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I really tried to like this movie because I really like some of the actors in it. But - it had so many flaws that any thinking person should have found it unwatchable.

This film is so full of confusing and implausible scenes and especially reactions that it's hard to accept almost any following scene without wondering what the heck had just happened. Or why it happened. And the cinematography was uneven. Some of the shots were nice, where others were shot so badly that I wondered if they had handed the camera to Forrest Gump himself.

Okay, to start, the Elijah Wood character is supposed to be stricken with amnesia, which would be profoundly disturbing and worrisome for any real person. Elijah does stress over this, randomly, now and again, in brief and obvious shots. But it's amazingly understated. That's just one example of how all the players under-react (or badly act) to every situation in Bumblebee.

As much as it tried to be different and, I guess, 'artsy', this film is as chock full of obtuse emotional manipulation as any mainstream, big budget, Hollywood piece of crap: feel sorry for the dying kids, understand the detached but not-really-detached doctor, ache for the long-shot romance, laugh with and love the funny kid, but worry about his health. Please.

The worst things about this terrible piece of work were the dialogue and the acting. I honestly don't think the actors are to be entirely blamed for their bad performances. There's only so much one can do with a botched script and bad directing. There are many moments when you feel like you're watching a teeny-bop romp (albeit, a depressing one) or a watch-by-numbers after school special.

It's all very confusing how the movie slaps scenes together which don't fit, and barely explains things which clearly need more definition.

The idea wasn't bad. It could have been an okay film, at least. But they screwed it up all the way through.

Thumbs (and other ligaments) down.

The Bumblebee Flies Anyway was certainly a drama. People die, sad things happen, and the viewer is blown away by the stunning storytelling. That's what it's supposed to be, right? And was it, in this case? Sort of. Major plot points came and went without much surprise from me. But I still found it interesting and entertaining. The title comes from the fact that bumblebees are actually too big for their wings, and shouldn't be able to fly, but they do. The acting was fine, but it's funny to see that Elijah Wood did better than Janeane Garofolo. The script was similarly passable. Soundtrack: Pretty good, and sometimes quite effective.

On the plus side, some awesome questions are asked, and that's what makes this so powerful. I can't go into detail without giving away the plot. Overall, it's not a waste of time, but there are probably better movies out there. I'd recommend it for people who like to ponder philosophically.

When I first came across this movie at the video store, I had previously heard nothing about it; however, the storyline interested me, and I was also familiar with both Elijah Wood and Rachael Leigh Cook.

As indicated in others' comments, the storyline depicts Barney Snow [Elijah Wood], a young man who is the only "non-terminal" patient in an experimental hospital for terminally-ill youngsters. He is initially advised by the doctor [Janeane Garofalo] to remain "detached" as he encounters the other patients. However, before long he develops friendships with several of them --- Allie, a young kid who stutters and has some sort of brain disease; Billy, a wisecracking but honest kid (he appears to me that he is in his teens) with a kidney disorder; and Alberto a.k.a "Mazzo", who appears to be around Barney's age, acts somewhat hostile and has bone cancer. Barney especially develops a close bond with Mazzo's fraternal twin sister Cassie [Rachael Leigh Cook], to whom he regularly reports Mazzo's condition as Mazzo won't see her when she visits.

The title comes from the notion that a bumblebee is able to fly even though scientifically its wings are too small, and this is the basis of the experiment being done on Barney.

Although I found the movie somewhat slow-moving, and the storyline sometimes unrealistic as he learns the truth of why he is there, I still enjoyed it. I like sensitive storylines, and even though I generally prefer they be a little less serious than what this was, this movie still ranks as one of my favorites. It was also the first time I had seen Elijah Wood in a role other than in a "cute little kiddie" or "teeny-bopper" movie, and I thought he did an excellent job. He and Rachael Leigh Cook seemed to work well together.

I wouldn't recommend this to everyone --- if you prefer something more upbeat, you probably would not like this movie. However, I would advise anyone who thinks this seems even remotely interesting to give it a chance.

Really, there isnt much to say about this one. So why say anything at all? I don't know. What I do know is that I felt nothing for this film. It contained an incredibly awkward kissing scene between Elijah and Rachel Leigh Cook. I had to look away. I still don't understand why their characters felt so passionately about one another. This kiss seemingly came out of nowhere. Boom. I cannot comprehend why people like Janeane G. and Elijah W. would sign on to it. Perhaps the script changed mid-shoot, or the script looked like a good idea on paper. For some reason I don't want to assign blame to anyone but the writer and director. Correct me if I am wrong, but I am pretty sure this is the third movie with Elijah Wood in it that involves a) a junkyard and b) building something from that junkyard (see The War and Radio Flyer for further examples of this). Perhaps his character also jumps on or off a bicycle mid-pedal too (cf. Deep Impact, Radio Flyer, Flipper). Why have I seen so many EW movies? I have deep respect for Frodo. But I have to say, I wouldnt even rent this one.

I found the title to this little known classic while scanning through Elijah Wood's filmography. It was, in fact, the title that jumped out at me the most. I decided I had to see it. After searching through two different rental places in my area I finally found it. I must admit I didn't know what to expect. There were many aspects of the film which intrigued me. Most of all I loved the fact that for 75% of the film you're very unclear as to what Elijah Wood's character is experiencing. This actually mirrors his character's whole role in this film. Both viewer and character are confused and disoriented, thrown into a strange world where dying and terminally ill children are the only company. This brings a unique bond between audience and Barney Snow (Wood) because we are forced to experience his incomprehension. I thought that the acting in this film was on target. Everyone from Elijah Wood to Jeffrey Force was just brilliant. Both Joe Perrino and Elijah Wood have the most expressive eyes and they utilize this gift to really tug the viewer's heart. Though some parts of this film came across a little on the cheesy side, I really found it spectacularly done and completely captivating.