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Tell It to the Bees

Play trailer 1:53 Poster for Tell It to the Bees Released May 3, 2019 1h 46m Romance Drama LGBTQ+ Play Trailer Watchlist
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49% Tomatometer 57 Reviews 61% Popcornmeter 100+ Ratings
In 1952 Dr. Jean Markham returns to her Scottish hometown to take over her late father's medical practice. She soon becomes ostracized by the community when she begins a passionate romance with a woman who has a young son.
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Tell It to the Bees

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Critics Consensus

Tell It to the Bees is well-acted and well-intentioned -- but often undermined by its frustratingly didactic storytelling.

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Critics Reviews

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Ella Kemp Little White Lies Watery romance that has no real feeling to cling to. Rated: 2/5 Jul 24, 2019 Full Review Clarisse Loughrey Independent (UK) Tell it to the Bees... is a period drama with no sting. There's no urgency to its message, no passion at its centre. Rated: 2/5 Jul 23, 2019 Full Review Kevin Maher Times (UK) Yikes. That wasn't pretty. Rated: 2/5 Jul 22, 2019 Full Review Calum Cooper Source (Scotland) It seems hell-bent on leading its audience by the hand, as if anxious that we can’t make out what it’s trying to do. Rated: 2/5 Jul 14, 2024 Full Review Tina Kakadelis Beyond the Cinerama Dome Unfortunately, the film relies on a number of outdated stereotypes of queer women. Making Jean’s character lonely, fearful, and miserable perpetuates the idea that a queer person’s identity and worth are tied to being in a romantic relationship. Jul 25, 2023 Full Review Victoria Luxford City AM Leaning on worn-out art house cinema tropes (most notably the one about LGBTQ+ characters being denied happiness), Tell It To The Bees wastes its potential. Rated: 2/5 Feb 21, 2022 Full Review Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

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Amanda B what even was that ending. Rated 1.5 out of 5 stars 11/05/23 Full Review Lily D Heart wrenching. Explores characters and the trauma that they've endured. I wish I could follow each of them more. Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars 08/14/23 Full Review Ali N I really wanted to like this movie. I really, really did. And it seemed to start off quite good, but then Anna Paquin forgot to show up for her performance. She seemed to be taking a nap during most of her scenes. Maybe she was sleepy from the time change of filming in Scotland? And then the story went in a wildly, overly dramatic direction that all lesbian movies seem to go because apparently only wildly, overly dramatic women can get funding for their film projects. The movie ended with an almost rape, a forced abortion that almost led to a death, bees, bees, bees everywhere, and then the lesbians breaking up. The End. Ugh! When are the lesbians going to get their Brokeback Mountain? You know, a film of quality. I'm waiting... Rated 2.5 out of 5 stars 08/08/23 Full Review Kendra A Heart-wrenching film about two young women who fall in love in the 1950s. The film displays the struggles of being lesbian in a society that does not accept. The romance was very cute, and as a lesbian woman, the characters felt very true to what many experience. Dr Jean was hesitant, but not because she didn’t want Lydia, but because she was scared. This is something that anyone can go through. The steamy scene felt very real, romantic, and loving. The characters were very easy to empathize with, no matter your stance on LGBTQ+ people. Gay people have existed throughout history and will continue to do so. i love the personification of the bees. Me and my girlfriend loved this movie and i ended up sobbing at the end. great movie! def would recommend Rated 5 out of 5 stars 07/25/23 Full Review Audience Member Wonderful wonderful film, absolutely loved it! Rated 5 out of 5 stars 01/20/23 Full Review Ken R This one offers all you might expect, some occasionally nice cinematography and settings, with a good cast trying hard with an under-performing script. Problem here is, within minutes into the story you know exactly where the writers and movie makers are manipulating you to go - it's yet another of those ‘the women are out' works. Here we have all the expected elements, 1950s small town closed-mindedness, likable women, and un-likable men. None of the elements rise above their sole predictable intention - in fact, there are also silly fantasy plot devises:- like bees bonding to humans and gathering in virtual support! - the unemployed and penniless woman somehow being able to pack up her young son and start a new life ‘somewhere else', the shunned lesbian doctor wining over the town with her shining abilities. Much money has been given to this one-note production when what we actually need are movies that universally unite all of us - not just the gender confused select. Disappointing. Rated 1.5 out of 5 stars 05/25/21 Full Review Read all reviews
Tell It to the Bees

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Cast & Crew

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Movie Info

Synopsis In 1952 Dr. Jean Markham returns to her Scottish hometown to take over her late father's medical practice. She soon becomes ostracized by the community when she begins a passionate romance with a woman who has a young son.
Director
Annabel Jankel
Producer
Daisy Allsop, Nik Bower, Nick Hill, Annabel Jankel, Laure Vaysse
Screenwriter
Henrietta Ashworth, Jessica Ashworth
Distributor
Good Deed Entertainment
Production Co
BFI Film Fund, Reliance Entertainment, Motion Picture Capital, Riverstone Pictures, Film Constellation
Genre
Romance, Drama, LGBTQ+
Original Language
British English
Release Date (Theaters)
May 3, 2019, Limited
Release Date (Streaming)
May 3, 2019
Runtime
1h 46m
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