Critic Reviews

Spellbound (2002) Rank 3 Reviews

Expert Review Summary
Movie critics combined give Spellbound (2002) a score of 3.1460 out of 4
based on (118) reviews
Click on the numbers to the right of the graph to see reviews of that rating
2
Good
(8)
Fair
1
Fair
(0)
Poor
0
Poor
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Reviews by Score:
Spellbound (2002) scores a combined 3.25 out of 4 stars for Movie Gazette (Anton Bitel)Movie Gazette (Anton Bitel)
This funny, gripping microcosm of the American dream and immigrant culture will stay with you for more than a spell. ...read the complete Spellbound movie review at Movie Gazette (Anton Bitel)
Spellbound (2002) scores a combined 3.25 out of 4 stars for Movie Gazette (Anton Bitel)Movie Gazette (Anton Bitel)
A documentary about a spelling competition which is funny, gripping, and somehow manages to take in much broader aspects of American society and immigrant culture along the way. In a word , T-H-A-U-M-A-T-U-R-G-Y. ...read the complete Spellbound movie review at Movie Gazette (Anton Bitel)
Spellbound (2002) scores a combined 3.25 out of 4 stars for Film Threat, Hollywood's Indie VoiceFilm Threat, Hollywood's Indie Voice
The word was liniment. I was a 6th grader who'd won my grade school spelling bee, thus earning the right to represent my hometown in the annual county wide spelling bee. To be broadcast on the radio. Big-Time Stuff.Unfortunately, while all the other ...read the complete Spellbound movie review at Film Threat, Hollywood's Indie Voice
Spellbound (2002) scores a combined 3.20 out of 4 stars for Washington Post (Michael O'Sullivan)Washington Post (Michael O'Sullivan)
Spellbound (2002) scores a combined 3.20 out of 4 stars for Chicago Reader (Ted Shen)Chicago Reader (Ted Shen)
Blitz shows us these kids in all their quirkiness and dorkiness, letting them do much of the talking as he records them and their families at home. ...read the complete Spellbound movie review at Chicago Reader (Ted Shen)
Spellbound (2002) scores a combined 3.20 out of 4 stars for LA Weekly (Ella Taylor)LA Weekly (Ella Taylor)
For the committed word nerd, spelling has its intrinsic pleasures, but in Spellbound it's another example of the peculiarly American mania for turning everything -- even play --into work. ...read the complete Spellbound movie review at LA Weekly (Ella Taylor)
Spellbound (2002) scores a combined 3.20 out of 4 stars for Salon.com (Stephanie Zacharek)Salon.com (Stephanie Zacharek)
Blitz captures the intensity of the bee itself, showing how it frazzles the nerves of even the most well-prepared spellers as, one by one, their colleagues and competitors drop away. ...read the complete Spellbound movie review at Salon.com (Stephanie Zacharek)
Spellbound (2002) scores a combined 3.20 out of 4 stars for Dallas Observer (Luke Y. Thompson)Dallas Observer (Luke Y. Thompson)
Consider it an athletic contest of the mind--ESPN does, as the sports network regularly televises the finals. ...read the complete Spellbound movie review at Dallas Observer (Luke Y. Thompson)
Spellbound (2002) scores a combined 3.00 out of 4 stars for IMDB.comIMDB.com
Some conclusions were obvious. Second generation hyphenatedAmericans apparently study and achieve at much, much higher rates than kids whose families have been here for many generations. Money does appear to help. One kid had separate tutors for words ...read the complete Spellbound movie review at IMDB.com
Spellbound (2002) scores a combined 3.00 out of 4 stars for IMDB.comIMDB.com
Though the eight spellers are fourteen years old give or take a year or two, they're a diverse lot, with Harry Altman arguable the most idiosyncratic and the most lovable. With nearspastic faces and a broad, if nervous smile exposing his orthodontia, ...read the complete Spellbound movie review at IMDB.com
Spellbound (2002) scores a combined 3.00 out of 4 stars for IMDB.comIMDB.com
The story begins as Harry, an anguished teen, is trying to spell a simple word that sounds like "bands" but turns out to be "banns," a term familiar only to regular churchgoers. After that, we're introduced to eight local champions. From New Haven, ...read the complete Spellbound movie review at IMDB.com
Spellbound (2002) scores a combined 3.00 out of 4 stars for filmcritic.com (Nicholas Schager)filmcritic.com (Nicholas Schager)
Jeffrey Blitz’s Spellbound focuses its gaze on eight children as they make their way to the annual National Spelling Bee in Washington, D.C. The subjects Blitz chose for his fascinating documentary come in all shapes and sizes – combined, ...read the complete Spellbound movie review at filmcritic.com (Nicholas Schager)
Spellbound (2002) scores a combined 3.00 out of 4 stars for Chicago Sun-Times (Roger Ebert)Chicago Sun-Times (Roger Ebert)
As we watch them drilling with flashcards and worksheets, we hope they will win, but we're not sure what good it will do them. ...read the complete Spellbound movie review at Chicago Sun-Times (Roger Ebert)
Spellbound (2002) scores a combined 3.00 out of 4 stars for Miami Herald (Rene Rodriguez)Miami Herald (Rene Rodriguez)
One of the many pleasures in Spellbound is watching the reactions of these young brainiacs, all under the age of 14, as they first hear the word they are being asked to spell (''Is that even a word?'' seems to be a common thought passing through their ...read the complete Spellbound movie review at Miami Herald (Rene Rodriguez)
Spellbound (2002) scores a combined 3.00 out of 4 stars for Chicago Sun-Times (Roger Ebert)Chicago Sun-Times (Roger Ebert)
It is useful to be a good speller, up to a point. After that point, you're just showing off. The eight contestants in "Spellbound," who have come from all over the country to compete in ...read the complete Spellbound movie review at Chicago Sun-Times (Roger Ebert)
Spellbound (2002) scores a combined 3.00 out of 4 stars for NYC Film Critic (Ethan Alter)NYC Film Critic (Ethan Alter)
If it sounds like I'm being unduly hard on the first half of this film, I don't entirely mean to be. Spellbound is an involving movie and it's much more exciting than a lot of the "action-packed" sequels in multiplexes right now. But as someone who ...read the complete Spellbound movie review at NYC Film Critic (Ethan Alter)
Spellbound (2002) scores a combined 3.00 out of 4 stars for The Globe and Mail (Toronto) (Rick Groen)The Globe and Mail (Toronto) (Rick Groen)
Loses its momentum just when you'd expect the suspense to mount -- at the competition itself. ...read the complete Spellbound movie review at The Globe and Mail (Toronto) (Rick Groen)
Spellbound (2002) scores a combined 2.80 out of 4 stars for Film Threat (Merle Bertrand)Film Threat (Merle Bertrand)
Draws an unspoken parallel with, of all things, beauty pageants, complete with unnaturally driven kids and nervously supportive parents desperately trying not to appear too pushy. ...read the complete Spellbound movie review at Film Threat (Merle Bertrand)
Spellbound (2002) scores a combined 2.80 out of 4 stars for The Onion (A.V. Club) (Scott Tobias)The Onion (A.V. Club) (Scott Tobias)
Can't help but be deeply engrossing, as it taps into a highly charged atmosphere that one parent dubs "a different form of child ...read the complete Spellbound movie review at The Onion (A.V. Club) (Scott Tobias)
Spellbound (2002) scores a combined 2.80 out of 4 stars for TV Guide (Maitland McDonagh)TV Guide (Maitland McDonagh)
An enthralling, suspenseful documentary about spelling bees. ...read the complete Spellbound movie review at TV Guide (Maitland McDonagh)
Spellbound (2002) scores a combined 2.73 out of 4 stars for PopMattersPopMatters
At the 1999 Scripps Howard National Spelling Bee's hotel headquarters in Washington, DC, a gigantic American flag vertically blankets at least seven floors. Engaged in tense competition, a diverse group of elementary and middle school children in the ...read the complete Spellbound movie review at PopMatters
Spellbound (2002) scores a combined 2.59 out of 4 stars for BBCi - FilmsBBCi - Films
Here's a documentary with plenty of tears, trials and tribulattions. No wait, tribblations. Erm... TRIBULATIONS! Set in the stressful world of America's National Spelling Bee championships, where nine million children aged 12-14 compete for a place ...read the complete Spellbound movie review at BBCi - Films
Spellbound (2002) scores a combined 2.52 out of 4 stars for ReelViews (James Berardinelli)ReelViews (James Berardinelli)
Despite rave reviews, film festival awards, and an Oscar nomination, Spellbound comes across as little more than a marginally compelling documentary -– the kind of movie that would be at home on PBS. ...read the complete Spellbound movie review at ReelViews (James Berardinelli)
Spellbound (2002) scores a combined 2.52 out of 4 stars for New York Daily News (Jami Bernard)New York Daily News (Jami Bernard)
This could be a documentary about reading the body language of childhood. ...read the complete Spellbound movie review at New York Daily News (Jami Bernard)
 
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Spellbound (2002)

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Ratings and rankings are based on number of movie, review scores, awards & other criteria.
Overall Rating:
3.1789
Spellbound (2002) is ranked overall as  out of 4 stars
Avg Critic Score:
3.1460
Spellbound (2002) is ranked overall as  out of 4 stars
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