You may be unable to suspend your disbelief during the opening moments of "Akeelah and the Bee", which premiered last week during the Tribeca Film Festival. From the moment that Keke Palmer, an Emmy nominated actress at twelve, hits the screen, her intelligence and that of her character "Akeelah" is evident. Yet, we learn that Akeelah is a failing student who is in danger of being sentenced to a long stretch in detention for cutting classes. She does, however, get 100% on all her spelling tests. Soon it begins to dawn on you that you recognize this type of character. We've all know them, or are them: They are bright, attractive, funny, smart individuals who never seem able to ever live up to their potential. Akeelah is compelled by her teacher and her principal to get her act together. They essentially force her to enter the school spelling bee. It is her only other option besides going to detention. Not too surprisingly, she wins the school bee and is again forced to compete, this time in the district competition. Her teacher pushes her because she believes in Akeelah's potential. Her principal pushes her because he believes in the potential good publicity her winning would generate for his school. Again, Akeelah wins and is encouraged to enter the regional spelling bee. By this point, though, Akeelah has sort of had it, has internalized some of the criticism she's received from a couple of school bullies who envy her academic prowess, and is none too keen on entering another competition.

The picture starts to come into clearer focus at this point and we begin to realize the reasons behind Akeelah's under-achievement: Akeelah is susceptible to peer pressure and is afraid of being labeled a "brainiac". When we follow her home, the picture really sharpens. Akeelah's father is deceased, and the sensitive girl that she is, Akeelah regularly talks to his picture as if he were still sitting there beside her. It soon becomes apparent that she has inherited her love of words from him.

Akeelah's mother, played by Angela Bassett, preoccupied with worrying about her troubled brother, still seems to be grieving her dead husband. Emotionally, she has nothing left for Akeelah. So taken is she by her own worries and responsibilities that Akeelah's advancement in the world of spelling competitions is more of a threat than anything else. It is just another task that she must add to her already over-scheduled life. She is comfortable with the status quo; Akeelah goes to school, comes home, does her homework, eats her dinner and goes to bed. She has no room for deviation — not even for positive things like spelling bees — so Akeelah's mother insists that she NOT enter the competition.

Akeelah, whose fire for competition has been stoked by her accidentally stumbling upon a broadcast of the National Spelling Bee, defies her mother. She begins studying in secret with the help of Javier, a competitor from a better school and better neighborhood who befriends her and eventually falls for her, and Professor Joshua Larabee (Laurence Fishburne). Larabee is a talented yet troubled figure. Himself a former spelling bee competitor, he agrees to help Akeelah as a favor to his friend, the principal of Akeelah's school. What distinguishes this film from many others in this genre is that the mentor figure, Larabee, is also Black. In fact, Doug Atchison, the writer and director of the film explains in an article on movienet.com that he had to fight the studio executives in order to have Professor Larabee's character remain Black, as he had originally written it. What is also unique about the film is that it challenges the popularly held notion that academic achievement is generally proscribed in the working class Black community. Although there are a few minor characters who try to stand in Akeelah's way, the community for the most part, is proud of her, rooting for her success, and willing to do what they can to help her win. As the saying goes, it takes a village to raise a child and this movie illustrates that point brilliantly. It is not until her family and community start to put their money where their mouths are, and put in the necessary time and attention, that Akeelah begins to flourish.

The characters, especially those of the children, are well developed and the casting is superb. The viewer cannot help but have strong feelings for them. This movie will make you laugh, and will touch your heart. It is absolutely worth going out to see and is as valuable as it is enjoyable for the whole family. "Akeelah and the Bee" is playing in a theater near you. Go out and see it!

PHOTO (COLOR): Akeelah Anderson (Keke Palmer) and Dr. Larabee (Laurence Fishburne, background) in "Akeelah and The Bee."

PHOTO (COLOR): Akeelah Anderson (Keke Palmer) and Tayna Anderson (Angela Bassett) in "Akeelah and The Bee."

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By Nadine Matthews, Special to the AmNews