6.6
Viewer Rating
Combines user and critic ratings from four sources
The Secret Life of Bees (2008)
The Secret Life of Bees (2008)
Overview
Set in South Carolina in 1964, this is the tale of Lily Owens a 14 year-old girl who is haunted by the memory of her late mother. To escape her lonely life and troubled relationship with her father, Lily flees with Rosaleen, her caregiver and only friend, to a South Carolina town that holds the secret to her mother's past.
Starring Cast
Where to watch
Rating & Dimensions
Bias Rating
Analyzing...
Progressive
Political: Leans Left
Diversity: High
Christianity: Positive
Viewer Rating
6.6
Overview
Set in South Carolina in 1964, this is the tale of Lily Owens a 14 year-old girl who is haunted by the memory of her late mother. To escape her lonely life and troubled relationship with her father, Lily flees with Rosaleen, her caregiver and only friend, to a South Carolina town that holds the secret to her mother's past.
Starring Cast
Where to watch
Detailed Bias Analysis
Analyzing...
Progressive
Primary
The film is rated Left-Leaning due to its central critique of systemic racism in the Jim Crow South and its championing of female solidarity and chosen family as a means of healing and survival against societal prejudice.
The movie features a diverse main cast, with the central family being Black, which is integral to its narrative set in the 1960s American South. The story explicitly addresses racial injustice and prejudice, portraying certain traditional white male characters negatively due to their racist actions, while centering the experiences and resilience of Black women.
Secondary
The film contrasts a rigid, fear-based Christian upbringing with a more compassionate, community-oriented spirituality that incorporates Christian symbols. The narrative ultimately affirms the latter's virtues of love and belonging.
The Secret Life of Bees does not feature any identifiable LGBTQ+ characters or themes. The story centers on a young girl's journey of self-discovery and finding family amidst racial tensions in the American South, with no narrative elements related to queer identity.
The Secret Life of Bees does not feature any identifiable transsexual characters or themes. The narrative centers on a young girl's journey of self-discovery and finding family amidst racial tensions in the American South during the 1960s, with no elements pertaining to transgender identity.
The film is a drama focused on themes of family, racism, and self-discovery in the 1960s. It does not contain any scenes where a female character engages in or wins direct physical combat against one or more male opponents using skill, strength, or martial arts.
The film "The Secret Life of Bees" is an adaptation of the novel by Sue Monk Kidd. All major characters in the movie retain the same gender as established in the original source material.
The film is an adaptation of the novel "The Secret Life of Bees." All major characters in the film, including Lily Owens, Rosaleen Daise, and the Boatwright sisters, maintain the same racial identities as established in the original source material.
Viewer Rating Breakdown
User Ratings
7.2
7.5
Critic Ratings
6.0
5.7
More Like This
Center
7.9
Tarzan
(1999)
Political: Leans Left
Diversity: Low
Leans Progressive
8.7
The Wild Robot
(2024)
Political: Leans Left
Diversity: Moderate
Progressive
7.2
Holes
(2003)
Political: Leans Left
Diversity: High
Leans Progressive
6.7
The Lion King II: Simba's Pride
(1998)
Political: Leans Left
Diversity: Moderate
Leans Progressive
6.8
Free Willy
(1993)
Political: Strong Left
Diversity: Moderate
Leans Progressive
6.6
The Jungle Book
(1994)
Political: Leans Left
Diversity: Moderate
Progressive
6.7
Spirit: Stallion of the Cimarron
(2002)
Political: Strong Left
Diversity: High
Progressive
7.9
The Woman King
(2022)
Political: Strong Left
Diversity: High
Female Combat: Yes
Progressive
7.9
Justice League: Starcrossed - The Movie
(2004)
Political: Leans Left
Diversity: High
Female Combat: Yes
Center
6.6
Minions: The Rise of Gru
(2022)
Political: Center
Diversity: Moderate
Female Combat: Yes
Leans Progressive
7.7
The Revenant
(2015)
Political: Leans Left
Diversity: Moderate
Center
7.9
Toy Story That Time Forgot
(2014)
Political: Center
Diversity: Moderate
Female Combat: Yes
Leans Progressive
8.0
An Almost Christmas Story
(2024)
Political: Leans Left
Diversity: Moderate
Progressive
6.9
Hostiles
(2017)
Political: Leans Left
Diversity: High
Leans Progressive
6.8
Tinker Bell and the Legend of the NeverBeast
(2014)
Political: Leans Left
Diversity: Moderate
Progressive
6.6
Gladiator II
(2024)
Political: Not Rated
Diversity: Not Rated
Progressive
8.0
Nimona
(2023)
Political: Strong Left
Diversity: High
LGBTQ: Positive
Female Combat: Yes
Leans Progressive
6.5
Trolls
(2016)
Political: Leans Left
Diversity: Moderate
Center
7.0
In Your Dreams
(2025)
Political: Center
Diversity: Moderate
Female Combat: Yes
Progressive
7.5
ParaNorman
(2012)
Political: Strong Left
Diversity: High
LGBTQ: Neutral