee uses to show her how to face her fears. It's the first hurdle she overcomes on her way to championship status, and she is off and running, surmounting every other hurdle in similar fashion.

She comes to understand the enormity of her situation. That she is carrier of the hopes and dreams for her family, her school and her entire community to include the small time gangster who her slightly older brother idolizes. He is Derrick T played be Eddie Steeples, you know him as the OfficeMax commercial guy with the big afro who rides a shopping cart around passing out office supplies. Derrick T knows the power he has over Akeelah's brother, Terrence, but when he sees she is trying to accomplish something real, he gives her brother back by relinquishing that power. He refuses to allow him to hang with him and orders Terrence to help his sister study for the Bee.

Akeelah's saving potential permeates her entire environment. She inspires a renewed faith within her mother Tanya played by Angela Bassett, who is so lost in trying to save her troubled son that she routinely ignores Akeelah's needs. It is when Akeelah begins moving towards her destiny that Tanya awakens to her potential and pins her hopes to Akeelah.

Akeelah's sister Kiana is on her side from the beginning. She is not just another hopelessly clueless, single black teen mother who goes out partying every night, saddling the family with raising her child. Her oldest brother Devon competently fills the shoes of their dead father, and reassures Akeelah by telling her to not be afraid, and that he will be there on her big day.

Realizing the load she is carrying, Akeelah stumbles under the strain. Unwittingly, she has caused everyone around her to take heart and they all pull together to strengthen Akeelah and propel her on toward her destiny. They all become her word coaches, Derrick T, her family members, the mailman, the Korean grocer - she enlists the help of everyone around her. Akeelah also manages to regain the trust of her best friend who is feeling a little dejected by Akeelah's newfound celebrity.

Akeelah even has the power to save Dillon, the Asian spelling powerhouse who is favored to win this year's Bee. Dillon is a word machine. He looks like he eats dictionaries for breakfast, but he's being driven by his obsessive father who clearly is living vicariously through his son. The good thing is Dillon knows this and is relieved when Akeelah discovers his secret. At the end, the two engage in a display of chivalry rarely seen in movies anymore, but sorely needed. They both throw their first chance at winning the Bee, then after a heart to heart talk they fling themselves headlong into a battle that leaves everyone watching, both in the spelling bee and the movie audience, mentally and emotionally exhausted.

It is because of movies like this that I desired to go to school and become a filmmaker after all. I will tell stories like this through film or I will not tell stories at all. This movie shows that there are people out there, whether independent or in Hollywood, that care enough to use their skills in a way that is uplifting, encouraging, and meaningful.

Sure there is a darker side to humanity, and there are black people who are trapped in horrible living conditions, but every movie about us does not have to be loaded with such negativity. I am a black man who came from a poor family, grew up on the poor side of town, and didn't make the best grades in school. But I am not dumb enough to believe that to be the only picture of reality for Black Americans.

In my professional opinion, he said clearing his throat for dramatic affect; "Akeelah and the Bee" has it all. Laughter, romance, drama, excitement, loss, redemption, salvation - in short, it's an emotional powerhouse that will blow your socks off. The acting is superb and totally believable, from Lawrence Fishburn's portrayal of a broken-hearted father, Angela Bassett as the overworked, under-paid mother, to newcomers J.R.

Villarreal as an exuberant Javier, and KeKe Palmer as the irrepressible Akeelah. The camera work was excellent, the editing outstanding, the writing was top-notch, the character development extraordinarily deep. The movie stands out as much for what is does not have as for what it does. It does not have drug addictions, guns, hopelessly out of control kids, no murders or crime of any kind. No prostitution, no club scenes, no booty shaking, no nudity - none of the common stereotypes normally seen in movies about African Americans and urban life. I was so moved by the performances that I actually shed a tear. The last time I was so touched I was 10 years old watching "Benji". Go see this movie. Now!

© May 2006 By Afromerica

Brother Dan Hardman will be keeping the Black community informed on issues concerning the church and righteous living. Visit regularly for new information that could help you overcome and make the best of your everyday experiences.

To subscribe to Hardman's column join the Afromerica email list to receive new information as it is updated. Or E-mail D Hardman at: essaysfromchurch@edincorporated.com

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