Spellbound

Released: November 13 2003
Cast: Harry Altman, Angela Arenivar Ted Brigham, April Degideo, Neil Kadakia, Nupur Lala, Emily Stagg, Ashley White
Director: Jeff Blitz
Genre: Documentary/Drama
Rated: G
Running Time: 97 Minutes
Awards: Academy Awardà Nominee 2002 Best Documentary Feature


EVERYONE WANTS THE LAST WORD

Synopsis:
Spellbound presents the intense, true-life experience of the National Spelling Bee as seen through the eyes of eight driven, young spellers. We share in their private lives as they train for and compete in this ultimate, intellectual showdown. Within these stories, we discover not just the idiosyncratic personalities, their obsessional study habits, their sometimes heart-breaking, sometimes inspiring family dynamics, but the story of America itself. From the hardscrabble plains of Texas to the manicured lawns of Connecticut, from the redneck Ozark countryside to the troubled Washington, D.C. projects, Spellbound presents a patchwork of real and modern American stories. For the first time on the big screen, audiences can follow the dramatic journey of eight anxious yet courageous young competitors as they wrestle with impossibly difficult words and enormously big dreams at the National Spelling Bee.


My Verdict:
Spellbound is a tense, captivating and satisfying documentary. The tension created as we watch the eight chosen finalists that are featured in the movie is as good as any thriller. And there are no special effects, or blood and gore to help the tension. This is tension as pure as it will ever be. The first half of the movie introduces us to the eight finalists on their home turf and details their hopes and dreams of the future. The second half of the movie is spent at the National Final and is a nail-biting affair.

Right from the start we are drawn to each of the children, and follow their paths as they eventually meet at the National Spelling Bee. Each of the children wants to win - why else would they be there? But of course, there can be only one winner. In a way, they are already winners for reaching the National Finals. And as some of them are eliminated, it is with anguish that we feel their loss along with them. The obscurity of the words chosen for the finalists is as fascinating as the movie itself. Many of the words are definitely not in common use, so to be able to spell them is an achievement in itself, let alone know or understand their meaning.

Along with the finalists are their parents, family and supporters who have helped them in their quest to be the winner. This documentary also features another side to children - their parents. Each child obviously has a unique gift which their parents are nurturing if not pushing. This raises the question of the pressure on these children to succeed, if not for themselves, then for others such as their parents, teachers, tutors, family and friends. As they head off to the National Finals they are sent off in ceremony. When they return, they are also elevated to celebrity status. These are obstacles that they are either going to embrace or fail to accept.

Spellbound is fascinating viewing and is a movie for anyone as we have all endured the pressure of spelling correctly. It chronicles the lives of some very interesting and entertaining Americans and one thing is for sure - their lives will never be the same.


- Christina Bruce