Ember's analysis
- Pacing
- Measured
- Intensity
- Moderate
- Complexity
- Layered
- Violence
- Mild
- intimate
- serious
- melancholic
- thoughtful movie night
- literary adaptation viewing
What critics said
Critics generally found the film intelligent and thematically ambitious but frustratingly distant and diffuse in its portrayal of family dysfunction.
What sets it apart
May contain story progression spoilers
Saul applies Jewish religious training and tikkun olam to his family relationships, while Miriam struggles with conversion and childhood trauma.
Saul shifts his expectations and attention from Aaron to Eliza after discovering her spelling talent.
Saul believes letters and words may provide answers about the universe through Eliza's spelling success.
The film presents the Naumanns' outwardly supportive household alongside accumulating private pressure and dysfunction.
Films like Bee Season, and why
The Squid and the Whale
family dysfunction, psychological pressure, and emotionally restrained domestic drama
Little Miss Sunshine
intimate family conflict, parental projection, and thoughtful coming-of-age themes
The Namesake
literary family drama centered on religious identity, secrecy, and intergenerational tension
Movie Details
- Directors
- Scott McGehee, David Siegel
- Release Date
- 2005-09-03
- Runtime
- 104 min
- Rating
- 5.1 / 10 (101)
Cast
- Richard Gere
- Juliette Binoche
- Flora Cross
- Max Minghella
- Kate Bosworth
- Corey Fischer
- Sam Zuckerman
- Joan Mankin
- Piers Mackenzie
- Lorri Holt
Where to watch in United States
- Rent
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home
- Buy
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home
Streaming options come from TMDB and change over time.
Common questions
- What is Bee Season about?
- A gifted young speller becomes the focus of her father's spiritual ambitions, exposing the fractures beneath an apparently loving Oakland family.
- What is Bee Season like to watch?
- Ember's analysis rates the pacing of Bee Season as measured, its intensity as moderate and its storytelling as layered.
- Is Bee Season violent?
- Only mildly. Ember rates the violence in Bee Season as mild.
- What did critics think of Bee Season?
- Critics generally found the film intelligent and thematically ambitious but frustratingly distant and diffuse in its portrayal of family dysfunction.
- Which films are like Bee Season?
- Films with a similar feel include The Squid and the Whale, Little Miss Sunshine, and The Namesake.
- How long is Bee Season?
- Bee Season runs 104 minutes.
- Where can I watch Bee Season?
- In United States, Bee Season is available to rent or buy from Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home.
