The growing popularity of spelling bees as a spectator sport spills over into the fictional arena with this earnest, well-meaning tale of a talented black girl from a poor section of Los Angeles who pursues a national championship. Offering a variant on the Searching for Bobby Fischer formula, writer-director Doug Atchison's Akeelah and the Bee stars perky Keke Palmer as Akeelah, a bright middle-schooler whose uncanny spelling ability leads her principal to enlist an old friend—a professor and former bee champion himself (Laurence Fishburne)—to help her train. Initially, Akeelah's overworked mother (Angela Bassett) doesn't provide much support, but she comes around, and eventually the whole neighborhood rallies behind the girl's march toward the gold. Most of what happens is reasonably predictable—from making the ultimate competitor a machine-perfect Asian kid pushed to win by his merciless (and prejudiced) father, to the big finale that draws out the suspense to almost ridiculous lengths. Although awfully anxious to please (while studiously avoiding offense), this is still solid family entertainment with a positive message. Recommended. [Note: DVD extras include a 22-minute “making-of” featurette, the “Inside the Mind of Akeelah” featurette (7 min.), “Two Peas in a Pod” on director Doug Atchison and star Keke Palmer (5 min.), seven deleted scenes (4 min.), a two-minute gag reel, Palmer's music video “All My Girlz,” and trailers. Bottom line: a solid extras package for an uplifting family film.] (F. Swietek)
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