The Secret Life of Bees 2008

     The setting of this film is South Carolina in 1964.  It is based on a novel by Sue Monk Kidd published in January 2003.  This period is the time when the Civil Rights Act ended segregation in public places and banned discrimination.  Just because there was a law didn’t mean this was going to peacefully happen overnight!!  Rosaleen Daise goes into town to register to vote and three men beat her.  She is taken to the hospital but she will go to jail after leaving the hospital.  These men are determined to beat her again and possibly kill her?  Rosaleen is the nanny for Lily Owens and Lily comes to the hospital to rescue Rosaleen.  They leave town, hitch a ride and Lily wants to go to Tiberon South Carolina.  She hopes to find out information about her mother.  Lily's mother died when Lily was 4 years old.

     This film is very good and I also read the book before watching the film.  It gives me a tingle in my spine to think about how good the book is!!  There are some minor changes in the film from the book.  There are a LOT of emotions, loss, longing, searching, freedom, bondage, cruelty, fear, love, hope.  4 ½* (loved this movie) 

104 min, Drama directed by Gina Prince-Bythewood with Dakota Fanning, Jennifer Hudson, Queen Latifah, Alicia Keys, Sophie Okonedo, Paul Bettany, Hilarie Burton, Tristan Mack Wilds, Nate Parker, Shondrella Averey, Renee Ford Clark, Sharon Conley, Nicky Buggs.

Note:  Imdb 7.3 out of 10, Roger Ebert 3 ½*, Amazon 4.6* out of 5* with 699 reviews, Metacritic 57 out of 100 with 32 critics 7.8 out of 10 with 33 reviews, Common Sense Media age 13+, violence 3*, sex 1*, language 2*, drinking and smoking 2*, Goodreads gives the book 4.03 out of 5 with 1,010,465 ratings.

Special Note:  Alicia Keys learned to play the cello in four weeks for her role.  Director Gina Prince-Bythewood sent Jennifer Hudson to a local store to guy several items.  The workers and the customers verbally and racially abused her.  Actually, they were actors and Bythewood wanted Hudson to get the feel of a racially tense environment.  Bythewood has also directed Disappearing Acts 2000, Love & Basketball 2000, Biker Boyz 2003, Beyond the Lights 2014, Before I Fall 2017, Nappily Ever After 2018 and she is working on Silver Sable and Black Cat.  She was adopted at the age of 3 weeks and she has four siblings.  She grew up in Pacific Grove, California.