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The Secret Life of Bees Details

2008 Certificate 12
  • Rated:
  • 70
  • from 6325 members

Set in South Carolina in 1964, the film is the moving tale of Lily Owens a 14 year-old girl who is haunted by the memory of her late mother. To escape her lonely life and troubled relationship with her father, Lily flees with Rosaleen, her caregiver and only friend, to a South Carolina town that holds the secret to her mother'.. Read more

Starring Queen Latifah, Dakota Fanning, Jennifer Hudson, Sophie Okonedo
Director Gina Prince-Bythewood
Genres Drama

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The Secret Life of Bees

Set in South Carolina in 1964, the film is the moving tale of Lily Owens a 14 year-old girl who is haunted by the memory of her late mother. To escape her lonely life and troubled relationship with her father, Lily flees with Rosaleen, her caregiver and only friend, to a South Carolina town that holds the secret to her mother's past. Taken in by the intelligent and independent Boatwright sisters, Lily finds solace in their mesmerizing world of beekeeping, honey and the Black Madonna.

Starring Queen Latifah, Dakota Fanning, Jennifer Hudson, Sophie Okonedo, Alicia Keys, Paul Bettany, Hilarie Burton, Nate Parker
Director Gina Prince-Bythewood
Studio 20TH CENTURY FOX HOME ENTERTAINMENT
Run time DVD: 1 hr 49 mins
Certificate Certificate 12
Collections 100 Most Wanted
Genres Drama
Released DVD: 30 Mar 2009
Production year: 2008
Format DVD
  • Critics' reviews of The Secret Life of Bees

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  • 3 stars out of

    Some films are touching despite their overly direct, even crude, tugging at our emotions. And many people will no doubt... read more on Time Out

    • Wally Hammond, 
    • Time Out
  • Most helpful member's review of The Secret Life of Bees

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  • 35 out of 38 people found this review helpful

    Rated - 2 stars

    Disappointing

    Sorry, it didn't do it for me. Although the preview and the cast looked good, I found the film disappointing. I haven't read the book but I thought there was no real development to the story or the characters in the movie, and it just became a bit boring.

      • A customer from Bromley, Kent
  • Most recent members' review of The Secret Life of Bees

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  • 5 out of 5 people found this review helpful

    Rated - 4 stars [Highly rated reviewer]

    Little Women meets Colour Purple

    I really liked the movie. I think it had small elements of the painful reality of human suffering - which unless your made of stone you have to feel something. but then gives hope and relief in the bonds of sisterhood and motherly love. Some acting did disappoint me in places but i don't think that diverted from the well told story of the secret life of bees. I'd like to read the book as often with movie they have to rush the story and leave bits out.

      • Chizzy from London
  • News and features

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    The Secret Life of Bees

    The Secret Life of Bees

    • 02 Dec 2008

    Some movies start under such a heavy burden, they struggle to get out from under. The Secret Life of Bees boasts much more than an unwieldy title. We’ve got Dakota Fanning as a southern waif, Queen Latifah and Jennifer Hudson in the same movie, Paul Bettany doing a mean South Carolina accent, Alicia Keyes taking on the struggle for civil rights, and before we’ve even settled into our seats we’re treated to the central trauma in Dakota’s life: the day she accidentally... Read more

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Rating breakdown

6,325 Member ratings
  • 100
885
  • 90
465
  • 80
1,890
  • 70
1,420
  • 60
1,008
  • 50
257
  • 40
218
  • 30
73
  • 20
78
  • 10
31

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