 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
 |
|
||||||||||
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
|
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
|
||||||
| Spellbound
Directed By: Jeffrey Blitz
Plot
Summary - Review 1 - Review
2 - CURRENT REVIEWS
|
|
| Who
would have thought the most suspenseful competition on television
could revolve around a bunch of 14 year-olds hooked on spelling?
SPELLBOUND, the award-winning film, proves why the National Spelling
Bee is one of the highest rated specials on ESPN -- a nail-biting
face-off among hundreds of teens who train as rigorously as any
Olympic athlete on their heroic quest for glory. If 1999 was the year of the independent film, with the likes of “Being John Malkovich” and “The Blair Witch Project,” 2003 is shaping up to be the year of the documentary. With titles such as “Rivers and Tides,” “Winged Migration,” “Nowhere In Africa,” “Capturing the Friedmans” and “Spellbound,” more and more documentaries are finding financial success at the nation’s theaters. The last of the list, “Spellbound,” may prove to be the best of the year. Chronicling the 1999 National Spelling Bee Championship, “Spellbound” exhibits more drama, suspense and humanity than likely all of this year’s summer blockbusters combined. I cried, held my breath, sighed with sadness and cheered with excitement during this movie. I cannot remember the last time I felt so much within a single film. “Spellbound’s” setup is simple. Director Jeffrey Blitz toured the nation, found eight winners of their regional spelling competitions, profiled who these young kids were and then followed them through the end of the national competition in Washington, D.C. Each of these kids has a unique back story. There is Angela Arenivar, a Texas girl whose father originally entered the country illegally. For her, this competition is not merely for personal pride. It is her attempt to take advantage of the opportunities her parents have sacrificed to provide. When we learn that her father speaks no English, and that this trip to the nation’s capital is his first time outside the state, how can one not hope for young Angela to walk away a winner? But then again, each kid has a story worthy of its own movie. Most touching was Ashley White, a young girl from Washington, whose mother admits that “it’s rough” being a single parent. For her, the national championship is her way out of the projects; her path to a better life. And, when she takes the stage for her final word, we sense the weight on her shoulders to emerge victorious. There is something arbitrary about spelling that makes it universal. At this level of competition, it has very little to do with inherent skill. With every word given to these kids, I tried to spell along and failed without exception. No, as many of the competitors admit, it comes down to luck. Was this a word that they studied? Was their choice of a “j” over a “g” the right guess? When they finish each word, there is a moment of panic. Will the bell ring, signifying an incorrect spelling? Luck has never seemed more palpable than in this half second, ending with either a sigh of relief or the face of agony. And I think we can all relate to such a struggle. This is not sprinting or football, where an athlete must possess unequaled physical skill. Rather, these are all normal, everyday kids, who have studied hours every day in hopes of getting the lucky word that they may have only studied once. In the end we become their parents, wanting the best for each but already proud of what they have accomplished. “Spellbound” is never more alive than in the minutes immediately after one of these kids is eliminated from competition. We expect them to sob, for their parents to be discouraged, and for sadness to rain down on everyone’s parade. Instead, without fail, we are exposed to something quite different: kids who say they did their best and are proud of themselves, and parents who shower their little ones with hugs and words of praise. I get goose bumps thinking of the positive energy contained within this most unlikely documentary. Nominated for an Oscar last year for best documentary, “Spellbound” may hit some simply as a movie about a competition and the personalities behind the names. But for me, it is something more. With the back stories of these kids, the support of their parents, their inherent drive for success, and the various lessons that emerge through competition, “Spellbound” is a mosaic of America – a reminder of what unites us all as a country and a species. At one point, I sat back in my chair, and celebrated the fact that I knew the film was only half over. Yes, “Spellbound” has quirky moments and at times exposes overbearing parents pushing their kids in one direction or another. But, for each speller, it ends positively and optimistically. Deep down, these parents only want what’s best for these kids, and the children often know that they already have a great deal to be proud of. I would like ten minutes of “Spellbound” to be shown after every evening news broadcast. After the anchors talk about drug deals, murders, abductions and scandals, just shut up and put on part of this movie. I cannot think of a better means of countering the bad news of this world than with “Spellbound’s” reaffirming messages about family, dreams, love, passion and hope.  Check out Reviews, Commentary, and More at Zertinet.com |
LINKS
TO REVIEWS |
| Movies
@ Zertinet | Oscars @ Zertinet
| Main Site Best Viewed
at 800 X 600 or greater |
|
