In 2000, writer Doug Atchison’s screenplay, "Akeelah and the Bee" bested 4,250 entries to win the AMPAS Nicholl Fellowship, a competition open to new screenwriters. His newly released film from that script fulfills the high expectations that accompanied that prestigious award.

With ESPN airing spelling competitions, a Tony Award given to Putnam County Spelling Bee and the release of the recently lauded documentary "Spellbound," the notion of spelling bees is up front and center.

"Akeelah and the Bee" makes it close and personal, with its main character an 11-year-old girl from South Los Angeles ("a place where dreams are hard to come by") with a gift for putting the letters in the right order. As she narrates the film’s opening scene, Akeelah admits that she feels like an outsider. "No matter what you do," she says with a solemnity beyond her young age, "you don’t fit in." Raised by her widowed mom (Anglela Bassett), she plays Scrabble on the computer and keeps a notebook of new words that she memorizes. A photo of her deceased father looks down on her as she practices—an obvious tribute to a dad who also loved words.

When an observant teacher encourages Akeelah to enter the school’s spelling competition, Akeelah resists—her need to "fit in" overpowering her desire to display her incredible talent. Her busy mom is not encouraging but her older brother pushes her with the mantra "Do it for Dad."

Enter Dr. Joshua Larabee (Laurence Fishburne), a past spelling champion who has been recruited to coach Akeelah. Their strong personalities clash initially with Larabee booming "You cannot be a shrinking violet!" and "Do not underestimate the power of language!" Eventually Larabee helps Akeelah realize the main point of the film, which is profoundly simple: "Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure."

Like "Rocky" or "Karate Kid," "Akeelah and the Bee" derives its kick from the journey to the top. Akeelah makes it from the school’s contest to the district, regional and finally the national competition and who would guess that spelling words could muster so much suspense?

Quirky little elements elevate this warm family film: Akeelah slaps her thigh with each letter of each word as she spells; a birthday party in a posh L.A. neighborhood revolves around spelling games; an entire neighborhood becomes Akeelah’s coach as she learns the 5,000 words in her yellow box.

A relative newcomer, Keke Palmer is amazing in the title role. She inhabits this part with an effortlessness that promises a bright future. Few movies—if any—have been made with an 11-year-old black girl as the principal character. It is refreshing in that this would clearly not be the same film with a middle-class white boy in the same role. The notion that something good can happen in her neighborhood is foreign to Akeelah. Her efforts—disgruntled at the outset—eventually prove to herself and others that talent can rise to the top.

Admittedly, these notions are a tad clichéd. Even a few of the characters seem like stereotypical repeats. Akeelah’s brothers—one the good pilot, the other a wayward gang member—border on the familiar. The crabby, overworked mom certainly seems well-worn until we learn a bit more about her past. The Asian spelling bee competitor with the stern, inexpressive father is almost an insulting pigeonhole—can we finally put that one to rest?

Beyond these minor complaints, "Akeelah and the Bee" is a likeable charmer, sure to please families looking for suitable entertainment. Its heroine is a real person, someone we can truly root for; its story, a unique twist focused on the Olympics of the mind. A definite crowd-pleaser, "Akeelah and the Bee" teaches, inspires and encourages a smile.

It’s also a gentle reminder that "i before e, except after c" really is important.