Americans and their spelling bees. Don't they realise that just spelling words in isolation isn't very useful? Words tend to become useful when put together. Anyway, Akeelah is an underdog kid with a genius for spelling; Laurence Fishburne is the crusty professor who resolves to draw out her talent; Angela Bassett is the inevitably threatened mom.
Good acting and a heartfelt message, but a bit too formulaic in its efforts to uplift.
Review by Andy Dougan
Starbucks gets into the movie business with this lacklustre drama which resembles much of their product.
It takes forever to deliver the goods and when you get them you realise it wasn't worth the wait.
This is the third film in as many years about spelling bees.
No other American "sport" has had as much screen time recently and the appeal is unfathomable.
Keke Palmer is an 11-year-old who is an absolute spelling wiz. She has to win over her tutor Laurence Fishburne and mother Angela Bassett but you know she will otherwise there's no movie.
I'm not convinced the ability to spell is the path to fame and fortune and if you don't buy that it's hard to take the film as anything more than feelgood slush.
Review by Hannah McGill
Review by Andy Dougan