The Secret Life of Bees ***1/2

Cast: Dakota Fanning, Queen Latifa, Jennifer Hudson, Alicia Keys, Sophie Okonedo, Paul Bettany
Director: Gina Prince-Bythewood
Running Length: 1:50
MPAA Classification: PG-13

Lily Owens (Fanning) is a 14-year old who, as a young child accidentally killed her mother, and now lives with just her dad T. Ray (Bettany). The killing of her mom has shaped her life, along with knowing very little about her. T. Ray is not a good parent, and her only “family” is her nanny Rosaleen (Hudson). The combination of T. Ray badmouthing her mom and Rosaleen being beaten up by a bunch of white men causes Lily and Rosaleen to flee to a town where she believes her mother went at one time to get away from T. Ray. They end up at the home of the Boatwright sisters: August (Latifa), June (Keys), and May (Okonedo).. Together, these sisters make some of the best honey in the area. They also have a connection to Lily’s mom.

“The Secret Lifeof Bees” is a solid movie. Strong performances by Fanning and Latifa carry the sometimes heavy weight of the story. Race relations and the search for one’s self are the main themes, and the cast and director pulls them off almost effortlessly. Lily’s story is a story of redemption. It is powerful without being preachy. This is not a film for everyone, but it is well worth checking out.