Flora cross and richard gere cast a spell in bee season. It follows the lives of a semidysfunctional jewish family and. Mar 27, 2008 in the movie bee season, richard gere tells his daughter who is a spelling whiz that words express primal energy and when you permute the letters it takes you beyond yourself. Three of the four family members, each blessed in their own way, struggle to live in the world while their spirits seek to discover their eternal homethe one which defines us all. Sep 03, 2005 richard gere talks bee season julian roman nov 10, 2005. Nov 10, 2005 competition proves unhealthy for the naumann family after young eliza flora cross success in a spelling bee unwittingly stirs up her fathers richard gere passion for jewish mysticism, her brothers max minghella religious rebellion, and her mothers juliette binoche secret problem. The film was directed by scott mcgehee and david siegel and written by naomi foner gyllenhaal. Now preparing for the national spelling bee, and with her family. Richard gere and susan sarandon talk shall we dance. The only real similarity akeelah and the bee has to last seasons bee season is the outstanding performance of its young star. Dad saul richard gere is a kabbalist professor who puts his energies into sixth grade spelling prodigy eliza flora cross and convinces himself that she might become someone who can really connect to god. A film by david siegel and scott mcgehee with juliette binoche.
Rent bee season 2005 starring richard gere and juliette binoche on dvd and bluray. Also, most of the other actors and characters are uninvolving and even annoying sometimes. Theres nothing useful or interesting in this promotional piece. With richard gere, juliette binoche, flora cross, max minghella. Goodbar 1977 and a starring role in days of heaven 1978. To say the movie revolves around the four members of a family is to miss its point. Bee season seems like an innocent movie that shows the importance of love in family life, especially if the family is growing apart. All that changes when she wins the spelling bee, much to the surprise of everyone. A wife and mother begins a downward emotional spiral, as her husband avoids their collapsing marriage by immersing himself in his 11 yearold daughters quest to become a spelling bee champion.
But winning the school spelling bee could be her chance to make an impression. But as elizas success continues, sauls newfound devotion grows causing huge changes for the entire family. When a spelling bee threatens to reaffirm her mediocrity, eliza amazes everyone. In addition to spelling bees which the title alludes to, bee season explores. Elevenyearold eliza flora cross is the invisible element of her family unit her mother and father played by juliette binoche and richard gere are both consumed with work and busy. Original and intriguing but too often frustrating, bee season falls victim to its own obsession with words. Saul naumann richard gere is a professor at berkeley, specializing in jewish theology and the kabbalah. Bee season needs more spelling and less, way less withering looks and tears. Movies about spelling bees are not necessarily the stuff investing dreams are made of one has only to look at the richard gere film bee season 2005. Bee season is not only a movie about meditation, but it is also itself a meditation. Below i have an interpretation of this movie, but youre better off seeing the movie before you read this because if you read my understanding of the movie, it might just ruin it for you. Bee season dvd, 2006, dual side for sale online ebay. Elevenyearold eliza flora cross is the invisible element of her family unit her mother and father played by juliette binoche and richard.
Saul neglects his son aaron max minghella, who looks elsewhere for meaning and finds it in hari krishna devotee chali kate bosworth. If you are into spirituality and your inner connections, this movie is a must see. A featurette called the making of bee season runs five minutes, 30 seconds. When you hire a big star like juliette binocheher wanderings are introduced too early, thats going to happen. Possibly the worst richard gere movie ever and thats saying something. In the naumann household, 11yearold eliza flora cross feels she has little to offer in a family of overachievers. Their struggles begin to manifest when the daughter wins the local spelling bee. Eliza naumann flora cross has no reason to believe she is anything but ordinary. May 31, 2006 its time for the annual 78th annual scripps howard national spelling bee fascinating television for the inner geek in us all. It includes movie clips and comments from actors richard gere, juliette binoche, max minghella and flora cross.
Oct, 2004 richard gere and susan sarandon on shall we dance something is missing in the life of john clark, he just cant figure out exactly what it is until he follows a beautiful dancer, jennifer. Not to mention, richard gerein the book, i imagined saul naumann as a cross between mr. A drama about dysfunction, spelling bees, mental illness, hare krishnas. Elevenyearold eliza flora cross is the invisible element of her family unit her mother and father played by juliette binoche and richard gere are both consumed with work and busy avoiding. Bee season involves one of those crazy families that cluster around universities. This family is consumed with finding god, but they all look outside of the family to find it, and in the. He began in films in the 1970s, playing a supporting role in looking for mr. It is a movie about a spiritual choice that calls everyones bluff. Her success brings new purpose to the life of her father saul richard gere, a religious professor, but at the same time, it drives a wedge into the family.
Rent bee season 2005 on dvd and bluray dvd netflix. The movie bee season offers some deepand unintendedinsights into american religion today. His wife miriam juliette binoche, emotionally wounded by the early loss of her own parents, slips into the homes of strangers to steal small glittering things. They give us basic notes about the characters and thats it. Using the national spelling bee as a framework, richard gere. Her father saul richard gere, a religious studies professor, sees something. Elevenyearold eliza flora cross is the invisible element of her family unit her mother and father played by juliette binoche and richard gere are. In fact, the problem in the novel, as well as with the movie is miriam, the distant. Released 2005, bee season stars richardgere, juliettebinoche, floracross, maxminghella the pg movie has a runtime of about 1 hr 45 min, and received a score of 54 out of 100 on metacritic. Oct 04, 20 adapted from the novel by myla goldberg, bee season tells the story of a family whose turmoil is brought to the surface by a young girls unexpected talent. Competition proves unhealthy for the naumann family after young eliza flora cross success in a spelling bee unwittingly stirs up her fathers richard gere passion for jewish mysticism, her brothers max minghella religious rebellion, and her mothers juliette binoche secret problem. It opens your eyes and your heart so much love when we all connect. I believe he was talking about engaging the observer and he was teaching her from the kabbalah, showing her how god creates through words. Eliza naumann flora cross demonstrates such an amazing gift for spelling any word given to her that her father saul gere insists on coaching her himself.
As eliza trains for the pressurepacked national spelling bee in washington d. It tells the story of akeelah anderson keke palmer, an 11yearold girl who participates in the scripps national spelling bee, her mother angela bassett, her schoolmates, and her coach, dr. Saul naumann richard gere helps his daughter eliza study for the spelling bee actually, the film based loosely on the bestselling novel of the same name by myla goldberg starts somewhat as. Elevenyearold eliza flora cross is the invisible element of her family unit her mother and father played by juliette binoche. See more ideas about richard gere, movie stars and actor. Competing for the approval of her parents a professor of jewish mysticism richard gere and a dedicated scientist juliette binoche 11yearold eliza naumann flora cross is used to appearing ordinary.
I just saw a movie called bee season, with richard gere and juliette binoche. When we first meet this fourperson clan father saul richard gere, mother mimi. In bee season, flora cross stole the show from both richard gere and juliette binoche, while in akeelah and the bee it is keke palmer who steals the mighty thunder of laurence fishburne and angela bassett. Bee season 2005 in the naumann household, 11yearold eliza flora cross feels she has little to offer in a family of overachievers. Her newfound gift garners an invitation not only to the national competition, but an entree into the world of words and jewish mysticism. Is the movie bee season with richard gere good answers. Akeelah and the bee is a 2006 american drama film written and directed by doug atchison. The regional bee was filmed at the albany high school gym. Using the national spelling bee as a framework, richard gere, juliette binoche and young. Also seen is the downtown section on park street in alameda, california.
The movie is not really about spelling bees or mysticism or anything else. Sipping frappuccinos with akeelah and the bee lgf, sbux. The movie is just as unwieldy as it sounds, except that it also stars richard gere. Richard gere stars in this gripping tale about a father obsessed with training his talented daughter for the national spelling bee. Nov 10, 2005 although this gift gets her into the national finals, bee season is not a movie about spelling bees. Is the movie bee season with richard gere good answers bee season 2005 is based on the myla goldberg novel by the same name. Bee season is a 2005 american drama film adaptation of the 2000 novel of the same name by myla goldberg.
Bee season by scott mcgehee, david siegel richard gere. Nov 11, 2005 adapted from the novel by myla goldberg, bee season tells the story of a family whose turmoil is brought to the surface by a young girls unexpected talent. It was probably the smartest movie ive seen in some time. Adapted from the novel by myla goldberg, bee season tells the story of a family whose turmoil is brought to the surface by a young girls unexpected talent. Richard gere, juliette binoche, flora cross en max minghella. When daughter eliza flora cross wins her class spelling bee, they embark. All that changes when she wins the spelling bee, much to the. Saul naumann richard gere helps his daughter eliza study for the spelling bee. Richard gere talks bee season julian roman nov 10, 2005. Myla goldbergs 2000 novel bee season was made into a 2005 movie with richard gere. Plot summary in the naumann household, 11yearold eliza flora cross feels she has little to offer in a family of overachievers.
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