Movies Like Akeelah and the Bee (2006)

Akeelah and the Bee is a 2006 drama film from Doug Atchison with a MovieMagicScore of 7.1/10. Here are 20 similar films, ranked by real viewer ratings — starting with Spellbound and The Unbreakable Boy.

Drama

Spellbound

2002

This documentary follows 8 teens and pre-teens as they work their way toward the finals of the Scripps Howard national spelling bee championship in Washington D.C.

7.4

MagicScore

The Unbreakable Boy

2025

When Scott and Teresa LeRette learn that their son Austin is both autistic and has brittle bone disease, they initially worry for their son’s future. But with Scott’s growing faith and Austin’s incredible spirit, they become 'unbreakable', finding joy, gratitude, and courage even in the most trying times.

7.7

MagicScore

Gracie's Choice

2004

For as long as she can remember, 16 year-old Gracie has been raising her four siblings, each of whom has a different, absent father and their mother is on the fast track to self-destruction. When these children's lives are about to be pulled apart, Gracie will have to do the impossible and make the ultimate sacrifices to keep her family together.

7.1

MagicScore

I Could Never Be Your Woman

2007

Mother Nature loves to cause mischief, and she steps in to help two love-starved souls find happiness. She helps an aging professional woman and single mother, Rosie, who's unlucky in love find her match with Adam, a much younger man. As their relationship blossoms beyond physical attraction, matters complicate when her adolescent daughter starts to fall for a handsome local boy.

5.8

MagicScore

Thawing Out

2009

Léo is dragged to a nudist camping resort by his mother. Like most boys at the age of 12 or 13, being nude in public holds little appeal for Léo, who protests by wearing extra layers. Until he meets a certain special girl, who captures his heart and releases his inhibitions.

5.6

MagicScore

The Best Christmas Pageant Ever

2024

The Herdman kids are undeniably the worst kids in the history of the world. They lie, steal, cheat, bully and overall terrorize their small community. But this Christmas, they're taking over their local church Pageant – and they just might unwittingly teach a shocked little town the true meaning of Christmas.

6.9

MagicScore

Homestead

2024

A nuclear bomb is detonated in Los Angeles, and the nation devolves into unprecedented chaos. Ex-Green Beret Jeff Eriksson and his family escape to The Homestead, an eccentric prepper’s fortress nestled in the mountains. As violent threats and apocalyptic conditions creep toward their borders, the residents of The Homestead are left to wonder: how long can a group of people resist both the dangers of human nature and the bloodshed at their doorstep?

6.5

MagicScore

The Resurrection of Gavin Stone

2017

Gavin Stone, a washed-up former child star, is forced to do community service at a local megachurch and pretends to be Christian so he can land the part of Jesus in their annual Passion Play, only to discover that the most important role of his life is far from Hollywood.

5.8

MagicScore

The Secrets of Jonathan Sperry

2008

The lives of twelve year old buddies Dustin, Albert, and Mark, sharing a carefree existence in the summer of 1970, suddenly changes when Dustin makes an unexpected friend after cutting the lawn of 75 year old Jonathan Sperry. As the old man shares lessons in faith with the preteen trio, a spiritual transformation occurs.

6.8

MagicScore

#10

Sound of Hope: The Story of Possum Trot

2024

Led by Donna and Reverend W.C. Martin, 22 families from a rural Black church in the small East Texas town of Possum Trot adopt 77 of the most difficult-to-place kids in the foster system and kickstart a movement in the process.

7.0

MagicScore

#11

Madea's Big Happy Family

2011

When Shirley, Madea's niece, receives distressing news about her health, the only thing she wants is her family gathered around her. However, Shirley's three adult children are too preoccupied with their own troubled lives to pay attention to their mother. It is up to Madea, with the help of rowdy Aunt Bam, to bring the clan together and help Shirley deal with her crisis.

6.7

MagicScore

#12

Breakthrough

2019

Tragedy strikes when a woman named Joyce's son falls through the ice on a frozen lake and is trapped underwater for over 15 minutes. After being rushed to the hospital, the 14-year-old boy continues to fight for his life as Joyce, her husband and their pastor stay by his bedside and pray for a miracle.

7.6

MagicScore

#13

Preacher's Kid

2010

Longing to experience more of life, twentysomething preacher's daughter Angie strikes out on her own for the very first time and joins a traveling gospel show.

6.1

MagicScore

#14

The Forge

2024

19 year old Isaiah Wright lives for basketball and video games. A year out of high school, he has no job, no plans, and no idea how to be a man. At odds with his single mother Cynthia, Isaiah is given an ultimatum – to step up or move out. Feeling the pull from his friends and the push from his mom, Isaiah is hired by Moore Fitness, unaware of how the owner will personally impact his life. With the prayers of his mother and unexpected guidance from his new mentor, Isaiah is forced to deal with his past, sacrifice his selfishness and discover how God might have a greater purpose for his life.

8.2

MagicScore

#15

A Taste of Honey

1961

While out to avoid spending time with her narcissistic and promiscuous mother, sixteen-year-old Jo has a brief affair that leaves her pregnant and abandoned. When her mother remarries, Jo's only support becomes her friend Geoffrey, a homosexual.

6.9

MagicScore

#16

Fighting with My Family

2019

Born into a tight-knit wrestling family, Paige and her brother Zak are ecstatic when they get the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to try out for the WWE. But when only Paige earns a spot in the competitive training program, she must leave her loved ones behind and face this new cutthroat world alone. Paige's journey pushes her to dig deep and ultimately prove to the world that what makes her different is the very thing that can make her a star.

6.8

MagicScore

#17

Bee Season

2005

Wife and mother Miriam begins a downward emotional spiral as her husband avoids their collapsing marriage by immersing himself in his 11-year-old daughter's quest to become a spelling-bee champion.

5.0

MagicScore

#18

Boyz n the Hood

1991

In the middle of the Los Angeles ghetto, drugs, robberies and shootings dominate everyday life. During these times, Furious tries to raise his son Tre to be a decent person. Tre's friends, on the other hand, have little regard for the law and drag the entire neighborhood into a street war...

7.6

MagicScore

#19

A Time to Kill

1996

A young lawyer defends a black man accused of murdering two white men who raped his 10-year-old daughter, sparking a rebirth of the KKK.

7.4

MagicScore

#20

Baby Boy

2001

The story of Jody, a misguided, 20-year-old African-American who is really just a baby boy finally forced-kicking and screaming to face the commitments of real life. Streetwise and jobless, he has not only fathered two children by two different women-Yvette and Peanut but still lives with his own mother. He can't seem to strike a balance or find direction in his chaotic life.

7.1

MagicScore

Frequently asked

What are the best movies like Akeelah and the Bee?

The top films similar to Akeelah and the Bee by MovieMagicScore are Spellbound (7.4), The Unbreakable Boy (7.7), Gracie's Choice (7.1). Each shares drama themes and is ranked by real viewer ratings, not critics or studios.

Is Akeelah and the Bee worth watching?

Akeelah and the Bee holds a MovieMagicScore of 7.1/10 from 341 viewer ratings, putting it among the better-reviewed titles in its genre.

What kind of movie is Akeelah and the Bee?

Akeelah and the Bee (2006) is a drama film directed by Doug Atchison, starring Keke Palmer, Laurence Fishburne, Angela Bassett.

Where can I find more recommendations like Akeelah and the Bee?

Browse the full ranked list above, or explore more drama recommendations on MovieMagicScore, where every list is ordered by genuine viewer ratings.

Keep exploring

Movies like Spellbound Movies like The Unbreakable Boy Movies like Gracie's Choice Movies like I Could Never Be Your Woman Movies like Thawing Out Movies like The Best Christmas Pageant Ever

About movies like Akeelah and the Bee

This ranked list pairs Akeelah and the Bee (2006), a drama film from Doug Atchison, with similar titles by genre, theme and cast overlap (fans of Keke Palmer take note). Unlike critic-driven sites, every position here is ordered by MovieMagicScore — a rating built only from real viewers, with no studio marketing or paid placement. Scores update as more people rate, so the list stays current.

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