SPELLBOUND!

Spellbound just left me spellbound! It's fascinating how 8 children with different backgrounds- Indian and Mexican migrants, single parents, black in white society Americans- all competing for the same ultimate goal. Not all may win the National Spelling Bee, the time honoured tradition of America, but will definitely win your hearts.

The film is a documentation of one of the most geeky events existent but makes you race with it, holding your attention like a suspense drama where anything can happen anytime. You are first introduced to individual contestants, all regional champs, given a peek into their lives just a bit so you develop your affections and root for them. You are presented with their backgrounds- faced with expectations, burdened by hopeful parents whose stature in society depends on the child’s resilience during the most grilling competition. You are then thrown in the National Bee where cutthroat competition is the only mantra for survival and you have to support your pick.

The intertwining of the lives of these children, with the aspirations of the families- migrant parents to demanding parents, along with the competition was an example of editing with brilliance where the boundaries are experimented. Bring in the background and context via the previous winners and America’s aspirations; the film digs deeper than the surface competition to the social implications. Be it the Indian or Mexican parents who find acceptance due to their child’s achievement or the parents who think they have a point to prove to the world.

The most exemplary example of techniques used would be the juxtaposition of certain events like the mere introduction sequences of every contestant, ranging from different economic, social and cultural backgrounds like the quiet April of Pennsylvania against the hyperactive Harry in New Jersey; poor black Ashley of Washington streets against the rich Indian Neil of San Clememte, Orange County. The tension of Neil against his father’s pressure and hopes during the competition as he prepares to spell. The emotions were reflected in the extreme close-ups of the contestants with their expressions of tension moving to those of concentration, confusion, sometimes shock sometimes despair and sometimes pure frustration. The audio matched perfectly with the visual on screen-be it the ever-indicative bell or be it the common track used to various effects throughout. The movie stands out- not just visually but emotionally as well. One that would stand out in my memory would be April’s father- walking around, swinging on his feet, playing with nails- all in a bid to handle tension- excellent sequences used. Kudos to Jeffrey Blitz!