Spellbound (2002) User Reviews

The Thrill Of The Bee

[flickershows · 8/10 · 9 August 2004]

NOTE TO SELF: No typos allowed in this review!

I was an excellent speller in school. I thought I was still pretty good now...until the pre-teen dynamos in 'Spellbound' left me in the dust. As 'Bowling For Columbine's chief competition for the 2002 Best Documentary Oscar, this modest gem about 8 contenders for the '99 National Spelling Bee is thrilling. Read that sentence again. A documentary about spelling is thrilling. Wow! How? Is it gripping to see a kid standing in front of a microphone, desperately trying to figure out how to spell words that most of us can't even pronounce? You bet it is. Who needs guns and explosions? THIS is tension.

When one of the girls crumbles and misspells a word, my heart sank. Really, how can you not root for all of these kids? Each entrant in the competition is a super-smart youngster, and it's not cheesy to say they're all winners for having gotten to the National Bee in the first place. Director Jeffrey Blitz can't focus on all of the spellers, so he chooses to highlight 5 girls and 3 boys. We see them at home as they & their families give us the low-down on what makes these brainiacs tick. Then it's off to the Bee, where it's high drama as errors are made and the field is whittled down, one by one.

I was cheering for all of Blitz's star spellers, but Harry Altman was my favourite. He's a hyperactive weirdo and I liked him immediately. Harry is the stand-out oddball in a group of diligent, nerdy types who share the stage. As engaging as he is, it's wonderful that this contest allows for quiet, shy, so-called geeks to be stars. This is the Super Bowl for scholars and it showcases kids from all backgrounds. Plus, there are about as many girls as there are boys. Truly, if you're a great speller, that's good enough.

'Spellbound' is the rare documentary that's more entertaining than it is informative. The kids reveal a great deal about themselves in the interviews, but the film is always building to the climactic moment when one of the last two children makes a mistake and the other wins the crown. You might be surprised by the result, although you shouldn't be. It's almost a 'Hoosiers' moment when the winning speller clinches the title. Every single kid in this movie is a better speller than anybody I know. If they want a job, I could use a proof-reader...even if that proof-reader is a lot smarter than me.

Wizard film, weird country

[paul2001sw-1 · 8/10 · 15 April 2005]

In one sense, the U.S. National Spelling Bee is a strange thing, a freakish competition for freaks to take part in, and designed to make them only more freakish. You don't have to understand the words to win, you merely have to spell them, and the winner would seem to have proved little else than their willingness to work hard for no social benefit, and their ability to withstand extreme pressure. Make no mistake, the kids featured in this documentary are bright and talented, but one can't help but wonder whether such ruthless competition, or the attitude that they are in some sense a "gifted" elite, is really good for society or for the individuals themselves.

But it's not the competition that makes 'Spellbound', a documentary about 1999's contest, so gripping (we follow eight of the 249 finalists, but the film is sympathetic to them all, and does not encourage us to set one against the rest). Rather, this comes from the way the 'Spellbound' reminds us what a diverse country America is: ethnically, socially, physically. These kids come from all over, and while on one hand we see a very unusual slice of American life in this film, it's nonetheless a surprisingly broad one. Some of the contrasts are obvious: a family of Indian descent say that in America, if you work hard, you will succeed; but we also meet a family of Mexican descent (who consider that they have worked hard and succeeded, but who have little compared with the Indians), and a black family in a grim district of Washington (arguably failing to thrive after several hundred years). Yet in spite of their differences, their children are all (give or take the final few words) as good as each other (at least when it comes to spelling). Today, social mobility in America is lower than in Europe; but the old American dream, it seems, lives on in the spelling bee. And although the extreme preparation of most competitors appears to place a ludicrously inflated value on the work ethic, and though some (though not all) of the parents are frighteningly pushy, there's also something quite sweet, in this age of guns and violence, in such a fierce competition fought only with words.

'Spellbound' is filmed without tricks, or any special artiness, but nonetheless offers an unexpected insight into contemporary American society. But please let us not copy them and bring the bee back here!

A surprisingly suspenseful and compelling documentary

[FilmOtaku · 9/10 · 21 July 2004]

When one says that they are excited to see a documentary on the 8th graders' National Spelling Bee, that person is met with a look and an `Oooookaaaay….' I was on the receiving end of these looks for the last two years when I wanted to see `Spellbound', Jeffrey Blitz's 2002 documentary about the `spelling elite'. I finally got my wish recently and was thrilled that it met (and exceeded) my high expectations for the film.

For `Spellbound', Blitz traveled around the United States and chose eight competitors, aged 11-14, to profile before the eventual climax of the actual spelling bee. We see the home lives of the eight students, who range from poverty to upper middle class affluence, single parent families, and two-parent homes. There are even Archie and Edith Bunker reincarnated as the parents of one girl, and another girl whose parents, though having lived in the United States for over twenty years, don't speak English. Though these students come from fairly different backgrounds, they seem to be treated slightly different because of their intelligence, and therefore descend upon Washington D.C. for the Spelling Bee with a commonality.

`Spellbound' is Jeffrey Blitz's first film and he already exhibits a masterful eye for the documentary genre. Though the profiles are fairly routine, the second half of the film, the Spelling Bee itself, is so compelling that I felt the same effect as your average suspense film. The viewer is naturally led to pick a `favorite', though not guided to any specific child. My `favorite' was knocked out fairly early and I truly felt something. There is nothing fancy about the camera work, there are no stark white backgrounds or a Phillip Glass score, or a reactionary topic. What I felt while watching this film was that I was sitting among the audience and letting the camera be my guide – one of the most important elements of a good documentary film.

Whether you think the subject matter isn't worthy of an hour and a half treatment, or didn't notice it in the year of `Bowling for Columbine' (which beat `Spellbound' to win the Best Documentary Oscar for 2003) I would recommend picking up this film. It's heart breaking at times, but mostly, inspirational because some of these kids have more maturity in one arm than a lot of adults I know, and their grace under pressure is both awe-inspiring and something to aspire to.

--Shelly

Fact More Compelling than Fiction

[Buddy-51 · 13 March 2004]

If you need proof that fact is indeed more compelling than fiction, look no further than `Spellbound,' a fascinating and aptly named documentary centered on that great American competition for brainiacs known as the National Spelling Bee.

In designing his film, director Jeffrey Blitz has chosen to focus on eight competitors from widely varying racial, geographical and socioeconomic backgrounds, interviewing them and their families before, during and after the competition. In the first half of the film he introduces us to each of the contestants, giving us behind-the-scenes glimpses into their home lives, their study techniques, their aspirations and their attitudes towards competition and the value of dedication and hard work. The common denominators these eight individuals all share are intelligence, drive, determination and a supportive family structure. Even though the pressure of the experience seems almost too much for any youngster to bear, all of these participants come across as levelheaded, sensible individuals who manage to keep it all in a healthy perspective. The parents, too, seem reasonable in their expectations, encouraging their children without placing undue pressure on them – and beaming with justifiable pride at their amazing progeny. Yet, for all their seeming `nerdness' and gift for articulation, Blitz makes it clear that these kids are really just kids (albeit highly gifted ones) after all.

In the second half of the film, we move to the competition itself, watching as all except one of the people we have come to know over the course of the film eventually become eliminated (Blitz had the grand good fortune of choosing the eventual winner as one of his subjects). The scenes at the competition itself provide more edge-of-the-seat suspense than a truckload of fictional Hollywood thrillers. You'll find your mind and heart racing as each child endeavors to spell out the arcane, tongue-tying words chosen by the officials for the competition. Throughout the proceedings, the audience is on as much of an emotional roller coaster as the participants and their families. As a filmmaker, Blitz knows that the human face is really a map revealing what is taking place inside our hearts and minds and this he captures with uncanny precision as the children sweat, tear up, furrow their brows and even in some cases act out their thought processes in humorously absurd muggery while formulating their answers.

`Spellbound' succeeds in its twofold purpose: to honor that commitment to competition that has defined what it means to be an American and to demonstrate that achieving in a competitive field using one's mind can be just as exciting and rewarding as achieving one's greatness on a court, field or gridiron. That's a message all too rarely conveyed by American culture.

Watching this film, you will indeed be spellbound.

Jon Monsarrat review: flawless

[johnnymonsarrat · 9/10 · 20 May 2004]

Spellbound is a surprisingly moving film, because it is not really about spelling, but about hopes and dreams. There's a lot of love in the film, and it's interesting how different families have different approaches... all the way from hands-off parents to parents hiring drill coaches. The film does a good job of showing the backgrounds of the kids and presenting their personalities. I found myself trying to spell right along with them (unsuccessfully).

Spelling bees promote the worst kind of rote learning, especially when the kids are faced with words they will never use in real life. That's thousands of hours either totally wasted or to be less critical, hours that could have been put to better use, for example, learning creative writing or public speaking. Even so, as one parent says, this is practice to form a habit of perseverance for the future.

The pacing and music were perfect, the way the challenge was presented was clear and straightforward. Excellent film.

Who should see this film:

-- Kids of all ages

-- Everyone else. It's not at all boring.

I'll give Spellbound a perfect 10 out of 10.

a great film

[canadude · 9/10 · 31 May 2004]

"Spellbound" is one of those documentaries that isn't soaked with politics or social dilemmas, but it is touches on them indirectly. It's the story of 8 kids from all over the United States, their study habits, lives, relationships with parents and personal beliefs, views and opinions. And how they make it to the National Spelling Bee Contest.

These stories are all incredibly touching - my favorite is about one of the girls' grandfathers who illegally crossed the border into the U.S., got held at a detention center, then, finally accepted into the US, worked really hard and finally now, in his old age is able to say that he is happy. That he saw his kids get great education and good opportunities; essentially that all his hard work didn't go to waste.

The film is also tense - it communicates the tension inherent in any contest quite effectively here. By acquainting the viewer with the children before the contest an empathy is established and you find yourself rooting for them. You may not even realize it until, towards the end of the film, the filmmakers throw in a brief interview with a young, Jesus-freak kid and I didn't care which one of the eight kids featured in the documentary won as long as he didn't. I got what some would call "passionate" about the outcome of the contest.

Needless to say, it's a great story. It explores the tensions of fitting in at school, parental pressure, competitiveness and hobby/interest becoming an obsession. Some have said that it is a film about America, but I wouldn't venture as far. The film says far too little about the origins and history behind the Spelling Bee contest to be about an "American phenomenon," much less about a "phenomenon" of any kind. It's a film about one Spelling Bee, but even more so about eight kids who compete in it. And their parents and siblings and teachers. It's easy as hell to get a rush of memories from childhood watching this film, and it's oftentimes easy to cringe at the intensity of the entire affair. But, all in all, "Spellbound" is a great documentary which doesn't belittle its subject, but gives it its fullest attention - the product is a tense, funny and dramatic film about kids bonding over a common obsession, while aggressively competing. Logorrhea.

Not spelled e-x-p-o-s-e'

[ThurstonHunger · 7/10 · 16 May 2004]

When this first came out and received rave reviews, I wanted to see it...especially after watching (for the first time) a large portion of the Scripps-Howard spelling bee on ESPN. Seeing that (heavily edited) contest on TV affected my reaction to this film, even though they were separate contests.

I still think the film is fine, and would recommend it. Heck anything championing (or "chapmioning") an aspect of education, and looking at kids as positive and intelligent is a step in the right direction in my mind. There are playful pokes at the contestants and their paths to the national bee, but comparisons here to "Best in Show" I think are a bit misguided, if not malevolent.

The first half of the film is basically a set of human interest stories as we meet the contestants that will be followed through the second half of the film and the national competition. In dealing with the children and their families, the directors mostly use kid gloves. This is not a scathing Frontline documentary, indeed part of me wonders how how much if any funding from Scripps the filmmakers got and/or continue to receive. Maybe I'm just too suspicious, or too accustomed to documentaries that blow either a whistle or my mind.

The competition itself is tense, but to me what I saw on ESPN last year was far more nerve-wracking. I can only imagine what the rounds are like in person... In the film, the kids' intelligence breeds a sort of pragmatism. There's an element of luck built into the event, as there is in sports and in life.

Still the techniques the kids utilize and the preparation they undergo is often fascinating. The United Spellers of Benetton do showcase an American strength of multiculturalism. Indeed the words themselves underscore the importance of foreign origins. On the flip side, Emily Stagg's father (an import here himself) politely questions America's overriding concern with competition. We do see examples of how competition can be a beautiful thing, in particular I liked the "spelling gang" that wanted to unseat Nupur Lala in her local competition. Something about the way that was presented was utterly charming.

The bigger concern for me in the U.S. is commercialism. That's where Faustian deals get made...and competition goes from honest head-to-head battles to more conniving cut-throat contests in which every one loses.

This film seems to keep its distance, and you do get a feeling that all of the entrants are winners (and I hope on to bigger and better things soon!). I admit to being a little bit worried about post-documentary sales of "The Paideia." Thankfully it appears to be priced to move at a near non-profit level for now...

And various other outlets I'm sure...probably even your local library...the ultimate bastion of civilization..

Meanwhile, I'm preparing for ESPN's exclusive (*gulp*) presentation of this year's bee on June 1-3.

I give this documentary a

7/10

The Documentary With a Way With Words

[EmperorNortonII · 8/10 · 16 January 2005]

"Spellbound" is the acclaimed documentary that follows four young contestants in the 72nd Annual National Spelling Bee. One might think a spelling bee wouldn't be an even interesting enough to warrant a documentary. But this is the grand championship of spelling bees, the equivalent of the Super Bowl, the Academy Awards or the Presidential Election. Out of nine million schoolkids, only 249 make it to the finals. The young contestants and their families struggle to make it to the top. It's an exciting and stressful experience for those involved. "Spellbound" covers what these people are going through. You will feel for the young contestants, and want them to win it all. It's thrilling to see these children tackle the most overwhelming words in the English language. One young standout is Harry, the eccentric young boy from New Jersey. He lightens up the doc, and steals the show! You won't understand the prestige and daunting psychology of spelling bees until you see "Spellbound."

"spell euonym..." DING!

[polar24 · 6/10 · 2 March 2007]

A movie about a spelling competition? Who would have thought! This documentary covers the U.S national spelling bee in 1999 and the dreams and fates of 8 starry-eyed hopefuls wishing for spelling-glory. There is a wide range of kids ranging from what seems about 10 years to 16 years and covers a wide range of ethnic groups from Anglo-Saxon American to Indian and Mexican.

Apart from the exciting battle between these formidable spellers, what Spellbound shows us is the wide range of ethnic groups prevalent in the U.S; no matter where you come from they all strive towards the American dream – in this case, to win a spelling bee! Furthermore each of the kids - and as strongly demonstrated by their parents - show that they have different means to achieve the common dream.

Cultural and social-economic differences show us that the dream as a symbol can vary greatly from family to family. It is amazingly interesting to see how the family in Texas gambles their whole life on seeing Ashley (I think?) makes it to the top while April's(?) family in Connecticut see it as just another hobby and are in genuine awe of her talents. Neil's family see it as a way of compensating for their poor upbringing and ensuring he has a high quality of life. The discrepancy in social wealth and education is striking. April's family is able to afford her horse-riding, a good school and tuition, while the kids in The South and poorer areas of the Mid-West have no other activities. Some of them only work at their spelling and it in fact one of them comments that it so-to-speak, keeps them off the streets. For one child, it is a blessing to a new and successful life; for another, proof to their parents that they are worthy; and for someone else, a merely just another gold star to add to their collection

All the kids are a joy to watch, bright-eyed and eager, capturing the pleasure and anticipation in finding their special talent and something in life worthy striving for. Most interestingly are the dynamics between the parents and children and seeing how one child see the competition as a hobby and the parent as a golden ticket. Neil's parents seems a bit dogmatic and over-orthodox to the point of almost brainwashing the poor kid! It is amazing to see where they cultivate their sharp minds and passion for words when the parents, while are loving in their child's interest, have almost no interest in a world of complicated words and grammar.

I find it a truth too common nowadays - in my neighbourhood anyway - where many affluent kids (especially Asians) are pressured so much by the parents to achieve something, to fulfill goals that the parents sorely wanted to achieve. So much so that they will go to tremendous lengths of tuition, coaching, study forsaking social play and hobbies just to achieve the elusive gold standard. This film highlights this and touches on these disparities lightly.

The spelling bee itself forms the last good half of the film and remains interspersed with comments from the family and kids about their anxiety, jubilations and dreams and the field narrows. The suspense is nail-bitingly tense. The words are *difficult*, not even an above-average speller like myself could attempt them, let alone pronounce them. I didn't know what almost all of them meant and haven't even heard of them!

But what I found distracting was the poor quality film they had to use. There wasn't any real point to using a cheaper film and I found it quite hard to see what was going on sometimes. In addition, the sound quality was very poor, and I had to turn up the sound quite a lot, especially during the competition which formed most of the film's thrilling excitement. Unfortunately, I would have like to hear what they were spelling half the time! I also the structuring was a little off and a little difficult to get adjusted. I really wished that they had filmed it more crisply and clearly because I found myself very distracted me several times especially at crucial points in the film.

However, it still remains a fairly pleasant film helped along by the charisma and diversity of the kids. I remember myself as a prolific reader when I was young and used to love spelling, but these kids obviously had a lot more fun than I ever had, and their infectious joy shines vivaciously throughout. This was an enjoyable, cute little film.

S-T-U-P-E-N-D-O-U-S

[jotix100 · 10/10 · 25 July 2003]

Jeffrey Blitz, the director of this documentary had the bright idea to show us what goes behind the scenes in this competition that some of us only see as a television news clip when it is shown as the last finalist spells the hard word correctly every year in the spring, or inside a newspaper with the picture of the winner.

I didn't get a chance to see it until recently because I thought it was not going to be any good. Since I was attending a screening with a handicapped relative, and all the other films were sold out, we decided to see this one thinking it was going to be empty. Well, as we arrived early, we had our choice seats and slowly, but surely, people started to come in, to the point that all seats were taken!

This was a delightful inside view of what these teen agers go through in preparing for the competition. The kids are so charming and so alive and so much into the spirit of the contest that the viewer has more sympathy for the parents that sit in the audience. They suffer the most because for the contestants, even though it is a prestigious game, they maintain their cool even in the roughest moments.

In a way it also points out to what degree some immigrant parents, especially the Indians that appear in the documentary are involved in their children's school achievements. Year after year the winner is the son or daughter of someone from either India, Pakistan, or another Eastern country that has settled here because of the opportunities these children will have in the United States.

This documentary should be required viewing in schools throughout the country. Both teachers and students should benefit by watching it.

Wonderful storytelling

[ARossMartin · 7/10 · 15 July 2006]

What makes good storytelling, I think, are good characters -- compelling and complex. More and more, documentaries are relying on a good story well told by either the filmmaker (Spellbound) or the subjects (Inlaws and Outlaws).

Here, the themes are not terribly complex but they are genuine and heartfelt, owed in the main to the subjects who are all young kids competing for the National Spelling Bee Championship. Following a nicely diverse group of kids through the trials of training for the national bee and going through the various regional steps to get there, there's a compelling view of Americana -- the true Americana where the desire to succeed spans cultural and geographical boundaries I was most moved by the farm girl's family that sacrificed so much to get their daughter to the bee. You could see that fear and pride in the promise that one's children might actually do better than you.

The one storyline that seemed uneven was that of the Indian-American family from LA. Perhaps the filmmakers intended our take on the father's obsession with his son's success to be ambivalent but it didn't resonate emotionally. If there was tension there in the father/son relationship, I didn't feel it.

In any case, this is highly entertaining and completely absorbing.

Portrait of a nation

[thecatsmotheruk · 8/10 · 14 November 2004]

This film is fascinating not only for the human interest of all of the participants in themselves but for the light it sheds on America.

I suppose the first thing I must comment on is the notion of the bee itself. I come from the UK and I don't think it could ever catch on here. Our culture is not a competitive one and when I first heard about this film I gaped at the notion of making a mundane thing like spelling a competitive event. In a way however I admire it, children have something more to strive for than just a good grade in a test. On the other hand it is a little ridiculous.

Another thing I liked about it was the fact it is purely American. We know America from the movies, we have American culture thrust down our throats at halloween and Christmas. But there is a distinct culture of its own and this film reminds us of that.

However it is in showing us the world of America this film truly excels. the children come from all backgrounds - from recent immigrants to patrician families to from cuddly Moms to rednecks to black single parents. The little girl Nurpa was congratulated by her community on a sign when she won a regional bee which I thought showed the inclusiveness of the American ideal. And above all the on the democracy of it. Many of the children come from disadvantaged backgrounds and yet they get the chance to compete. This is wonderful. But still I found it interesting most of these children were from middle class backgrounds.

A miss...pelled opportunity

[peapulation · 7/10 · 26 November 2008]

From this documentary, people can draw up many conclusions on the subject. One, for instance, is that it seems like a lot of the children that participate in these spelling bees and get a high placement, are foreign or from foreign descent. Another is that almost all these kids don't have a life...

But a conclusion that we can also come up with, is that not all documentaries with big names and big reputations can hold up to your expectations. I have been hearing about Spellbound for a long time. So, when I finally picked up a copy, I was expecting something quite good. I was, unfortunately, let down.

Jeffrey Blitz is, no doubt, the one to blame. He simply picked the wrong, and least interesting side of the documentary. While he spends the most part of the first hour telling the lives of eight of the people who qualified for the National tournament, this proves to be a rather dull way, as all along, as we see one of the boys telling us that he has no friends because he can't communicate as lowly as other people do, we just want to see the actually spelling tournament take place.

In fact, it's hard to understand why he has such a clear division between the description of the contestants and the tournament itself. This simply doesn't work. It would have made much more pace, dramatically and as far as pacing is concerned, if Blitz had decided to include these description as the spellathon took place. It would in fact have been more interesting had we gotten a more detailed description of the tournament itself, and what makes it so important to some people, so important in fact, that it would be broad-casted live on television. It would have been more rewarding to see a documentary on the national spelling tournament done in the way the Woodstock documentary had been done; in an exciting and rewarding way.

All the actual entertainment we get comes from the kid, Harry Altman (the one in who makes the face in the cover). He is quite the loose cannon, pointing at the boom microphone and asking if it's edible, or as he takes ages trying to spell the word 'banns' (which he ultimately gets wrong).

Little entertainment, slow pacing and not much education. So, if you want to watch it anyways because if the reputation carries, go right ahead, but be warned, it's not that good. It's rather, a missed opportunity.

Verbal fetishism as a docu-parody. (spoilers)

[vertigo_14 · 5/10 · 15 February 2006]

Spellbound is obviously a short documentary profiling eight spelling bee contestants from across the United States who vie for the championship title in the 1999 Scripps-Howard National Spelling Bee. In watching this movie, I couldn't help but laugh at a lot of the seemingly bizarre comments and lifestyles of the young children and their parents on screen, which to me, made real what Christopher Guest's movies (especially Best in Show) parody. John Waters, too, except that his films are plain fictional narratives rather than mockumentaries. These are also just like mirror images of the characters we laughed at in Napoleon Dynamite. We traverse around the United States, going from Texas to Florida, Pennsylvania to New Jersey, Missouri to California, Washington DC to Connecticut to give a fairly even spread of personalities and backgrounds.

The brother of the contestant from Texas went on and on about how his parents immigrated from Mexico hoping for a better life. Scenes, which were interspersed with the ranch owner unfortunately, making dreadful racial remarks about Mexicans, among other things.

The family from Missouri just seemed to be fascinated with their seemingly alienated middle child, making the odd comment here and there about how the spelling bee will benefit him, showing off their prized peacock farm, and how the older brother will probably wind up in jail.

The mother of the girl from Pennsylvania was ecstatic about her daughter going all the way to compete (and ranking in the top four) in the National Bee, proudly referencing every now and again her inspirational stationary with the words 'Bee Happy' coupled with illustrations of bumble bees. There was the particularly badly timed comment the daughter makes while sitting with her parents that they remind her of Archie and Edith Bunker whereby Archie is always insulting Edith for being dumb. This, of course, followed by a shocking expression from the mother and a quick cut to something else.

There was the hyperactive kid, Harry Altman, from Jersey, who was annoying to watch. Especially as the crew were interviewing him in his bedroom and, when they asked him how long he studied, he told them in the sound of a musical robot, followed by asking whether the boom mike was edible. And all this after he said that people have told him that he talks a lot.

Neal, the kid from California, a very quiet fellow and I believe the oldest of the group (and therefore, in his last competition), seemed like one of those kids who might've enjoyed competing at one time, but was probably sorry he ever got involved once his father became his verbal trainer and thereby, increased the amount of pressure he felt in competing. Even if he did mean well, the father came off as not only very stern, but somewhat more involved with the interview than his son, showing all that his family had acquired and his philosophies on success and so forth.

There was the girl from Connecticut with matching parents--they both had almost the same hair cut and identical glasses. They appeared to be the least intrusive parents, outside of the one girl's from Texas who couldn't speak English. But they nonetheless, at least in appearance, seemed so bizarre.

There was Asheley White who was right there in Washington, DC. She seemed like a smart girl, and certainly a lot less weird (in that home-schooled way) than the other kids. Her mother raised concerns about the daughter not getting really publicized about her Spelling Bee achievements. As cash strapped as the DC Public School system is here, at least when it comes to schools outside of Northwest DC, it was nice to see a teacher devoting so much time for Ashley. I felt bad that she had always become so nervous when she came to the microphone. I imagine a lot of contestants were just like that.

And finally, there was the champ from Tampa, Florida. An amazingly bright girl who, although she seemed to have parents who might've forced more on her academically with her oddly making comments about what life is like in India compared to the United States (presumably based on things she was told by her parents). I like the three boys who she competed with at school who offered some commentary throughout her scenes in the film. They seemed to really be proud of her.

There were former Spelling Bee winners who commented on the value of winning the championship, including the first ever winner of a National Spelling Bee in the late 20s. There was an interview with the "pronouncer" of the words, and also some of the ESPN coverage, which only furthered parodies the whole thing. There was even an interview with a kid named Georgie who had almost a military philosophy of life: respect Jesus, honor thy parents, and try your hardest.

Spelling Bees are a piece of Americana, but maybe in a more demented sort of way because of the nature of their contestants and worse, their parents. Honestly, I think they all mean well, but the obsession is just so comical. I think Spellbound proves that much.

Spelling counts

[Chris Knipp · 14 October 2003]

Doesn't it matter what the words mean more than the letters in them? Wouldn't it do a precocious kid more good to pour over Shakespeare or Jane Austen or Hemingway or even Harry Potter than to turn the pages of a dictionary or be drilled by a parent on how to spell obscure words like "lycanthrope" and "cephalalgia" (or the supremely ironic last word in the final shown here, "logorrhea") which the parents themselves can't even pronounce? When little showoff Harry Altman stumbles and comically grimaces over the word "banns," it seems to me he might be doing better – not in the contest, perhaps, but in life – to read more books, so he'd become familiar with the custom of "posting the banns," which isn't so obscure as the film and Harry make out, if you've gathered a wide acquaintance with marital customs through reading.

But there is after all a higher significance in all this. America is a self-made country and English in some queer sense is a self-made language, and these general points play into the significance of this surprisingly moving and thought-provoking little film. It's not only the suspense and emotion Spellbound evokes or its fairly tight documentary organization but such more general themes as social mobility and the accessibility of certain sports that make this otherwise conventional movie rise above the ordinary and explain why it's worthy of theatrical distribution and not just a slot on PBS. What would this be like in Italian? That's a language, like some others, whose spellings are so phonetic that a contest like this wouldn't make much sense. But English spellings really don't make much sense. English poses unique problems. The Italian columnist Beppe Severgnini is wrong to have written that it's because we're terrible spellers that spelling bees excite us. An Italian just can't understand. If you say an Italian word, ninety-eight percent of the time (if you're Italian) you know how to spell it. In English, we've got all those tiny vowel differences and remnants of Germanic gutturals and all those endless words from Arabic and Persian and Greek and a hundred other languages that we've transliterated by a hundred different unrelated systems. Why should `Darjeeling,' which so ironically almost stumps the Indian-American Neil Kadakia, be spelled that way and not darjiling or dardjeeling, or who knows what? It's because English spelling had no strict rules till the late nineteenth century; English went through so many growing pains from Chaucer to Shakespeare to Dryden to Jane Austen; because we still have no consistent phonetic system; and because our language has all those endless half-assimilated loan words from other cultures and tongues, that spelling in English is a nightmare and a kind of art, and a truly expert young speller is a real entity worth the chimerical task of seeking him or her out each year.

Spelling bees are a matter of rote knowledge, but success in them can sometimes involve some inspired guessing, and this is shown by the fine tuning contestants are allowed in the DC competition when they ask what language or culture the word comes from. Despite the strong element of memorization, the event attracts and finds ambitious, bright, even rather intellectual kids: lots of hard work maybe, but also some kind of raw brainy talent we don't by any means all have: inspiration and perspiration, the old combination.

The new immigrants in Spellbound are a major force. There are not one but two Indian-Americans in the eight the filmmaker has carefully singled out for special focus, and one of those wins. There's the Mexican girl whose father (so movingly) feels fulfilled, his whole life's journey made worthwhile, just because she has qualified; and he can't even speak English. And there's Ashley, the Black girl from the DC projects who didn't get a trophy or much recognition but dreams, nay prays, to be the winner. And even the boy from rural Tennessee who says there are hardly any other smart kids in his school qualifies as some kind of outsider who magically comes home, and gets put in his place in a complex way, like an Oklahoma valedictorian in the freshman class at Harvard, when he gets to compete in the national spelling bee. .Spellbound itself isn't a profound movie, but it has heart. Like the German WWII film Die Brucke (The Bridge) it shows a group of kids up close and personal and then follows them into battle where one by one they fall, till the last remains, and gets "logorrhea" right (I didn't -- I had to use Spell Check again even though I guessed it right the first time), and becomes champion. And in the emotion of trying so hard and then getting knocked out by one wrong letter, Spellbound illustrates sportsmanship and being all you can be and the joy of competiton and the agony of defeat. It's about poise and maturity and just being a kid. And it's a close, intense analysis of an event – a phenomenon, really – with more ramifications than we ever realized, till we see it. Spellbound is pretty universal in its appeal and by any accounts it's a wonderful little documentary.

Spell it any way you like...

[MrGKB · 10/10 · 29 August 2005]

...this film can be found listed under the definition of "winner." Absolutely wonderful work from first-time director/cinematographer Jeffrey Blitz, "Spellbound" is an engrossing documentary that introduces and follows eight regional Spelling Bee winners to the 1999 national championship in Washington, D.C. Of course, it's about far more than the rote spelling of arcane words; it's about setting goals and pursuing them, following your dreams and your heart's desires, and above all, the value of love and cooperation in achieving what you set out to do. Beautifully structured and paced, the story of these eight kids, all of them heartbreakingly appealing and buoyantly inspiring, will keep you on the edge of your seat as if you were involved in the lexicographical competition yourself. Perhaps I am biased, having had a child involved in a local spelling bee (she lost, and of course I just loved her all the more), but I rank this little sleeper right up there with "Hoop Dreams" and "Crumb" as one of my all-time favorite documentaries. If you don't fall in love with these kids (and their families) and share their agonies and ecstasies all the way through the triumph of the final winner, then I would have to say you have no heart and no soul. The DVD includes three other contestants whose arcs had to be cut from the film for time, but who are equally engaging, as well as a "where are they now?" addendum and a DVD-ROM Hangman's spelling game.

Simply put, not to be missed by anyone interested in the positive aspects of humanity.

Charming, C-H-A-R-M-I-N-G

[Jexxon · 8/10 · 19 December 2004]

A fascinating look at spelling bees that manages to be entertaining and exciting at the same time. You really feel sorry for the poor kids who have to try and spell out words that you've never heard of, while their parents urge them on.

The kids themselves are an interesting mix as well. Every single one looks like every nerd cliché ever put on film, and the children portrayed in the film seem very stereotypical. Obviously, this is a choice made by the makers of the film, but I hope they haven't made them more stereotypical than they really are. Because in the end, what makes this film good is the chance to hear from people that otherwise would never get to tell their stories. [8/10]

It seems to have inspired the film AKEELAH AND THE BEE

[planktonrules · 7/10 · 19 August 2008]

This documentary follows several regional winners through the national spelling bee. The film makers don't talk but simply allow you to hear from the winners and their families.

Not long after I began watching this documentary, I couldn't help but feel I've seen it before. That's because the film seems to have perhaps been the inspiration for the fictional film AKEELAH AND THE BEE--as many of the same types of kids and families are repeated. In particular, Akeelah and her mom seem very similar to the champion from the District of Columbia and the hard-driving Indian-American family seems so much like the hard-driving family in the documentary. Perhaps these parallels were unconscious, but it just seemed a lot like someone decided to re-write and fictionalize this film from 2002. Now this isn't bad, as both are very interesting films and they end very, very differently.

However, I've got to admit that this film probably has a much smaller audience than AKEELAH, as many folks just won't find SPELLBOUND that interesting--after all, the overall theme is kids spelling! Still, I liked it and found myself pulled into some of the stories and found it to be an interesting sociological and psychological portrait. In particular, I found the one child very interesting from a psychological point of view, as he seemed to have many of the characteristics of a child with Asperger's syndrome. Plus, it was also very interesting that most of the finalists appeared to be of Indian or Pakistani heritage.

Overall, mildly interesting and worth seeing but not one of the truly great documentaries. And, if I could only see one film, I'd recommend AKEELAH. Even though it's all fantasy, it is more interesting and high-stress than real life!

The REAL revenge of the nerds!

[Foxterrier · 9/10 · 1 October 2003]

This is one of the best movies I've seen in the last two years. It broadcasts to all the Bruckenheimers out there that you don't need special effects, fancy sets and tons of explosions to make a good film. Just take characters we can love or hate, and tell their story! Duh! It's so simple, it's too simple, and people miss it.

Nuts to them. This movie is done so (yes) simply, yet it's done so well. It looks like it was shot with a crew of three, from the back of the director's van. Many of the shots look like they were taken with a disposable camera. Snapshots really. The people aren't prettied up, the houses aren't tidyed up, neither are the neighbourhoods. Honest.

And yet in that honesty the director sees and hears beautiful truths. The father confessing he wasn't a real success story. The dog licking the mother's leg (hilarious!). The congratulations signs that were spelled wrong. The girl (was it Emily?) who got all the way to the later rounds of the nationals, yet still doubted herself! The boy (sorry, forgot your name too) who looked like he was going to throw up or faint, yet kept advancing. The loner kids, being alone, and not suddenly everybody's friend infront of the movie cameras. Parents being parents, some driving, some troubled, most rumpled, yet all decent and good.

Given a better ending that didn't deflate all the tension that had been built so carefully, I would have given 'Spellbound' a ten. Instead I gave it a nine. But a happy nine!

I'd love to know how those kids and their parents are doing now. Take care, all of you. And hey, well done.

Pure Americana about eight pre-teen contestants to the National Spelling Bee

[herbqedi · 7/10 · 22 August 2003]

As a youth, I competed in spelling bees, and from my memories, they captured the atmosphere and dynamics perfectly. This is authentic Americana from beginning to end. Some of the family's stories were quite interesting. The greatest insights I came away with were greater understandings of the drive and zeal that propel a disproportionate number of Indian-American students to achieve the highest level in these contests. The contrasts in the differences in backgrounds of the contestants were well illustrated.

This isn't an all-time great documentary. But, it is well-done, and certainly recommended over the usual summer fare.

worth revisiting

[gsygsy · 9/10 · 17 October 2003]

This is a wonderfully detailed film. It manages to be about so many things at once: the children's relationships with their parents, with their siblings, with their teachers, with the circumstances they're born into, with many aspects of the American Dream. It's nail-biting, heartwarming, funny, compassionate...One visit is definitely not enough. I've seen it three times and could happily see it another three.

A Documentary Of Two Halves

[Theo Robertson · 6/10 · 14 April 2005]

This follows a bunch of teenage kids competing in the National Spelling Bee something that I didn't actually know existed . Hopefully we won't see a British equivalent because there's nothing we hate more in this country that clever kids . Seriously where I live if your daughter isn't pregnant by 14 and your son hasn't been taken into care you have some how failed as a parent . We make the average American redneck look like Albert Einstien in comparison Maybe that's what I found the first half of SPELLBOUND a real drag as we're introduced to the genuinely proud parents as they talk up their children's achievements . Can there be any bigger turn off than a parent hyping up their child's ability ? I thought not . Hell even Ozzie and Sharon Osbourne are bragging about their offspring's achievements and I doubt if Jack or Kelly could spell their own names so lets not over estimate the abilities of any of the kids in this documentary . But let's not forget that the parents are basking in the glory of their offspring and you can't help but feel this contest is more of an ego trip for the parents more than a public display of child prodigies . If the first half of SPELLBOUND has any saving grace it's that I instantly knew who I'd be cheering for - Ted from a poor Mid West town and Ashley from some inner city smoke , I guess it must be a class thing . And every good story needs a villain , in this case it must be Harry who struck me as a arrogant ubergeek

The first half was an ordeal for this viewer but then as soon as the Spelling Bee got underway I was mesmerized by it . I'm by no means stupid but I had never heard of most of the words these kids were asked to spell and I won't be typing any of the words out because I doubt if the spell checker on this site has heard of them either . Boy oh boy what clever kids and it's slightly shameful the winner only gets a trophy , they deserve much more . Oh and there's some very amusing moments like when ubergeek claims that he lost because the guy reading out the words mispronounced something . Let me spell it it out : B-A-D-L-O-S-E-R

So if you stumble along this documentary I'd bare in mind that despite its very irritating start it does become a fascinating piece of viewing later on

Excellent documentary, Disturbing contest

[eyal philippsborn · 10/10 · 20 July 2003]

As I exited the theatre on a sunny Jerusalemite Saturday, the truth unraveled, I found the connection between `Spellbound' and `Bowling for Columbine', the subversive documentary by Anti-corporate, Anti-bush and Anti-objectivity culture icon Michael moore (aside from the fact that they were both Oscar nominated for best documentaries). I'll get back to that later.

I saw `Spellbound' during the Jerusalem film festival held between 10/7-19/7 2003. Since the movie's title loses it's double meaning in Hebrew, the movie was named after a grade school grammar book, a name which i found very appropriate mainly because both book and movie deal (in completely different ways) with education, perfection and the bond between the two.

The movie, in short, depicts a week in the life of eight kids who made it through the regional competitions of the Spelling-bee contests (the "bee" reference, as it turns out, derives from a 19th century word meaning "A place of gathering') and are submerged in word memorizing from Webster dictionary. These kids' background varies from upper-middle class kids with ambitious parents who will accept being second for exactly that long all the way to kids who are auto-didactic, who hone perseverance in abundance and are unwilling to be enthralled in their current economic status. (i.e.: kids who are willing to study very hard to get the hell out of Crapville).

This movie is comprised from two phases: 1) the background 2) The contest and the preparation for it . The second phase is a nerve wrecking contest and when Nupur (one of the contestants) tried to spell Logorrhea, not a single viewer in the screening I attended, breathed.

Returning to the beginning of my review, i wondered as I exited the theatre whether `Spellbound', one of the best documentaries ever made was out won as best documentary on this year's Oscar by `Bowling for Columbine' with its ludicrous theories and biased outlook, mainly because Michael Moore is still cashing in on `Roger and Me'.

Right than it hit me. The American obsession with guns, the topic of `Bowling for Columbine', could be easily attributed to these contests. I bet many of the Americans who discharged a weapon participated at one time or another at a regional spelling bee contest and developed hostility towards the establishment after misspelling words like `Perspicuous' .

Seriously, though. This contest, although, not depicted (note to self: buy a thesaurus ) as a negative experience in the movie (in fact, the movie is recommended on the spelling-bee website) is an ode to memorizing obscure words and it makes one question its educational value.

I for one, believe that education should deal with enriching intellect of kids rather than overburden it with words that will never, ever be used by anyone . In other words, kids should be reading, books not memorizing dictionaries that weigh more than the kids do.

But that's me.

10 out of 10 In my FilmOmeter

Interesting and boring in fairly equal measure

[wellthatswhatithinkanyway · 6/10 · 19 April 2005]

STAR RATING:*****Unmissable****Very Good***Okay**You Could Go Out For A Meal Instead*Avoid At All Costs

Each year,all across America,over 900,000 kids apply to compete in the National Spelling Bee,a spelling contest that earns them and their schools state-wide recognition.However,only 249 are ever selected.This film follows the countdown to the final set of contestants in the 1999 NSB contest and zooms in on the life of eight former champions,Harry,Angela,Ted,April,Neil,Nuper,Emily and Ashley,charting each of their respective stories in the run-up to the finals.

This documentary has zoomed in on a subject not all are likely to find truly riveting.But there are a few aspects to Spellbound that are fun,and a few that aren't so.

There's no voice-over provided to the film,so the documentary maker can't stir up any emotion or passion that could have made it a more enthralling experience.Another problem is the very one-note key of the sound-track,five beats on a particular instrument that play out to almost every scene (drearier than the opening of the EastEnders theme tune!) that becomes somewhat monotonous to say the least after a while.

A plus point is the stories of the kids themselves and the subtle social commentary thrown into each of them,such as Neil,the kid born to Asian parents who,as settlers in America,understand the value of working hard to attain what you want,or Ashley,a black child from the suburbs whose mother feels she is discriminated against because of her social background.An interesting point noted through-out is how those born into poor families in poor communities are the ones who predominantly emerge as the winners,as they seek to rise above their social constraints and push themselves to achieve and feel worthwhile.And then there's Harry,the young lad who appears to be the star of the film and who's no doubt suffered at the hands of more bullies than he's had hot dinners.

Overall,this is a documentary that's interesting points just manage to snub out it's more dreary points.If there'd been a bit more zest and energy invested in it,it could have been more compelling viewing.As it is,it slumbers along at it's own merry pace and sometimes can come off as just as dreary as sitting through a long English lesson.***

Great potential - poor fulfillment

[shneur · 3/10 · 9 April 2005]

This movie was especially disappointing because the IDEA of it was a fine one. I hoped to see, in at least a little depth, how different kids and their families related to this rather odd version of American ultra-competitiveness. I would imagine that some of the young people are truly obsessed, some choose this as their only available route to distinction, others do it as a lark, and still others because they're good at EVERYTHING. Similar diversities I'm sure exist among the parents and coaches. I think the decision to present each contestant's background story seriatim was a bad one: it led to a great deal of redundancy and eventually boredom. It would have been interesting to learn, also, how each subject fared after he or she was no longer eligible for spelling bees -- but of course that would have meant delaying release of the film. Overall a superficial and unsatisfactory job.