Don't get me wrong, I did like this film. The fashion style and the two main actresses don't disappoint. However, I'm not sure why they chose to diverge so much from such a well done book and the happy ending of it? The departure from the flow of the book made the last half hour feel clunky.
53 Reviews
Sweet, simple and beautiful movie.
sagetwo4 May 2019
I can feel the warmth in the chemistry between Anna Paquin and Holliday Grainger. Two lonely and sad characters finding happiness in each other. The movie was better than expected. And the message and narrative are still relevant today. Because lesbian relationships are still frowned upon in some societies.
Pointless ending
Sidney10127 February 2020
Warning: Spoilers
Holliday granger was brilliant in this movie, such natural acting and she is stunning to look at. Sweet movie but ending made no sense. Why wouldn't they leave together they clearly wanted to be together. Why on earth would the doctor choose to stay back when she can be a doctor anywhere. Just dumb. Sometimes happy endings is how you end a movie, nothing wrong with that.
A graceful and touching drama
FilmMatinee3 May 2019
Tell It To The Bees, is a beautiful film set in a time that those, who gave this film one star, possibly wished would return. A time when to choose who we loved was considered a vile act, but to act vilely to those that did was expected behaviour. The film tells its story with grace, leaving the audience to decide who, if anyone in particular, are the victims. Special mention for Gregor Selkirk who is captivating as the young son, caught in the middle of the storm. Even though several have seemingly chosen to make a moral judgement in their score (for a film that isn't really that contentious) I will simply give what I hope is a more reasoned assessment. An excellent film and well worth your time.
Strong Film, Weak Ending
JamesHitchcock17 April 2020
Warning: Spoilers
"Tell It to the Bees" is set in an industrial town in the Scotland of the 1950s and tells the story of a lesbian relationship between Jean Markham, the town's doctor and Lydia Weekes, a worker in one of the local factories. Despite its historical setting, the film is not really made in the British "heritage cinema" style. Apart from Jean, who comes from the professional classes and inherited her medical practice from her father, all the main characters are from a working-class background. The film is therefore shot in what might be described as an updated version of the "kitchen sink" social-realist school of the fifties and sixties.
The title refers to the fact that Jean is also an amateur beekeeper, something which fascinates Lydia's young son Charlie. Lydia, originally from Manchester, moved to Scotland during the war after marrying a Scottish soldier, but the marriage was not a success and she is now estranged from her abusive husband Robert, although the two are not formally divorced. When Lydia loses her job, Jean offers her the position of housekeeper.
Unlike male homosexuality, lesbianism was never illegal in Britain, but in the 1950s it nevertheless attracted social stigma, and when the nature of the relationship between the local doctor and her housekeeper becomes known the townspeople are horrified. Jean risks losing her position and Robert threatens to fight Lydia for custody of Charlie. A subplot deals with the relationship between Robert's niece Annie and her black lover, something which also causes controversy; in the 1950s mixed-race love affairs were nearly as unacceptable to public opinion as same-sex ones.
There are two excellent performances from Anna Paquin as Jean and Holliday Grainger as Lydia, and a particularly good one from the young Gregor Selkirk as Charlie. His is an important role as the story is essentially presented to us through Charlie's half-comprehending eyes. He is aware that people in the town have started referring to his mother as a "dirty dyke", and knows that this is intended to be hurtful, but does not really understand the nature of his mother's relationship with Jean or what is meant by this slur. Another good performance comes from Emun Elliott as the brutal and domineering Robert.
The script is an intelligent, literate and compassionate one, but I found the ending flawed. I have never read the novel by Fiona Shaw on which the film is based, but I understand that it has a happy ending for Jean and Lydia. The film reverses this; Lydia and Jean make plans to emigrate to Canada to escape the narrow-minded prejudices of small-town Scotland, but then Jean changes her mind. She nevertheless allows Lydia to leave for Canada in the mistaken belief that Jean will soon be joining her there. No reason was given for Jean's change of heart, and we are not allowed to see Lydia's reaction on discovering that her lover has effectively abandoned her in a foreign country. A voice-over from the adult Charlie talks about his mother having given Jean "the strength to stop running", but we are left with a nasty taste in the mouth and a feeling that Jean is by no means as attractive a character as she at first appeared. 7/10, which would have been higher had the film-makers kept the original ending.
The title refers to the fact that Jean is also an amateur beekeeper, something which fascinates Lydia's young son Charlie. Lydia, originally from Manchester, moved to Scotland during the war after marrying a Scottish soldier, but the marriage was not a success and she is now estranged from her abusive husband Robert, although the two are not formally divorced. When Lydia loses her job, Jean offers her the position of housekeeper.
Unlike male homosexuality, lesbianism was never illegal in Britain, but in the 1950s it nevertheless attracted social stigma, and when the nature of the relationship between the local doctor and her housekeeper becomes known the townspeople are horrified. Jean risks losing her position and Robert threatens to fight Lydia for custody of Charlie. A subplot deals with the relationship between Robert's niece Annie and her black lover, something which also causes controversy; in the 1950s mixed-race love affairs were nearly as unacceptable to public opinion as same-sex ones.
There are two excellent performances from Anna Paquin as Jean and Holliday Grainger as Lydia, and a particularly good one from the young Gregor Selkirk as Charlie. His is an important role as the story is essentially presented to us through Charlie's half-comprehending eyes. He is aware that people in the town have started referring to his mother as a "dirty dyke", and knows that this is intended to be hurtful, but does not really understand the nature of his mother's relationship with Jean or what is meant by this slur. Another good performance comes from Emun Elliott as the brutal and domineering Robert.
The script is an intelligent, literate and compassionate one, but I found the ending flawed. I have never read the novel by Fiona Shaw on which the film is based, but I understand that it has a happy ending for Jean and Lydia. The film reverses this; Lydia and Jean make plans to emigrate to Canada to escape the narrow-minded prejudices of small-town Scotland, but then Jean changes her mind. She nevertheless allows Lydia to leave for Canada in the mistaken belief that Jean will soon be joining her there. No reason was given for Jean's change of heart, and we are not allowed to see Lydia's reaction on discovering that her lover has effectively abandoned her in a foreign country. A voice-over from the adult Charlie talks about his mother having given Jean "the strength to stop running", but we are left with a nasty taste in the mouth and a feeling that Jean is by no means as attractive a character as she at first appeared. 7/10, which would have been higher had the film-makers kept the original ending.
Secrets
ferguson-62 May 2019
Greetings again from the darkness. Secrets and lies become a tangled web of messiness that impacts lives and relationships in this story adapted from Fiona Shaw's 2009 novel. Annabel Jankel (known for her music videos and as a creator of Max Headroom) directs the script from sisters Henrietta and Jessica Ashworth, and we learn that this rural community in 1952 Scotland is filled with judgmental and close-minded folks unable to accept that some don't live and love according to society's general rules of the time.
Holliday Grainger ("The Borgias") stars as Lydia, mother to young Charlie (Gregor Selkirk), and the two have recently been abandoned by husband -father Robert (Emun Elliott). Charlie is a sensitive boy - in touch with nature, and observant to his mother's emotional strains. After a schoolyard scuffle, Charlie is treated by the town's new doctor, Dr. Markham (Anna Paquin, "True Blood"), who not only treats his bruises, but also teaches him about the bees and hives in her garden. She lets him know that telling your secrets to the bees keeps them from flying away.
Dr. Markham has returned to the community where she grew up, and the rumors of her teenage years have not faded. Her father recently passed and she has returned to her roots to take his place as the local doctor. When Lydia gets sacked at the factory where she works (by Kate Dickie's Pam, her spinster sister-in-law/supervisor), Dr. Markham hires Lydia as a housekeeper and invites her and Charlie to move into the house left to her by her father.
"This town is too small for secrets" is not simply a line of dialogue, but easily could have been the title of the films. As Charlie tells his secrets to the bees, Lydia and Dr. Markham grow closer ... creating confusion for Charlie, challenges for the two women, and disgust within the community. Robert is a brut of a man, and threatens Lydia in every way a simple man might. There is also a subplot around Lydia's younger sister-in-law Annie (Lauren Lyle), who is pregnant from a secretive interracial relationship. What follows is a vicious response from the close-minded folks previously mentioned.
An older Charlie is our narrator, and most of the story is told from his point of view. Secrets kept by children are contrasted by those of adults, and it's clear that both cause harm. The first part of the movie is beautifully filmed, though the story structure wobbles a bit in the second half. There are many fascinating close-ups of bees and hives, although a mystical/supernatural sequence is difficult to buy. Excellent acting is on display throughout, especially by young Gregor Selkirk and Ms. Grainger, whose face the camera loves. The film is quite tastefully done, and focused as much on the small-minded town folks reaction as the blossoming relationship between the two leads. A stronger third act would have elevated the film, though the first half hour is well done.
Holliday Grainger ("The Borgias") stars as Lydia, mother to young Charlie (Gregor Selkirk), and the two have recently been abandoned by husband -father Robert (Emun Elliott). Charlie is a sensitive boy - in touch with nature, and observant to his mother's emotional strains. After a schoolyard scuffle, Charlie is treated by the town's new doctor, Dr. Markham (Anna Paquin, "True Blood"), who not only treats his bruises, but also teaches him about the bees and hives in her garden. She lets him know that telling your secrets to the bees keeps them from flying away.
Dr. Markham has returned to the community where she grew up, and the rumors of her teenage years have not faded. Her father recently passed and she has returned to her roots to take his place as the local doctor. When Lydia gets sacked at the factory where she works (by Kate Dickie's Pam, her spinster sister-in-law/supervisor), Dr. Markham hires Lydia as a housekeeper and invites her and Charlie to move into the house left to her by her father.
"This town is too small for secrets" is not simply a line of dialogue, but easily could have been the title of the films. As Charlie tells his secrets to the bees, Lydia and Dr. Markham grow closer ... creating confusion for Charlie, challenges for the two women, and disgust within the community. Robert is a brut of a man, and threatens Lydia in every way a simple man might. There is also a subplot around Lydia's younger sister-in-law Annie (Lauren Lyle), who is pregnant from a secretive interracial relationship. What follows is a vicious response from the close-minded folks previously mentioned.
An older Charlie is our narrator, and most of the story is told from his point of view. Secrets kept by children are contrasted by those of adults, and it's clear that both cause harm. The first part of the movie is beautifully filmed, though the story structure wobbles a bit in the second half. There are many fascinating close-ups of bees and hives, although a mystical/supernatural sequence is difficult to buy. Excellent acting is on display throughout, especially by young Gregor Selkirk and Ms. Grainger, whose face the camera loves. The film is quite tastefully done, and focused as much on the small-minded town folks reaction as the blossoming relationship between the two leads. A stronger third act would have elevated the film, though the first half hour is well done.
Good character acting, but....
biljao2589 May 2019
The director draws excellent performances from the two female leads (playing Lydia and Dr Jean) and also from the very capable supporting cast. The cinematography and production design capture the ambience and restrictive social mores of the "small" 1950s Scottish mill town quite convincingly. The story is less convincing about the symbolism of the bees (which is presumably derived from the book). We see too many random extreme close-ups of bees, Lydia's son Charlie sharing his secrets with the bees in their hives, and in the last 20 minutes of the movie, an incident which implies that the bees have developed some sort of preternatural relationship with the boy. This latter aspect, particularly, seems rather incongruous with the otherwise quite adult themed lesbian romance story. It strikes me as a movie primarily to be enjoyed for its great character acting.
A great couple in not so far past.
i-spookie24 May 2019
I would like to answer "SadnessNeverGoes" who in 139 words, 8 punctuations and no capital letters whatsoever ecxept the first word "Is", gave it a 2. Are you liveing in the same time as me ?
It might not be a masterpiece - I read the book, and it contained much more of the reality of the times, but the film also contains an awareness that the book lacked. I liked it. I did not like "SadnessNeverGoes".
'This town is too small for secrets'
AntiHeroAnnie23 March 2019
This is not so much a love story about a "forbidden" love, but it is also about a child who slowly discovers how things work in the adult world.
This film has a slow start (after about 30 minutes the pace picks up), but my patience is well rewarded at the end. An ending that raises some questions. Yet I didn't feel it had a very strange ending. Only after talking to someone about it for half an hour did I find out why the ending felt good to me. So does the aforementioned quote get a completely different meaning in the end. I think the filmmakers intended to make a film that makes you think.
The acting is very good. Especially Gregor Selkirk, who plays the son, is excellent. I have seen few young actors acting so convincingly and realistically. I had to get used to Anna Paquin, who plays Dr. Jean Markham, because she reminded me a bit of BBC Kate Bliss (Bargain Hunt, Flog it !, Put your money where your mouth is). If you would say that Kate Bliss and Anna Paquin were sisters, I would believe it. I had to suppress a chuckle when Jean said she didn't have any teaspoons. Kate Bliss being the silver expert. I think I have seen Steven Robertson before in the detective series "Shetland" and I had wondered if his accent was realistic. In this film the Scottish accent feels to me more realistic than the one he had in "Shetland". (But I'm not Scottish so it's just a feeling of someone who's second language is English).
Apart from a scene with too many bees (which looks almost surreal), I think this is an excellent film.
This film has a slow start (after about 30 minutes the pace picks up), but my patience is well rewarded at the end. An ending that raises some questions. Yet I didn't feel it had a very strange ending. Only after talking to someone about it for half an hour did I find out why the ending felt good to me. So does the aforementioned quote get a completely different meaning in the end. I think the filmmakers intended to make a film that makes you think.
The acting is very good. Especially Gregor Selkirk, who plays the son, is excellent. I have seen few young actors acting so convincingly and realistically. I had to get used to Anna Paquin, who plays Dr. Jean Markham, because she reminded me a bit of BBC Kate Bliss (Bargain Hunt, Flog it !, Put your money where your mouth is). If you would say that Kate Bliss and Anna Paquin were sisters, I would believe it. I had to suppress a chuckle when Jean said she didn't have any teaspoons. Kate Bliss being the silver expert. I think I have seen Steven Robertson before in the detective series "Shetland" and I had wondered if his accent was realistic. In this film the Scottish accent feels to me more realistic than the one he had in "Shetland". (But I'm not Scottish so it's just a feeling of someone who's second language is English).
Apart from a scene with too many bees (which looks almost surreal), I think this is an excellent film.
Not Just a Love Story, a Movie with a Message
AngelHonesty3 February 2024
Another tragic lesbian love story. For all those who love lesbian movies as much as I do, we're very familiar with the majority of the heartbreaking plots that tend to leave us with an ache in our hearts by the end.
The beginning was hard to follow. It was clunky with the slow story and for awhile I was struggling with liking the way Anna Paquin played the character of Jean. But as the movie went on the characters and story began to grow on me. Holliday Grainger was fantastic. Her energy really brought life and emotion to the love story. Her character really shone.
From the very first opening scenes of the film, as narrated by older Charlie, he foretells how the movie will end. It was disappointing that he gave it away in the first five seconds of the movie. But in a way it also prepares you for what's to come. The movie has a lot of deeper messages in it. It's not just about a love story, but about a boy learning to grow up and learning some of the harsh realities of the adult world. It shows us how brutal the 50's could be for women or anything out side of the normal. It shows how society can effect our decisions and make life difficult. Some people loved the ending in the reviews. But personally I did not. It felt like there were some holes in the logic of the ending.
The footage of the bees and facts told in the film was impressive. And very educational.
The beginning was hard to follow. It was clunky with the slow story and for awhile I was struggling with liking the way Anna Paquin played the character of Jean. But as the movie went on the characters and story began to grow on me. Holliday Grainger was fantastic. Her energy really brought life and emotion to the love story. Her character really shone.
From the very first opening scenes of the film, as narrated by older Charlie, he foretells how the movie will end. It was disappointing that he gave it away in the first five seconds of the movie. But in a way it also prepares you for what's to come. The movie has a lot of deeper messages in it. It's not just about a love story, but about a boy learning to grow up and learning some of the harsh realities of the adult world. It shows us how brutal the 50's could be for women or anything out side of the normal. It shows how society can effect our decisions and make life difficult. Some people loved the ending in the reviews. But personally I did not. It felt like there were some holes in the logic of the ending.
The footage of the bees and facts told in the film was impressive. And very educational.
Read the book
crat68-332-1621644 May 2019
A Bee Movie with a sting in the tale.
bob-the-movie-man16 July 2019
Tell it to the Bees plays like a grittier Scottish version of "Carol".
It's 1952 ("Carol" was also set in 1952, but in New York). Many married men have come back from the war forever changed. Life is financially tough for most families. In particular, attitudes to multi-racial relationships and (particularly) homosexuality are appalling, and never more so than in the small Scottish mill town where the film is set.
Holliday Grainger plays Lydia, separating from her rough and ready war-veteren husband Robert (Emun Elliott). This is all really hard for 7-year old Charlie (Gregor Selkirk) who without sexual guidance from either parent or school is trying to make sense of his world. Charlie is a sensitive child and finds solace by talking to the bees kept by local doctor Jean Markham (Anna Paquin) where she lives alone in the large family home. "You should tell the bees your secrets. Then they won't fly away." Jean tells the young lad.
As Lydia's circumstances change, she and Jean grow ever closer and scandal is set to envelope the community.
The story comes from a book by Fiona Shaw (the the action moved from Yorkshire to Scotland) and the screenplay is by Henrietta and Jessica Ashworth. Just as in "Carol" the film deliciously builds (if that's not too lascivious a thing to say) the sexual tension that grows between the two women.
But aside from this main love story there are some beautifully crafted sub-stories in there. One in particular, featuring Lydia's cousin Annie Stock (Lauren Lyle) leads to a truly nightmarish scene that will upset some viewers.
An issue I personally found with the Scottish setting is that (like "Under the Skin") much of a dialogue is delivered in a very strong regional accent. This made understanding the dialogue for non-Scots very difficult: I had a particular problem with Emun Elliott in this regard. (Sorry if this comment upsets any Scots reading this: it's just a statement of fact!).
Anna Paquin holds the current record for the youngest-ever Oscar winner ("Best Supporting Actress" in 1993 for "The Piano"), but here proves she hasn' t lost her touch. Because, here she is both determined and vulnerable in equal measure and acts this out brilliantly. Paired with the free-spirited Holliday Grainger they make for a powerhouse performance together, and the sex scene (when it comes) is wonderfully realised: genuinely sensual, but in more of a 50's way than for similar scenes in films like "Desert Hearts" or "Blue is the Warmest Colour".
A late scene on a railway platform - although somewhat clichéd - is an acting masterclass, and memorably done.
Also noteworthy is young Gregor Selkirk in what is his 2nd feature film role. Many of the scenes live or die on this young man, and he does a great job.
This is a small but beautifully crafted film that kept me enthralled. I'm not sure it necessarily needed the bees (some beautiful macro photography by Bartosz Nalazek) but as a simple tale of prejudice in a small community it was well told and delivered the goods.
I really enjoyed this film... so it comes with my recommendation. "Pride" made you appreciate just how far tolerance has come in the UK in 30 years. But "Tell it to the Bees" illustrates that the 80's were just a step along a journey that started long before that.
(For the full, graphical review please visit One Mann's Movies on the internet or Facebook.
It's 1952 ("Carol" was also set in 1952, but in New York). Many married men have come back from the war forever changed. Life is financially tough for most families. In particular, attitudes to multi-racial relationships and (particularly) homosexuality are appalling, and never more so than in the small Scottish mill town where the film is set.
Holliday Grainger plays Lydia, separating from her rough and ready war-veteren husband Robert (Emun Elliott). This is all really hard for 7-year old Charlie (Gregor Selkirk) who without sexual guidance from either parent or school is trying to make sense of his world. Charlie is a sensitive child and finds solace by talking to the bees kept by local doctor Jean Markham (Anna Paquin) where she lives alone in the large family home. "You should tell the bees your secrets. Then they won't fly away." Jean tells the young lad.
As Lydia's circumstances change, she and Jean grow ever closer and scandal is set to envelope the community.
The story comes from a book by Fiona Shaw (the the action moved from Yorkshire to Scotland) and the screenplay is by Henrietta and Jessica Ashworth. Just as in "Carol" the film deliciously builds (if that's not too lascivious a thing to say) the sexual tension that grows between the two women.
But aside from this main love story there are some beautifully crafted sub-stories in there. One in particular, featuring Lydia's cousin Annie Stock (Lauren Lyle) leads to a truly nightmarish scene that will upset some viewers.
An issue I personally found with the Scottish setting is that (like "Under the Skin") much of a dialogue is delivered in a very strong regional accent. This made understanding the dialogue for non-Scots very difficult: I had a particular problem with Emun Elliott in this regard. (Sorry if this comment upsets any Scots reading this: it's just a statement of fact!).
Anna Paquin holds the current record for the youngest-ever Oscar winner ("Best Supporting Actress" in 1993 for "The Piano"), but here proves she hasn' t lost her touch. Because, here she is both determined and vulnerable in equal measure and acts this out brilliantly. Paired with the free-spirited Holliday Grainger they make for a powerhouse performance together, and the sex scene (when it comes) is wonderfully realised: genuinely sensual, but in more of a 50's way than for similar scenes in films like "Desert Hearts" or "Blue is the Warmest Colour".
A late scene on a railway platform - although somewhat clichéd - is an acting masterclass, and memorably done.
Also noteworthy is young Gregor Selkirk in what is his 2nd feature film role. Many of the scenes live or die on this young man, and he does a great job.
This is a small but beautifully crafted film that kept me enthralled. I'm not sure it necessarily needed the bees (some beautiful macro photography by Bartosz Nalazek) but as a simple tale of prejudice in a small community it was well told and delivered the goods.
I really enjoyed this film... so it comes with my recommendation. "Pride" made you appreciate just how far tolerance has come in the UK in 30 years. But "Tell it to the Bees" illustrates that the 80's were just a step along a journey that started long before that.
(For the full, graphical review please visit One Mann's Movies on the internet or Facebook.
Not bad!
itsdigiorno13 May 2019
Warning: Spoilers
Not sure what all the hate is about! I thought the book was way more depressing then the movie. Both actresses portrayed the characters well, and I really ended up enjoying the movie. The ending wasn't as sad as I was anticipating after reading all the comments on it. Of course I wish Jean went with her, or at the very least they left it that they were going to meet up in a few months. But, that was a way better ending then if she went back with her husband or if one of them died. Overall I give it like a 7/10.
Charlie is a problem
SnoopyStyle7 August 2019
Charlie is a young boy trying to understand the world. His father Robert Weekes (Emun Elliott) is a brutal man who has abandoned him and his mother Lydia (Holliday Grainger). Charlie befriends Jean Markham (Anna Paquin) who keeps bees in her yard. She had recently returned home after her father's death. She's a woman's doctor and a lesbian which must be kept secret back then in a small village. When Lydia and Charlie get evicted, they move in with Jean. Slowly, Jean succumbs to Lydia and the secret cannot be kept hidden.
Charlie is a problem. His turn is a problem. It's hard to understand his action when the movie doesn't seem to know him either. It needs to be set up better. His motivation is like a swarm of bees. It's hard to know which one is important and which one is not. Does he like his father? He fears being taken away but he's running away. Does he expect his family to be reunited? He's obsessed with secrets but what exactly does he know? What does he understand about love or sex? He doesn't seem to know and the movie is unable to specify his understanding. It may help to have an even younger actor in the role which would excuse his confusion. There is also the matter with the bees. It's a magical premise but the movie does not have the surreal magic needed to pull it off. While I appreciate the intended message, the movie never strays away from preaching its views. This could work but Charlie is a problem.
Charlie is a problem. His turn is a problem. It's hard to understand his action when the movie doesn't seem to know him either. It needs to be set up better. His motivation is like a swarm of bees. It's hard to know which one is important and which one is not. Does he like his father? He fears being taken away but he's running away. Does he expect his family to be reunited? He's obsessed with secrets but what exactly does he know? What does he understand about love or sex? He doesn't seem to know and the movie is unable to specify his understanding. It may help to have an even younger actor in the role which would excuse his confusion. There is also the matter with the bees. It's a magical premise but the movie does not have the surreal magic needed to pull it off. While I appreciate the intended message, the movie never strays away from preaching its views. This could work but Charlie is a problem.
Convincing and captivating
Gordon-1112 September 2020
So tired of this lesbian movie trope
mymarell21 November 2019
Warning: Spoilers
Once again a lesbian movie with a bittersweet ending. I enjoyed the movie, it wasn't great but it was cute and at times a bit angsty. Just what you want in a romantic movie right? Well except we didn't get a happy ending.. As per usual when it comes to wlw couples on screen. I'm sick of it!
Interesting and emotional...
grahamheather-656036 January 2021
I'm not sure how this one got past me, but I really enjoyed it. Sometimes I get slight ptsd watching films like this set in the not too distant past. I feel so overwhelmed by the daily misery wonderful, caring, compassionate, intelligent, people suffered over their entire lifetime, just for being gay, it's heartbreaking, can you imagine the pain and trauma of having to live your life in fear? It's easy to understand how the daily stress would inevitably lead to mental health issues. The film was interesting and the end not as bleak as it probably would have been if this film was made 10 years ago,as everything 'lesbian' was quite grim until recently. Acting was good by everyone, though I have to say Anna Paquin (the Dr) is not a great actress imo but did a fairly good Scottish accent. Sexual tension builds, but you can see how the Dr tries to fight her feelings for the boys mother as she knows it will just cause pain and trouble for all, then there is the young son who talks to the bees, which is quite charming. I found the bee sequences fascinating and humans should take note of our destruction of the bee population and the impact it will eventually have on us. This was a film about good decent people being vilified by nasty people, and it happens every day around the world. Cinematography, sound, all that stuff on mark too. Recommended (by a gay woman).
Mixed feelings
johnhsmith-000562 January 2022
The film looks and feels authentic to the period, which I loved. Acting is top rate, although the boy's character is confusing. He's also really annoying to watch, but that may have been intentional, I'm not sure.
However, the main problem is that in a short film it tries to inject so many modern political statements - women's rights, gay relationships, interracial relationships, abortion rights, and even universal health care. I know that is part of the point of the film, but altogether feels a little politically contrived and lacks subtlety.
However, the main problem is that in a short film it tries to inject so many modern political statements - women's rights, gay relationships, interracial relationships, abortion rights, and even universal health care. I know that is part of the point of the film, but altogether feels a little politically contrived and lacks subtlety.
Well-acted, moving account of real issues...
faaus7228 May 2019
I'm a Conservative, Straight guy, but this movie tugged hard at my heartstrings. The acting of the three principal players was exceptional throughout the entire film.
The storyline was completely believable and powerful. I don't want to say too much about the plot, but I really emphasized with the players.
The love shown was real and palpable. That is significant.
This movie is the 'bees" knees
mbgdowska15 March 2020
Warning: Spoilers
A lovely told story set in the 1950's. Spolier alert: why in nearly every LGBT movie on has to "move' on or part ways with no concise reason/expalnation??? rhetorical question. The cinematography was amazing (esp through UHD). Music was masterful and the story was good. Yes, not much story with the women's relationship, instead we get to see more of thier indivudual stories. I loved the Bees as they had thier own stories to tell and quite well done too may I add! Sometimes less is more and I got all that in this movie. Would have liked to seen more of the women's rship develop further into the movie. Spoiler: A strange but very predictable ending.I appreciate the doctor (she cute) been honest with the boy about not following them to Canada. Which I didnt get at all. Doc wasnt really welcome back to her 'town' so why stay? The ending was a big let down. So BEE it.
There are (unfortunately) not many heart felt LGBT movies out there atm except Love,Simon which I loved. Going to buy the BR. It takes ALOT for me to actually buy movies nowadays,they have to really reel me in, hook, line and sinker! Watch Tell It. No tissues required.
The ending is a problem
irene_ellina10 February 2022
Bee who you want to ... Bee
kosmasp29 November 2021
It does not hurt if you are a friend of bees. But the movie has a lot more to offer. It actually is about inclusiveness ... it tells us the story of a forbidden love. Of a time where people who loved each other couldn't publicly say or show so.
Not that the whole world has changed already and we accept love in all its forms. I never understood the shaming or outrage people felt for what other people felt or did in their own free time ... that was not hurting people (no pun intended), but actually is about loving someone else. If a man loves a man and that man loves him back - why would you have an issue with that? Same goes for the women combination or any other combo that does stray from the "norm".
Having said that, the love story and the connection between characters is quite strained. And while there is some nudity and some mature situations (in the woods for example), the movie is not trying to make the viewer a voyer - well not too much. We see things, but we hopefully understand why they happen and how the characters feel (I'd say the actors do a good job conveying just that and again no pun intended)
Not that the whole world has changed already and we accept love in all its forms. I never understood the shaming or outrage people felt for what other people felt or did in their own free time ... that was not hurting people (no pun intended), but actually is about loving someone else. If a man loves a man and that man loves him back - why would you have an issue with that? Same goes for the women combination or any other combo that does stray from the "norm".
Having said that, the love story and the connection between characters is quite strained. And while there is some nudity and some mature situations (in the woods for example), the movie is not trying to make the viewer a voyer - well not too much. We see things, but we hopefully understand why they happen and how the characters feel (I'd say the actors do a good job conveying just that and again no pun intended)
Something went very wrong here!
charlierobertryan-5316427 May 2020
Warning: Spoilers
I saw this in a cinema nearly a year ago now and the only reason I did was because the only other new thing that was playing near me at the time was The Lion King remake and honestly if there was a way to change the coarse of history by making sure I wasn't stuck with these two options then I would have been left with a better use of two hours!
Tell it to the Bees is about a mother and her son in a small Scottish village in the 50s who befriend the local Doctor named Jean (Anna Paquin) after the mothers son named Charlie (Gregor Selkirk) visits her due to a fight on the school playground. When Charlie and his mother Lydia (Holiday Grainger) are evicted from their house Jean offers them a roof over their heads in her house and sure enough the two women begin to fall in love, but just how long can they keep their secret from not just the closed minded village but from Lydia's comically over the top evil ex- husband Robert (Emun Elliot) who expresses interest in having custody of Charlie.
There are many LGBTQ themed movies recently that I've watched and have either enjoyed or loved, Tell It to the Bees is not one them. For the first half of this film, it approaches it's story in a dull manner, in one of those British productions where the camera looks like it's had cement thrown onto the lens. Inspite of the occasional whimsical moment where our three main protagonists enjoy each other's company, it's mostly a uneventful and uninteresting watch that struggles to maintain the viewer's attention.
However once the second half of the film comes, this is where Tell it to the Bees completely goes of the rails, and does so in such a bizarre and fascinating manner that I can't help but spoil the remaining event's of the film.
So pay attention here, inevitability and in a conflict that anyone with half a brain that can see coming a mile away, Charlie walks in on his mother and Jean making love and upset that his mother lied to him (even though it should be very obvious to him why) he runs out back to his scumbag farther, not before calling his mother a "dity d**e" in what i found to be a unintentional funny scene that nearly made me laugh out loud in a cinema.
But I digress, when running back to his evil farther and telling him everything of the relationship he refuses to let Lydia see her son ever again. These event's completely soaked in melodrama and are as subtle as giant sledgehammer lead to the film's climax that made me visibly shocked and appalled that the I was forced to try and put myself in the mind of the filmmakers to try and understand what the hell they where thinking!
In a moment that comes completely out of nowhere, one of the character's who we barley see but is hinted at having a multiracial relationship with a black individual and is pregnant with his child, is forced into a illegal abortion from the evil ex-husband and his sister that goes terribly wrong and places the girl unconscious. Charlie being witnessed to it runs back to Jean's house to get help for the girl, whilst she deals with the girl, the evil ex-husband chases Charlie back to the house to try and get him back. After Lydia tries to block him from seeing his son, along with some awful dialogue where Lydia taunts the evil ex-husband about how much better Jean is in bed (no i'm not even kidding) he over powers Lydia and attempts to rape her, Charlie runs out of the house and open's Jeans beehive which is a recurring motif throughout the film presumably an allegory of female liberation, after the bees are let out free they both collectively and conveniently fly to the window where the attempted rape is happening, (the window is also conveniently open so it would have put a snag in Charlie's plan if it was closed) and the bees somehow knowing what to do fly all round the room which gives Lydia the chance to fight against the husband's struggles and she knocks him out by hitting an ornament over his head.
This wired mix of whimsy, dark subject matters, and magic realism (?) elevates Tell it to the Bees into a dull experience in one of the most, pretentious and misguided films I've ever seen, with one of the most baffling climaxes that needs to be seen to be believed!
All of this makes it sound like a so bad it's good film and that climax is a whole other level of crazy, but all of that makes up about 20% of the film's runtime and when it isn't being unintentionally funny, Tell It to the Bees is a very unpleasant experience. This is one of those LGBTQ films that thinks exploiting their suffering throughout history is much better of gaining the audience's sympathy rather then actually writing a good well rounded film with characters and people you can like and care about. All slurs abuse and trauma take up much of the script along with a tragic backstory for Jean involving a rape and murder of a former lover that the film flashes back and let's us see in full motion. I'm not a member of the LGBTQ community so I can't say this for certain but if your making a film specifically made for that audience, I don't think they would want to see a film to be reminded constantly of the suffering persecution they faced throughout history and now.
All of this would be bad enough without the performance from Eumn Elliot as the evil ex-husband who I've mentioned throughout most of my review. His character and performance is written in a way that is so over the top that I'm surprised no one thought to write the words "Evil" on his forehead. His character is established as being a veteran during world war two who became a different man ever since the aftermath. This sounds like an interesting arc and subject to explore but the film does nothing with it and is given no development besides that, no room for nuance, no room for interpretation, his character is given no personality beyond the "homophobic, evil straight white male caricature" that I would expect to see in some lesbian fantasy novel. There is no room to explore what happened to him that made him turn into the man he is, why is he constantly being a neglecting farther, an abusive husband and a misogynist pig that filled with so much rage? The answer of course is that the script requires him to.
There's a lot of talent packed into this film. Holiday Grainger is very good here as a struggling mother trying to make end's meet with her poor environment and her early scenes are some of her best work, Anna Paquin despite the doggy accent tries her best too despite being fed with dialogue that is quite unbelievable and hard to take seriously. There was potential in Tell it to the Bees for something really powerful but the end result is nothing more than a melodramatic soap opera that looks like it's had money chucked at it, and the climax involving sentient magical bees who can help our characters on command is a complete slap to the face to any audience member who wants to be taken seriously and doesn't like to be treated like a moron.
Tell it to the Bees is about a mother and her son in a small Scottish village in the 50s who befriend the local Doctor named Jean (Anna Paquin) after the mothers son named Charlie (Gregor Selkirk) visits her due to a fight on the school playground. When Charlie and his mother Lydia (Holiday Grainger) are evicted from their house Jean offers them a roof over their heads in her house and sure enough the two women begin to fall in love, but just how long can they keep their secret from not just the closed minded village but from Lydia's comically over the top evil ex- husband Robert (Emun Elliot) who expresses interest in having custody of Charlie.
There are many LGBTQ themed movies recently that I've watched and have either enjoyed or loved, Tell It to the Bees is not one them. For the first half of this film, it approaches it's story in a dull manner, in one of those British productions where the camera looks like it's had cement thrown onto the lens. Inspite of the occasional whimsical moment where our three main protagonists enjoy each other's company, it's mostly a uneventful and uninteresting watch that struggles to maintain the viewer's attention.
However once the second half of the film comes, this is where Tell it to the Bees completely goes of the rails, and does so in such a bizarre and fascinating manner that I can't help but spoil the remaining event's of the film.
So pay attention here, inevitability and in a conflict that anyone with half a brain that can see coming a mile away, Charlie walks in on his mother and Jean making love and upset that his mother lied to him (even though it should be very obvious to him why) he runs out back to his scumbag farther, not before calling his mother a "dity d**e" in what i found to be a unintentional funny scene that nearly made me laugh out loud in a cinema.
But I digress, when running back to his evil farther and telling him everything of the relationship he refuses to let Lydia see her son ever again. These event's completely soaked in melodrama and are as subtle as giant sledgehammer lead to the film's climax that made me visibly shocked and appalled that the I was forced to try and put myself in the mind of the filmmakers to try and understand what the hell they where thinking!
In a moment that comes completely out of nowhere, one of the character's who we barley see but is hinted at having a multiracial relationship with a black individual and is pregnant with his child, is forced into a illegal abortion from the evil ex-husband and his sister that goes terribly wrong and places the girl unconscious. Charlie being witnessed to it runs back to Jean's house to get help for the girl, whilst she deals with the girl, the evil ex-husband chases Charlie back to the house to try and get him back. After Lydia tries to block him from seeing his son, along with some awful dialogue where Lydia taunts the evil ex-husband about how much better Jean is in bed (no i'm not even kidding) he over powers Lydia and attempts to rape her, Charlie runs out of the house and open's Jeans beehive which is a recurring motif throughout the film presumably an allegory of female liberation, after the bees are let out free they both collectively and conveniently fly to the window where the attempted rape is happening, (the window is also conveniently open so it would have put a snag in Charlie's plan if it was closed) and the bees somehow knowing what to do fly all round the room which gives Lydia the chance to fight against the husband's struggles and she knocks him out by hitting an ornament over his head.
This wired mix of whimsy, dark subject matters, and magic realism (?) elevates Tell it to the Bees into a dull experience in one of the most, pretentious and misguided films I've ever seen, with one of the most baffling climaxes that needs to be seen to be believed!
All of this makes it sound like a so bad it's good film and that climax is a whole other level of crazy, but all of that makes up about 20% of the film's runtime and when it isn't being unintentionally funny, Tell It to the Bees is a very unpleasant experience. This is one of those LGBTQ films that thinks exploiting their suffering throughout history is much better of gaining the audience's sympathy rather then actually writing a good well rounded film with characters and people you can like and care about. All slurs abuse and trauma take up much of the script along with a tragic backstory for Jean involving a rape and murder of a former lover that the film flashes back and let's us see in full motion. I'm not a member of the LGBTQ community so I can't say this for certain but if your making a film specifically made for that audience, I don't think they would want to see a film to be reminded constantly of the suffering persecution they faced throughout history and now.
All of this would be bad enough without the performance from Eumn Elliot as the evil ex-husband who I've mentioned throughout most of my review. His character and performance is written in a way that is so over the top that I'm surprised no one thought to write the words "Evil" on his forehead. His character is established as being a veteran during world war two who became a different man ever since the aftermath. This sounds like an interesting arc and subject to explore but the film does nothing with it and is given no development besides that, no room for nuance, no room for interpretation, his character is given no personality beyond the "homophobic, evil straight white male caricature" that I would expect to see in some lesbian fantasy novel. There is no room to explore what happened to him that made him turn into the man he is, why is he constantly being a neglecting farther, an abusive husband and a misogynist pig that filled with so much rage? The answer of course is that the script requires him to.
There's a lot of talent packed into this film. Holiday Grainger is very good here as a struggling mother trying to make end's meet with her poor environment and her early scenes are some of her best work, Anna Paquin despite the doggy accent tries her best too despite being fed with dialogue that is quite unbelievable and hard to take seriously. There was potential in Tell it to the Bees for something really powerful but the end result is nothing more than a melodramatic soap opera that looks like it's had money chucked at it, and the climax involving sentient magical bees who can help our characters on command is a complete slap to the face to any audience member who wants to be taken seriously and doesn't like to be treated like a moron.
See also
Awards | FAQ | User Ratings | External Reviews | Metacritic Reviews
