AkeelahandtheBeeisafeel-goodmovieaboutan11-year-oldgirltryingtowinanInternationalSpellingContest.DougAtchinsonreceivedanawardforthebestscreenplayoftheyearforthisscriptsometimeago.NowIcanseewhy.Althoughthestoryisquitepredictable,screenwriterAtchinson(whoalsodirects)hasdeliveredthescriptwhichisnotonlyheartfeltandwise,butalsosurprisinglyuniversal.ImeanthateverybodyhadintheirlifedifficultieswhichneedtobeovercomeontheirwaytoachievesomethingcrucialandIfeltthatthispicisaboutmeatsomepoints.Therefore,everyviewer(notonlytheyoung)caneasilyidentifywithayounggirl,Akeelahwhoattemptstomakeherboldestdreamcometrue.Thestoryunfoldsverywellandthedialogueissomeaningfulandattimeswittythattheflickisasheerpleasuretowatch.Itisaprofoundlymovingfilmgivingwonderfullessonthatthevictoryisnotsovitalasparticipationandothers'feelings,whichshouldbevaluablenotonlyforkids.Atchinsonalsoletstheaudiencecareaboutcharacterssuperblyplayedbyallactors.ThemoviedependsonKekePalmer'slively,verylikablecharacter.AgreatPalmer,alongwithDakotaFenning,belongsfromnowontothefirstleagueofyoungactresses.LaurenceFishbourne(alsoproducer),AngelaBassetandJ.R.Villarrealinsupportingrolesdeliveralsomemorableperformances.Tosummarize,Irecommendthedouble-screeningofthisheartfelt,touchingpictureandDonaldson'sWorld'sFastestIndianasasomekindoftherapythankstowhicheventhemostblaséviewerswillfeelbetter.