EVERY year, millions of children across America religiously study their dictionaries, all pursuing one elusive dream: a place in the final of the Scripps National Spelling Bee, held in Washington DC.
The high tension of this televised event was captured brilliantly by Jeffrey Blitz in his 2002 documentary Spellbound, and more recently in the fictional drama The Bee Season.
Now, writer-director Doug Atchison uses the Scripps National Spelling Bee as a backdrop to his inspirational coming of age tale, set in south Los Angeles.
Following a well-trodden path, Akeelah And The Bee conceals few narrative surprises: we know the diminutive heroine must somehow reach the televised final, in order to give the film its heart-stopping grandstand finish.
However, Atchison throws as many obstacles in the youngster's way as possible, and when he does finally defy our expectations, it's to ensure his spellers learn a valuable lesson about integrity.
Effortless grace
Twelve-year-old actress Keke Palmer inhabits the central role with effortless grace, far beyond her tender years.
She carries the film and doesn't strike a single wrong emotional note as her fearless protagonist strives for greatness against phenomenal odds.
Palmer plays precocious, quietly spoken student Akeelah Anderson, a youngster from a predominantly African-American community, who possesses a natural gift for spelling.
Reluctant to stand out from the crowd, Akeelah tries to conceal her talent.
She reluctantly enters the school's spelling bee and, to everyone's surprise, wins, delighting high school principal Mr Welch (Armstrong) and his friend, noted professor Dr Larabee (Fishburne).
Larabee senses a raw talent, waiting to be nurtured, and he agrees to tutor Akeelah for the televised national finals, unaware that she is doing so behind the back of her hard-working single mother, Tanya (Bassett).
New strength
During her sessions with her brusque mentor, Akeelah discovers a new strength and resilience, inspired by a quotation on the study wall: "Our greatest fear is not that we are inadequate, but that we are powerful beyond measure".
Friends and neighbours lend their support as the girl makes her way to Washington, where she faces some of the best spellers in the country including friendly Javier (Villareal) and deadly serious Dylan (Michael).
Akeelah And The Bee is emotionally manipulative, without question.
Atchison doesn't resist a single opportunity to show how Akeelah's journey of self-discovery enriches everyone around her, healing deep wounds.
The touching father-daughter relationship is nicely handled by Palmer and Fishburne, while Bassett commands the screen in her vastly underwritten supporting role.
Atchison's script isn't word perfect - the contrivances pile up in the final act and some of the racial stereotyping is borderline offensive - but the film has heart, and when it asks us to cry with joy, we do so, willingly.
Released: August 18 (UK & Ireland)
