Spellbound (2003) Rated: G for general audiences. Runtime: 95 mins. Director: Jeffrey Blitz Genre: Documentary
Tagline: Everyone Wants to Have the Last Word. Most memorable quote: "My life is like a movie -- there are trials and tribulations, and then I triumph"
Reel rating:
5/5
Frank's commentary: What would compel someone to consider a spelling bee as the subject of a movie is beyond me, but hey, it works in a big way here...........full review
Jubilant! Exciting! Triumphant! Sad! Tear-jerking! Suspenseful! I'm not describing the latest comic book concept turned big-budget action thriller nor am I touting any of the cookie-cutter-production sequels to hit the theaters recently. The most riveting – there I go again – flick to hit the box-office this summer is a little award-winning documentary from film maker Jeffrey Blitz called Spellbound. And in yet another deception, it is about, of all unlikely subjects, a spelling bee. What would compel someone to consider a spelling bee as the subject of a movie is beyond me, but hey, it works in a big way here. And big kudos to Blitz for making me understand.
Blitz opens the film as he introduces us to eight preteens from across the United States who will all compete in the National Spelling Bee held annually in Washington, D.C. One striking note is the diversity of backgrounds and personalities represented by the contestants. We meet Neil and Nupur, hard-driven children of well-to-do Indian immigrants. On the opposite end of the socio-economic spectrum is Ashley who lives in the housing projects of Washington, D.C. Angela was my hands-down favorite to win. Her parents are non-English speaking Mexican immigrants who came to America many years ago searching for a better way of life for themselves and their children. Ted is a burly bookworm from the Midwest who contrasts in a major way with Harry, an impish lad with more facial expressions than Jerry Lewis.
Regardless of economic status or ethnic background, one thing is common to all the contestants; each of them has a parent who beams with pride and delight at the accomplishment of their child. Blitz spends ample time with each family as he interviews brothers, sisters, moms and dads, most of whom will accompany their loved one to the competition. Some siblings were contestants in previous competitions and Blitz even manages to spend a little time with the winner of the first ever National Spelling Bee competition held in the 1920s.
For the most part, the parents are genuinely humbled by the accomplishments of their children. Take for instance the parents of April. Her father runs a bar in the steel country of Pennsylvania and her mother, a dead ringer for Mrs. Doubtfire, is the epitome of unbecoming gaiety. Ted's mother, who lives on a modest farm in Missouri, asks her son to show the camera how a peacock will turn flaccid when held by the legs.
But a few of the parents seems to be a little over the top with regards to how hard they push their children. In what seems like some mild form of acceptable child abuse, we meet Neil Kadakia's father, a successful businessman, who drills his son with up to 4000 words per day and is clearly the most disappointed when his son is eliminated.
What makes Spellbound work is the range of human emotions explored not only by the contestants but by the viewer as well. During one particular segment we follow Ashley as she struggles to spell her given word. Her hands shake and her breath quivers as we see her brain scrutinize the hours and hours of data. I found myself clenching my fists and holding my breath with each letter pronounced.
Almost every kid is an overachieving bookworm with high expectations. But all are smart enough to recognize and respect the competition, grounding themselves in the reality of the unlikelihood of victory. We, as viewers, want each of them to win. But more importantly we want each of them to surface from the madness with some of their sanity and drive to succeed intact. Upon elimination, each one professes self-pride yet in the same breath exclaims, "it's finally over…no more studying."
In the end I was left with a bit of an unsettled feeling. Kind of like watching kindergarten-age girls compete in beauty pageants and talent shows with make-up and lipstick. I'm not sure if competition of this magnitude is healthy or not, but it sure makes for a compelling movie.
Language and Sound: English: Dolby Digital 2.0 Stereo.
Extra Features: Color; interactive menus; scene access with music; trailer; filmmaker's commentary; bonus footage; actor updates; interactive game; educational guide.
Commentaries: Director Jeffrey Blitz, producer Sean Welch, editor Yana Gorskaya, and supervising sound editor Peter Brown collaborate for an interesting commentary track, including what spawned the idea of making the movie.
Bonus Footage: 25 minute segment about three additional kids who didn't make the final cut.
Actor Updates: Covers the lives of eight of the participants since filming ended.
Weblinks: DVD-Rom material - an educational guide and hangman type game.
Trailer: Original theatrical trailer.
Number of discs: 1 single-sided, dual-layered disk disc Packaging: Amaray case
Spellbound (2003)
