The Secret Life of Bees

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The Secret Life of Bees

PG-13

2008

1h 50m

Drama

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Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

60%

Tomatometer

139 Reviews

78%

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100,000+ Ratings

Haunted by memories of her late mother and abused by her father (Paul Bettany), 14-year-old Lily Owens (Dakota Fanning) runs away with her friend and caregiver Rosaleen (Jennifer Hudson) to the South Carolina town that holds the key to her mother's past. There, Lily meets the Boatwright sisters (Queen Latifah, Alicia Keys, Sophie Okonedo), who take her in and teach her about beekeeping, honey, and the Black Madonna. Lily also discovers that the truth about her mother is closer than she thinks.

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Critics Consensus

The Secret Life of Bees has moments of charm, but is largely too maudlin and sticky-sweet.

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Candice Frederick

Reel Talk Online

The story was okay, but I think there was an underlying mammy factor that rubbed me the wrong way.

Rated: B-

Sep 12, 2017

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Eddie Cockrell

Sydney Morning Herald

Glossy yet ultimately shallow, this platitudinous, unconvincing drama makes The Colour Purple look like Mississippi Burning.

Rated: 2/5

Mar 6, 2009

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David Stratton

At the Movies (Australia)

On most levels the film, which has a surprising number of unconvincing details, takes the sugary option; it shies away from the harsher realities whenever possible.

Rated: 2/5

Mar 6, 2009

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Stella Papamichael

Radio Times

Like the rank and file of bees, everyone has their place here and they work towards an end product that is sweet but best enjoyed by children.

Rated: 3/5

Mar 16, 2024

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Brian Eggert

Deep Focus Review

The Secret Life of Bees is a pleasant little film that reduces overwhelming ideas into light emotional drama.

Rated: 3/4

Sep 5, 2023

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Richard Propes

TheIndependentCritic.com

A wonderful film for families.

Rated: 3.5/4.0

Sep 22, 2020

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Gisell A.

Just had a very good hook, but the story plot got lost trying to accommodate additional character arcs that didn’t add anything to the main story plot. It had a great cast…sadly they were just for show… Alicia keys didn’t even sing.

Rated 3 out of 5 stars

10/15/25

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thiago s

Filme fraco, o roteiro é fraco, as cenas são fracas, a história é fraca, o elenco é fraco, e ninguém ajuda a melhorar o filme, os personagens são fracos, e o filme deveria ter cenas bem melhores e relevantes, para fazer o filme ser bom

Rated 0.5 out of 5 stars

09/18/25

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Barney F

I guess I just didn’t like Hilarie Burton’s character

Rated 0.5 out of 5 stars

03/01/25

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Kaelyn S

do not watch if you don’t wanna cry fifty million times

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

01/20/25

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Audience Member

Warning Will Smith movie! This should have been called The Secret Life of B Minus.

Rated 0.5 out of 5 stars

02/11/23

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anabel g

It brought me into a reality I have only guessed at; black women making a real life in the deep south in the waning days of Jim Crow. The plot did drag at times; wish there had been a bit more happening with the bees and their keeper. But the stress of living under Jim Crow, the oppressiveness of the society that they survived, even thrived, in was always there, informing so much of the film and the plot Queen Latifah and Dakota Fanning are excellent and believable in every scene. Sophie Okonedo simply was the troubled and damaged May. There were times when I wished to see more nuanced reactions from some of the actors, and a few scenes that I wish had been more fully developed; the director could have allowed more silences for the actors to explore the emotions called for in the script. On the whole, however, the film kept me engaged and gave me a deeper understanding of a culture and society that is different from the MidWestern world I grew up in.

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

03/31/23

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Gina Prince-Bythewood

Director

Queen Latifah

August Boatwright

Dakota Fanning

Lily Owens

Jennifer Hudson

Rosaleen

Alicia Keys

June Boatwright

Sophie Okonedo

May Boatwright

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The Secret Life of Bees: Trailer 1

2:27

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Synopsis

Haunted by memories of her late mother and abused by her father (Paul Bettany), 14-year-old Lily Owens (Dakota Fanning) runs away with her friend and caregiver Rosaleen (Jennifer Hudson) to the South Carolina town that holds the key to her mother's past. There, Lily meets the Boatwright sisters (Queen Latifah, Alicia Keys, Sophie Okonedo), who take her in and teach her about beekeeping, honey, and the Black Madonna. Lily also discovers that the truth about her mother is closer than she thinks.

Director: Gina Prince-Bythewood
Producer: Lauren Shuler Donner, James Lassiter, Will Smith, Joe Pichirallo
Screenwriter: Gina Prince-Bythewood, Sue Monk Kidd
Distributor: Fox
Production Co: Donners' Company, Overbrook Entertainment
Rating: PG-13 (Thematic Material|Some Violence)
Genre: Drama
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Oct 17, 2008, Wide
Release Date (Streaming): Nov 25, 2015
Box Office (Gross USA): $37.8M
Runtime: 1h 50m

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