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There has been a lot of buzz about the new animated film from Dreamworks, Bee Movie. You can’t watch network TV without some shameless plug from the main voice of the film, Jerry Seinfeld. As I settled into my weekly, reserved press seat that I neither had to stand in line for or pay for, talk about shameless, I was hoping for something that was kid friendly but tolerant for adults. You know, something with snappy wit and the classic Seinfeld sarcasm. But it had to look good too. And I wanted voices I knew and that would make me laugh. Plus it had to keep moving. I didn't want another rat infested snooze fest. I was asking a lot from this film. And hoping it would deliver.

The film is about a bee named Barry who wants more in his life than a “work till you die” existence. He wants adventure and the great outdoors. To find
his place in life. When Barry discovers that humans eat honey and harvest it for themselves he decides to sue the humans in order to reclaim the honey
for the bees. Through all of this there is a lesson to be learned of course and though many kids could care less about the message it is there. I
learned a lot about the world of bees in those 90 minutes and I think I appreciate them just a little more than I did. Plus, they have a pretty decent sense of humor. 

Bee Movie is perfectly written with dialogue that is adult savvy and delivered by bees that are cute and kid friendly. Winning combination. The whole family has something to like about this film. Seinfeld writes his normal stinging liners with sarcasm that drip like, well, honey. When you bring in voices like Renée Zellweger, Matthew Broderick and John Goodman, along with cameos from Ray Liotta, Sting and Larry King, you have a way to bring your script to spot on animated life. This is the first voiced film in sometime that I thought stood in the ranks of the Monsters Inc. and Toy Story’s of the Hollywood world. Simply due to the writing. 

Bee Movie is Rated PG for mild suggestive humor, and a brief depiction of smoking. The older people humor is so vague that your younger viewer will
not even attempt to decipher it. It is there subtly for the adults in the audience and uses play on words that are clean but witty. When a bees mother
hopes Barry’s girlfriend is beeish and not a WASP, well that is just funny. I give Bee Movie a solid B plus. It was laugh out loud entertainment for the
entire family. So grab your honey and your kids and check it out.

Matt Mungle (matt@mungleshow.com)(10/31/07)

Matt is a member of the North Texas Film Critics Association (NTFCA) and co-hosts a weekly radio feature, The Mungles on Movies, with his wife Cindy.
For additional reviews, interview clips and great DVD giveaways, visit the website www.mungleshow.com"

Review copyright 2007 Mungleshow Productions. Used by Permission.