Tell It To The Bees: Review

18th July 2019

Tell It To The Bees is a period drama telling the story of an emerging lesbian love affair set in a small town in Scotland.

Hostility, Racism and toxic masculinity all feature heavily in such a predictable manner that this feels like paint it by numbers period drama despite a stellar cast and strong direction from Annable Jankel.

Tell It To The Bees is a period drama set in 1950s Scotland where Dr Jean Markham (Anna Paquin) returns to her home town to take over her late father’s medical practice. However, all is not what it seems and her return is not greeted with warmth.

Lydia Weekes (Holliday Grainger) works in the local factory, raising her son, Charlie as a single parent when her husband leaves her. Charlie talks to the bees in Dr Markham’s garden, the two women meet and a forbidden love affair begins. Will love conquer all even the prejudices of 1950s Scotland?

Tell It To The Bees felt like tucking into an assortment of chocolates: sweet, parts of the action were unexpected and the ending came as a surprise. However, for the most part, the film is predictable, a paint it by numbers period drama. It does deal with very important issues such as racism due to an interracial relationship, back street abortions, toxic masculinity and of course lesbianism.

The back street abortion scene is probably one of the most horrifying and realistic depictions on the big screen of recent time and it will stay with you for a while long after the credits finish rolling. However, it is too nuanced when it should be bolder in parts to distract from the obvious plot devices. Grainger is and Lauren Lyle who plays Annie Cranmer are a delight to watch.

However, as surprising as the ending is, it is a little too late for what feels an all too predictable film.

Tell It To The Bees is released in cinemas across the UK on Friday 19 July.

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