Bee Season (2005)

rarely have i seen such a wonderful, touching and deep movie. i think it is a masterpiece about the human condition and the human relationships. it has some amazing imagery and i simply loved the idea of it all. the fact that people can be so close and yet so far apart, that one can try and mend one's life but capturing the light...or can hear the voice of God through words it is so ingenious and beautiful! i loved loved loved the movie and i sincerely recommend it to all those who believe in the light of the spirit and to those who love the mystery of life. the actors were convincing and the kids just beautiful. it is a story about the human quest of the holy grail; they search it in different ways but in fact it's the same thing. the one who makes it is the the purest at heart. a modern fairy tale about the search of the human soul...just beautiful!

Fmovies: Perhaps I wasn't in a particularly patient mood when I rented this flick, however I just couldn't finish it after an hour. The actors had no chemistry whatsoever. I adore Juliette Binoche, but there was no tension/attraction/emotion between her and her supposed husband played by Richard Gere. Richard Gere did not suit the role of a Jewish, brooding intellectual. Flora Cross was interesting and quirky, but again her relationship with other characters seemed forced. (I must say that I am a large fan of the chin cleft, it's a wonderful thing...). The entire book was dumbed down, the magic was rendered laughable. I suggest you spare yourself the experience.

No one of the characters acquires the slightest level of credibility in this failed attempt to produce a movie with a touch of transcendence. The first philosophical comments by Richard Gere promise -at least for the connoisseur- a glimpse into the deeper side of human life that, unfortunately, never comes to get going in this insipid movie. The presence of French Juliette Binoche -a delightful actress- is insufficient to get this movie out of the hole of inconsistency and nonsense. Nothing seems real, the characters are completely undeveloped. The audience is deluded into believe that this movie is going to tell something insightful about Inner quest, mystic search and emotional alienation in close relationships. The movie seems a failed try to mix the American look with the European touch in movie making.The author, director ad crew, must keep looking to produce something meaningful of the sort. Richard Gere (as well as has happened to Kevin Costner) needs to find a way out of this dreadful trail of later. His fans -and I am one of them- are sill waiting!

Bee Season fmovies. I saw this film last night at the Toronto Film Festival. I am a fan of the book, and wondered how the story could be successfully adapted as a film. I worried that the ideas were too complicated, the characters too subtle, to make the transition. When I heard that Richard Gere was going to play the role of the father, I had more serious doubts. (Richard Gere playing a Jew? Almost as ridiculous as Melanie Griffith!) But I needn't have worried. The film is nearly a masterpiece. A subtle, emotional journey through a world of spelling bees, Hare Krishna, Kaballah, Kleptomania, and the gorgeously rendered interior spaces of the imagination. Beautiful, original special effects, delightful characters, great acting. The girl who plays the daughter is excellent, as are the other actors. Juliette Binoche is heartbreaking and mysterious, Richard Gere is perfectly cast as the self-absorbed (Jewish!) father, and Anthony Minghella's son is also in the movie, believe it or not, and he's very good.

There are changes from the book. But the overall feeling is very similar. The movie is neither as funny or as dark as Myla Goldberg's novel. But the end might be more emotionally satisfying. See for yourself! You won't be disappointed if you approach with an open mind. Not for the cynical, or for the action film junkie, but I found this a delightful, rich, and emotional journey. Definitely a 10! Put it on the Oscar watch.

I know most people don't give this movie a very good review and that's unfortunate. It is a very deep movie and the viewer is made to think. It's not the kind of movie where everything falls into place and everything ends up happily ever after. If that is the kind of movie you like then this one is not for you. If you like a movie that is deep and has a very serious story line then this is the one.

I will try to put this in as simple terms possible; the story is mostly based around Saul Naumann, the father (Richard Gere) and his daughter Eliza (Flora Cross) both superbly acted by the way. Saul is a professor on the Jewish Religion and he very much wants to get closer to God but is unable to. Saul is a very domineering husband and father, very self-centered, so is unable to see the problems that are dividing the family, or maybe he sees it and doesn't want to admit it.

When his daughter begins to win at spelling bees he thinks that somehow Eliza is linked with God and that is how she sees the word and can spell it correctly. He begins teaching her like she was one of his students by using the thesis he wrote to become a professor. In this thesis it lays out the plan to get closer to God, he tried it for himself but couldn't, so he decides to try it on his daughter.

Saul's wife Miriam (Juliette Binoche) has many problems stemming back from the time her parents were killed in an auto accident when she was a young girl. I'm not going to go into specifics here but if you pay close attention to the scene where he is talking to his class you will understand how this is linked to Miriam's problem and how she has decided to solve it. Also pay attention to the scenes where I'm assuming they were fist married (flash backs) and he is explaining to Miriam the same thing he has been talking about with his class in that scene I mentioned. Because Saul is so domineering and self-centered he doesn't realize that she even has a problem until it all explodes and he finally becomes aware of what she is doing. Miriam tries to explain to Saul why she did what she did and if you listen closely to what she says you will understand.

The son Aaron (Max Minghella) has a good relationship with his father and is shown a lot of attention by him until Saul begins to spend more and more time with Eliza. I think Aaron may be a little jealous of Eliza because she is now getting all the attention but I don't think that is his real problem. I think he also wants to get closer to God and is not sure how so begins exploring other avenues other religions. He becomes involved with another religion and feels this may be what he has been looking for. When Saul finds this out all hell breaks loose and he finally realizes that the whole family has many problems.

Meanwhile Eliza thinks she is the reason for all that is happened and tries to converse with God to correct it. By this time Saul is convinced that God is interacting with Eliza when they go to the final spelling bee, The Nationals.

This is just a very basic outline of the movie, of course I have left out a lot of the movie because I don't want to give too much away and you should see this for yourself and come to your own conclusions. Give this movie a chance and I think you will like it.

BEE SEASON is a strange little film that seems to polarize the public. Though many have dismissed it as fragmentary and superficial, taking the time to bear down on the issues merely touched upon yields an emotional as well as spiritual experience not often found in films. With a cast that includes Juliette Binouche and Richard Gere there should be a hint there may be more to the film than a quick glance might reveal.

Based on the highly successful novel by Myla Goldberg the story enters the household of a family of four: Saul (Richard Gere) is the father who is a professor of spiritual studies; Miriam (Juliette Binouche) is the mother suffering with demons from her past loss of her parents as a child leading her to grow without an intact family; Eliza (Flora Cross) is the daughter who seems content to watch TV instead of paying attention to her schooling; and Aaron (Max Minghella) is the son who excels at playing the cello and who is the focus of his father's life. When it is discovered that Eliza has a penchant for spelling and wins a spelling bee the focus of this family abruptly changes. Suddenly Saul moves his attention to Eliza, convinced that she has the power of the influx of God-knowledge (shefa) described by the Kabbalist Abraham Abulafia. This leads to his prepping her for her constant victories at spelling bees, but it also leaves Aaron without focus and he responds by seeking first Christianity then Hare Krishna for the meaning of his life. At the same time Miriam becomes more isolated and secretive and enters a state of depression that reflects her childhood loss and the need to accumulate 'things' in a number of ways that border on mental breakdown.

The film is best viewed, by the way, by first watching the featurette about the reasons for the making of the film - a wise commentary that gives us enough philosophical background to appreciate the message of the story that seemingly has eluded directors Scott McGehee and David Siegel. Watching the explanation of how religions all act to provide frameworks that should help individuals to piece together the fragments of existence that have been given to us as our lives serves to bring into focus how each of the four characters in this story is each on that journey for meaning. Once viewed, this featurette makes the movie far more meaningful and enjoyable.

The screenplay by Naomi Foner Gyllenhaal (yes, the mother of Maggie and Jake) is minimalist in technique of writing, giving just enough information about the big questions to make us work to paste the story together. The cinematography by Giles Nuttgens and special effects by Sean House are used extraordinarily well to underline the mysticism that permeates the film's story. Peter Nashel's musical score accompanies the otherworldly atmosphere that helps to bring the audience into the mood of the film.

This may not be a great film, but it is a unique one that calls upon the audience to think and free-associate with the characters, each of whom is well enacted by a strong cast. Well worth viewing. Grady Harp