This documentary, which follows 8 young American students to the National Spelling Bee in Washington, D.C., is nothing short of brilliant! It shows how the students and their parents deal with the pressure and the kids' studying habits. There are also interviews with the students' teachers, as well as previous Spelling Bee winners. It is a well-rounded and perfectly paced film. There are great closeups of the kids' faces as they struggle to spell words I have not even heard of! It's fun and tense at the same time. I found myself trying to spell the words with them. And I learned a few things, too: wedding banns is spelled b-a-n-n-s, and...I need a bigger dictionary! This is a must-see!
Review of Spellbound
