Bee Season

Directed by Scott McGehee and David Siegel

Twentieth Century Fox

2 stars



Fans of the documentary “Spellbound” or those eagerly anticipating the Scripps National Spelling Bee each year are not going to get their fix of competitive dictionary memorization from the new Richard Gere film, “Bee Season.” Frustratingly, this adaptation of Myla Goldberg’s novel focuses more on spiritual exploration and family tribulation than on silent “e”s and phonemes.

Gere is Saul Naumann, a cocky, self-absorbed father who demands perfection in his son, Aaron (Max Minghella), and wife, Miriam (Juliette Binoche). He points out a spot his wife misses on a pot she cleans, he obnoxiously corrects his son on minor details, and he never pays attention to his introverted daughter, Eliza (Flora Cross)—that is, until she wins the local spelling bee.

Saul, a theology professor, insists that his daughter’s spelling powers are intrinsically connected to Jewish mysticism, which, of course, means her powers would be best spent in winning the national spelling bee. As he refocuses the household on his daughter, his wife develops a severe anxiety disorder and his son begins a religious exploration of his own. Each member of the family seems to have an identity crisis and the plot partially hinges on whether the family can pull through as a whole.

The movie’s awkward script incessantly repeats the negative father theme with its unnecessarily shrill dialogue. Despite forced lines and a one dimensional character, Gere’s portrait of a stolid philosopher reevaluating his ideology connects with all the emotional force the thespian can muster.

Miriam is the most captivating character, thanks to Binoche’s ability to portray her intense internal conflicts. In the many close-ups of Binoche’s face, one can clearly read the character’s pain. One such moment is when she watches her son drive away on his bike after he turns down her offer for a ride. Her performance is the lens through which viewers can connect to the family’s struggle.

Ultimately, the movie’s major flaw is its overly complex Judaic discourse. Saul’s long lectures transport you home to Harvard with hinged chalkboards and wildly gesturing professors. And without the threat of a final exam looming over our heads, there’s nothing to force a student audience to pay attention to the new words and foreign concepts.

While some of the theological ideas in which Saul instructs his students and daughter add an interesting philosophical dimension to the movie, the directors and screenwriters spend too much time establishing the complicated religious background, hindering the audience’s appreciation of the narrative. Trying to weave both character development and philosophical discussion may have worked in Goldberg’s novel, but falls apart in the film adaptation.

The central theme of the movie, of insignificant parts coming together to form a whole of immeasurable meaning—letters make words and individuals form relationships—doesn’t translate well into a movie that is actually enjoyable to watch. The introduction of too many story lines leaves the audience feeling incomplete, and in the end, there is no gratifying resolution. “Bee Season” had the potential to be a lesson-filled heart-warming family film, but in the end it misspells success and is probably one to pass over in this rich cinematic season.