At last! A female film that treats more significant topics than schutping, shopping and shoes. The Secret Life of Bees explores faith, sisterhood, race, maternal roles, child abuse, coming of age and much more. Those who read the bestselling novel by Sue Monk Kidd will not be disappointed with this film adaptation, written and directed by Gina Prince-Bythewood, previously known for the film Love and Basketball, as well as episodes of Felicity, Everybody Hates Chris and The Bernie Mac Show.

Prince-Bythewood does her best work so far, and elicits some of the best performances ever from an extremely canny cast that includes Queen Latifah, Dakota Fanning, Jennifer Hudson, Alicia Keyes, Sophie Okonedo and Paul Bettany. The story is set in the deep south of the early 1960’s, where African Americans are attempting to register to vote. Lily (Fanning) flees from life with her abusive father in order to find the truth about her mother, who has passed away. She embarks on a journey with her housekeeper Rosaleen (Hudson), who is suffering the blows of violent racial tension, and their journey leads them to the honey making home of three devout, educated sisters, played by Latifah, Okonedo and Keyes, where lessons and love are learned by all.

It may sound sticky sweet, but each character, even Lily, is gritty and flawed enough to make them believable and intriguing. Fanning, now fourteen, seems to have skipped right over the awkward adolescent stage, and at times reveals promise of becoming a great beauty as she grows. The warm lighting and loving camera work doesn’t hurt, of course. The entire film has the amber glow of the deep, rich jars on honey.  While some who haven’t seen the film might dismiss this as a period chick flick, male audiences will find it enriching as well. Films that do justice to the book from which they’re made are a rare and wonderful find.

Rated PG-13. 

-- Lisa Johnson Mandell