Video Viper: 'Akeelah' a true family film

Lions Gates Films

KEKE PALMER and Laurence Fishburne star in "Akeelah and the Bee."

Family-oriented movies are often syrupy or obnoxious cartoons.

In fact, family films often mean kids-only films.
But there are a few nice exceptions. One of them is "Akeelah and the Bee."
It's the story of a smart, South Los Angeles student who ends up competing in the national Scripps Howard Spelling Bee.
Keke Palmer is a remarkable young actress. She was only 12 when she made this picture, playing Akeelah Anderson. She's a talented young actress, completely convincing in her role.
This is the best "Rocky" movie since "Rocky," and it isn't even about sports.
Young Akeelah is teased by other students in this urban district because it isn't cool to be smart where she lives.
Akeelah has a mother, played by Angela Bassett, who works in a hospital. She wanted to be a doctor and got a chance to go to college, but dropped out because she didn't feel a part of it all.
Akeelah talks to a photograph of her beloved father, who was an innocent victim of a shootout. Her brother is hanging around with the wrong crowd.
Her principal, played by Curtis Armstrong, sees something special in Akeelah and orders her to take part in the school's spelling bee. You know it isn't taken seriously when the first speller misspells a word and mutters, "Who cares?"
Akeelah wins the school bee and goes on to the district spelling bee in Beverly Hills, where a whole new world opens up to her.
She makes friends with kids there and spends hours on a bus to visit them to study.
Akeelah eventually makes the National Spelling Bee in Washington.
Akeelah's mom is one deterrent to her success in the spelling bee. Bassett's character is afraid Akeelah's studying for the bee will cause her academics to go down.
Laurence Fishburne plays a professor who lost his own daughter to unexpected illness, resulting in the breakup of his marriage. He sees Akeelah as a surrogate daughter, even calling her "Denise" at some point.
There are many subplots to this film and all work to the betterment of the plot. If you think a movie about spelling can't be compelling, see this movie.
I mentioned Keke is a remarkable actress. Not only is she convincing as this inner-city girl, but she must hold together virtually every seen of this movie. She is more than up to the challenge.
Eventually, her fellow students and neighbors who made fun of, or were suspicious of her talents, are won over as well. A montage shows everyone helping her learn the thousands of words she must know in order to be competitive.
It's a great film for children to watch. It's about learning. It's about how to study. It's about overcoming adversity.
At one point, one of Akeelah's friends uses a common, crude term for excrement. It's the only obscenity I can think of in this film. Far different than most films about South Los Angeles.
Sometimes schools show movies to students on the last day before a vacation. It's usually something like "Flushed Away" or "Shrek." This would be a better, inspiring alternative.
The film keeps you rooting until the end. There is a wonderful scene where Akeelah spells the last word. In her mind, she sees all of the people in her neighborhood helping her out.
It's a movie to learn from and enjoy. Watch it with your kids.