Hope and Honey

“The Secret Life of Bees,” a novel by Sue Monk Kidd is one of my favorite works of historical fiction, so on one hand I was excited to find out that they were going to turn this best-seller into a movie. On the other hand, Hollywood has consistently taken best-sellers and watered them down in order to strike blockbuster gold (think “A Time to Kill”), so I was concerned the same thing might be done to this movie. However, on opening day, I went to see it.

The film, directed by Gina Prince-Bythewood (“Love & Basketball”), is set in South Carolina in the summer of 1964, during which time the Civil Rights Act was signed into law. The story follows 14-year-old Lily Owen (played by screen gem Dakota Fanning), broken and neglected by her father and haunted by a tragedy from her past, as she (along with her housekeeper Rosaleen, played by “American Idol”-contestant-turned-Academy-Award-winner Jennifer Hudson) sets out on a journey for answers. 

Lily’s journey leads her to Tiburon, S.C., to the Pepto-pink home of the Boatwright sisters, August, May and June — played by rapper-turned-Oscar-nominated actress Queen Latifah, Oscar-nominated actress Sophie Okonedo (“Hotel Rawanda”), and Grammy award-winning singer Alicia Keys, respectively. August is the eldest sister and beekeeper who supplies the town with her Black Madonna honey. (The lives of the bees, in the film and movie, serve as a metaphor for the complexities of human life.) May, who never recovered from the loss of her twin sister, April, carries the troubles of the world on her shoulders; the slightest unpleasantness would send her into mourning. June, a talented cellist and teacher, is afraid to commit to her suitor, Neil (played by Nate Parker [“The Great Debaters”]), even though he’s asked several times for her hand in marriage, and she is clearly “sweet” on him. The sisters show Lily that no matter your mistakes, no matter how bad you feel about them, no matter how broken your spirit, “there’s love all around you” and no one is ever “unloveable.”

I will not go into extreme detail about the plot (go read the book and/or see the film), I must say, however, that each actress (and actor) gives a stellar performance in this story of tragedy, triumph, love, hope — and honey — so there’s no wonder there’s been much Oscar buzz surrounding it. But does it measure up to the original work?

Well, in my opinion, the book is ALWAYS better than the film. I suppose this is because when reading, one’s imagination is always at work, and each person interprets the author’s vision as their own. And a filmmakers vision/interpretation of the work, can be entirely different altogether. For instance, I had imagined the housekeeper, Rosaleen, to be slightly older and to look much more broken than the beautiful, twenty-something Jennifer Hudson, who portrays the character. The musical backdrop of contemporary music from the likes of Alicia Keys and India.Aire, momentarily distracted me from the 1964 setting of the film. And I’d imagined a much more dramatic confrontation between Lily and her father toward the end.  

But too its credit, this film is not too far off and is a definite must see. Be prepared to laugh, cry and leave the theater feeling hopeful, honey.  

 

Peace and blessings,

S.Monette