The Secret Life of Bees – WISE Score & Parent Review | Screenwise

The Secret Life of Bees

Name: Screenwise
Author: Screenwise

movie2008

68%

WISE Score

Avg. Tomatometer

A 14-year-old escapes her abusive dad to find healing with beekeeping sisters in 1964 South Carolina—heavy but hopeful.

60%

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The Secret Life of Bees

movie

PG-13, 2008

68%

WISE Score

Avg. Tomatometer

A 14-year-old escapes her abusive dad to find healing with beekeeping sisters in 1964 South Carolina—heavy but hopeful.

60%

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Screenwise Verdict

Here's the thing: this is a genuinely good movie with important themes about race, family, and healing. The performances are strong, the story is meaningful, and it handles Civil Rights history with respect.

But let's be real—it's a 2008 period drama, which means it moves at the pace of honey dripping from a spoon. Modern kids raised on Marvel and TikTok may struggle with the slower storytelling. It's also emotionally HEAVY—abuse, racism, death—so you need a mature 13+ who can sit with difficult feelings.

The enrichment value is genuinely high if your kid can engage with it. But this isn't a 'throw it on and zone out' movie. It requires conversation afterward and emotional readiness going in. If your teen is into character-driven stories and can handle the weight, it's worth it. If they need constant action, skip it.

Age Fit

Best for ages 13-16 who can handle heavy themes and slower pacing. Younger kids will be bored or upset; older teens may find it a bit earnest but still valuable for the historical perspective.

WISE Breakdown

Wholesome

Strong themes of found family, healing from trauma, and kindness across racial divides in 1960s South. Models female solidarity and emotional growth. However, deals with heavy topics like abuse, racism, and maternal death that require emotional maturity. The Boatwright sisters provide warm, nurturing role models.

Imaginative

The beekeeping metaphor and magical realism elements around the Black Madonna are creative, but this is primarily a character-driven period drama rather than something that sparks creative play or exploration. It's more about emotional imagination—understanding others' perspectives during the Civil Rights era—than visual or interactive creativity.

Safe

Contains domestic abuse scenes (father's violence toward Lily), racial violence and slurs reflecting 1964 South Carolina, the traumatic death of Lily's mother (shown in flashback), and some intense emotional content. CSM rates it 13+. No sexual content or gore, but the abuse and racial violence are genuinely distressing and not 'surprise-free' for younger viewers. This isn't a Marvel movie—it's heavy.

Enriching

Exceptional empathy-building around race, grief, and finding your people. Set during Civil Rights era with authentic portrayal of Black women's strength and community. Teaches about beekeeping, Southern history, and complex emotions around loss and forgiveness. Strong female characters across generations. Genuinely meaningful takeaways about chosen family and healing.

Parent Info

✓

Why It Might Be Great

Gorgeous portrayal of found family and female solidarity across racial lines during the Civil Rights era
Teaches real history about Black women's resilience and community in the 1960s South without sugarcoating
The beekeeping metaphor is actually beautiful—life, sweetness, and working together despite the sting
Strong performances (Queen Latifah, Alicia Keys, Dakota Fanning) that make the emotional beats land
Shows a teen processing genuine trauma and finding her way to healing through connection

⚠

What to Watch For

Domestic abuse scenes—Lily's father T. Ray is violent and cruel, which can be triggering
Racial slurs and violence reflecting 1964 reality; this is not sanitized history
The mother's death scene (in flashback) is genuinely traumatic and central to the plot
It's a slow-burn period drama from 2008, so modern kids used to faster pacing may struggle to stay engaged
Heavy emotional content throughout—grief, abandonment, identity—requires maturity

Conversation Starters

"Lily spent years thinking she killed her mother. How do you think carrying that secret affected her?"
"What do you think about how the Boatwright sisters created their own community during such a racist time?"
"The bees only sting when they're afraid. What does that tell us about people who hurt others?"
"Why do you think Lily needed to know the truth about her mother, even if it was painful?"
"How is 'chosen family' different from biological family? Can it be just as important?"

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