Spellbound [DVD] [2003]

After introducing the youths and their families, the documentary accounts the actual bee. The tension is nearly unbearable when the spellers are given a difficult word, and seeing them eliminated is heart-wrenching. The documentary swells to a remarkable finale, due to the skillful editing by Yana Gorskaya and the debut work of director, Jeffrey Blitz. In addition, "Spellbound" is filled with amazing triumphs and heart-breakers. Hearing Ashley White's single, disadvantaged mother explain that the greatest moment of her life was seeing her daughter crowned champion at the city spelling bee is sure to leave a lump in your throat. Another warm moment is when a mother discusses how her child is somewhat of an outcast in her school but that she's popular at the bee. These children have managed to find ways of belonging and succeeding despite their quirks, which elevates further the amazing nature of their accomplishments.

"Spellbound" was Oscar-nominated for best documentary in 2003, losing to the flashier but less deserving "Bowling for Columbine." A truly excellent documentary exposes fundamental truths about us or our nation, and "Spellbound" certainly passes this litmus test. By following youngsters from a variety of backgrounds, nothing short of the American Dream is revealed. Ultimately, "Spellbound" is fantastic and perhaps the most touching and profound documentary of its kind since "Hoop Dreams." A most highly recommended film experience!

Extras: 1) Biographies and "where are they now" information for each speller. 2) A fascinating commentary featuring the director, producer, and editor. 3) Synopses of three spelling bee contestants who were not featured in the final cut of the documentary. The stories of these three spellers are probably not as compelling as the eight youngsters highlighted in the main documentary, although young Bradley Feldman's unrequited crush on his teen-aged spelling coach is terrific.

One of the thoughts I had when I was watching this movie was how difficult it must be for some of these kids to live with the high expectations their inner circle imposes upon them. Of course, the burden is a lot heavier in some cases than in others, but in all the examples shown, one gets the idea that the level of nervousness is a lot higher than in any other activity the children may participate in. For example, in the case of football, there may be situations in a game in which a player is under pressure, but this usually does not last long, the kid has the support from other teammates and the responsibility shifts among players. In the case of the spelling bee, one mistake and it's over!

In some cases the expectations of the fathers are tremendous. Neil spells 7,000 to 8,000 words a day when he is close to a competition. His mother comments: "When you fight in a war everybody has the same goal". His father tutors him when he can, and pays for several tutors, one for each different root language. In my opinion this can only be detrimental for Neil, and you can see his fear every time he has to go up to the microphone and spell. On the other hand, you have kids like Harry, who is very talkative and joking all the time, plays the guitar and studies spelling only one hour to one and a half hours per day.

I enjoyed this movie because I think it may present a reality check for a lot of parents that have their kids in spelling competitions. The message I got from it was that if you keep an attitude that allows the kid to have fun while learning and doing the best he can, then you and your kid will be a lot happier than if you impose the competition as a job (or allow the child to take it that way).

For those of you that enjoyed watching the National Spelling Bee in the past, this will be an opportunity to view the highlights of the 1999 finals again. Whether you are interested in the effects that the competition have on the children or in the excitement of this contest, this is a movie that you will enjoy.

The kids are of course terrific - some are in it for the fun and enjoyment while others are taking it very seriously with an unadulterated determination to win. Angela is a gangly brunette and daughter of Mexican laborers in Texas. Nupur lives in Tampa, Florida and is the daughter of immigrants from India. She's a veteran of the 1998 national spelling bee but was eliminated in the third round. Ted, the son of farming parents, is a big, soft-spoken math lover from Rella, Missouri. Emily is a suburban horse rider and singer in a girl's chorus from New Haven, Connecticut. Ashley is a cute and bubbly black girl with a brilliant smile from a poor part of Washington DC. Neil lives in San Clemente, California and is child of wealthy Indian immigrants. Neil trains hard and is pushed by his over achieving father. April is the adorably eccentric daughter of former factory worker, now pub owner in Amber, Pennsylvania. And Harry from Glen Rock, New Jersey is an endearingly extraverted jokester who likes to talk like a musical robot.

Viewers will probably find themselves trying to spell the words for themselves as the tension mounts and the competition heats up. This is a quiet, well-mannered competition where the heroes are loners and thinkers that have a love of words and wordplay. There are also no hard feelings when the various kids are eliminated and some of them feel positively relieved that they don't have to study the dictionary anymore. A couple of the kids work and train unbelievably hard to prepare but none of the parents seem overly obnoxious or pushy, they're just wonderfully supportive, and several are loveably kooky.

There are some nice additions to the film with interviews with past winners, and there are some great reaction shots with the kids acting triumphant as they leave the mike after getting a hard word right or looking crest-fallen when a wrongly spelt word takes them out of the competition. The viewer will really feel for the kids who look befuddled and tense as they encounter an unfamiliar word. Spellbound is great fun and is a film that the whole family can endlessly enjoy. Mike Leonard September 04.