Akeelah and the Bee
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Why does this film remind us of The Karate Kid? Host Cecelia Sutton has more.
Why does this film remind us of The Karate Kid? Host Cecelia Sutton has more.
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Akeelah and the Bee
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Why does this film remind us of The Karate Kid? Host Cecelia Sutton has more.
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Hey, friends.
My name is Cecelia, and I'm here to present my web extra on the 2006 American drama film “Akeelah and the Bee”.
When watching the film, I couldn't help but be reminded of The Karate Kid substitute Ralph Macchio for Keke Palmer nixed the karate in favor of a spelling bee, and the stories are eerily similar.
Perhaps this is what critic Anna Smith was seeing when she labeled the plot as “formulaic”.
Akeelah and the Bee is a classic feel good film.
The protagonist perseveres through insurmountable obstacles.
Yet the film ends with a satisfying conclusion.
The filmmakers didn't attempt to circumvent the audience's expectations whatsoever, choosing instead to tell a story of triumph with a little black girl in the lead role.
I wasn't the only one who saw the similarities with The Karate Kid.
Justin Chang, a film critic with variety, commented that, quote, “The movie plays like Karate Kid with a pro literacy agenda, pushing all the right emotional buttons while hitting a few wrong ones in the process.” End quote, the “wrong ones” he was referring to center around the depiction of the antagonists authoritarian father.
While the filmmakers were attempting to sidestep black stereotypes that may have just substituted one cliche for another.
Director of Akeelah and the Bee, Doug Atchison set out to create a film with children of color in mind.
He aspired to dismantle lies of black inferiority that are commonly perpetrated through film and television by telling a story of black excellence.
Despite this, there was some controversy after the film's debut surrounding the themes of race.
The film was criticized for strengthening ideals of whiteness rather than dismantling them.
Kathryn Linder, the research director from Oregon State University, wrote an article in 2016 arguing that the film is only inspirational because Akeelah achieves educational success as it is defined by white culture.
I think this argument has some substance.
This thought occurred to me as I watched the first meeting between Akeelah and Doctor Larabee, played by Laurence Fishburne.
Doctor Larabee forbids Akeelah from using slang words and black vernacular.
This, to me, felt like an effort to encourage Akeelah to act in accordance with whiteness and give up the part of her language that was created by her upbringing in a predominantly black neighborhood.
Now, I'm not sure if this was included as a commentary on the way that black children are discouraged from speaking in their unique dialect, or if it is an example of it.
Black vernacular continues to suffer from consistent social stigma because it is considered to be inferior to a “standard” English dialect.
Still, the same voices condemning the language of everyday Black Americans are the ones who will throw on a blaccent for entertainment purposes.
Discourse aside, I thoroughly enjoyed this film.
My inner child was jumping for joy watching Akeelah discover her greatness.
I hope that Doug Atchison, wherever he is, knows that 20 years later, his film is still inspiring young BIPOC people to rise to their potential.
With that, I have concluded my web extra on the 2006 American drama film Akeelah and the Bee.
Tune in to Saturday Night Cinema every Saturday on KSPS PBS to watch this film and many others.
Check back here to learn more about upcoming showings.
My name is Cecelia and I'll see you next time.
Bye.
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