Deeper than the descriptions

A Disappointing Continuation

Simple and well acted, it has tension enough to knot the stomach.

Excellent characters with emotional depth. My wife, daughter and granddaughter all enjoyed it...and me, too! Very good movie! You won't be disappointed.

Many of the user reviews are from members of the Mormon faith. Their reviews focus on the Mormon faith. This movie is not about religion; it's about friendship. Lane, the main character, was raised my her free-spirited dad (whose faith comes from nature). A year after his death Lane's mother marries a man who is Mormon (again, that doesn't matter). Enter Phoebe, a 12 year old girl riddled with anxiety,and Lane's new step cousin. Lane is the only "non-adult" that accepts Phoebe (in Pheobe's mind). Phoebe's mom's fried, an over the top woman, encourages Phoebe to go. Phoebe doesn't want to. Lane overhears the conversation and reluctantly goes to support Phoebe. Lane suddenly realizes that she is with a bunch of crazy (no offense to Mormons) girls who yell Biblical songs, have weird names, and who are clique-y. Lane is given the chance to go home before she reaches camp, but decides against it. When the girls arrive at camp, Lane and Phoebe support one another while the other girls follow the direction of their "Laurel" leader, Brea. Lane finds solace in Nedra, a 65 year old Vietnam vet. Nedra educates Lane on faith, while not being preachy about it. (SPOILER ALERT: when something bad happens to Phoebe's dog, Lane consoles her about grief and lose. But, while doing so, we can see how Lane switches from consoling Phoebe's pain, to feeling her own pain of her father's death. (END OF SPOILER ALERT) I enjoyed that Lane stated that she still did not know what she believed in, and that it was met with acceptance by the entire camp. Caution: be prepared to cry at some scenes. This movie is about friendship, and the release of grief and loss. Pay no attention to the religious aspects of this film. A.k.a. be open-mined and you'll have two hours of a great story! ALSO the over-the-top camp leader and girls' humor.

Once I Was a Beehive is a pretty bad movie. It is an independent film, but it still didn't really deliver. I can see how someone might enjoy it, but from a film critic's standpoint that really appreciates well made films and is bothered by filmmaking flaws, the movie isn't that good. I'll admit, I did laugh out loud a few times. There are a few pretty good jokes in the movie, but most of them fall flat. Another thing I do like is some of the emotion that is shown throughout. Other than that, the writing and acting is very weak. I found a lot of the actors to be annoying, but the best actor in the film is probably Mila Smith, who played Phoebe. There are also a lot of plot points that were predictable. If you're a young woman who is Mormon and has been to Girls Camp, then you might like the movie. Otherwise, do something valuable with your time.

I came across this movie on Netflix. It was really good, and really other than the 'Young Women" reference, it took me a while to realize it was Mormon. It seemed to be just strictly Bible - It's a really good movie to show how girls interact and that even grownups lose their tempers and have the same identity issues. We're all just on a journey. My only one "complaint".. they should have done a bit more research on service animals verses emotional support animals and where they are allowed. Although, Roxie is adorable and helps calm Phoebe - she cannot be called a service animal. She is not trained to do work or a task! She simply calms Phoebe by being near her. An animal that calms just by their presence is an Emotional Support animal and is NOT allowed anywhere the person goes. A service animal is NOT a pet and other people would not be petting her. I only bring it up because it is a huge issue now and this movie is just adding to that confusion.

I really enjoyed this film. Sometimes (seemingly) overtly religious films pander to their audiences to make a buck at the box office. Especially if they appear to appeal to the "teenager" demographic. BEEHIVE is not one of these films.BEEHIVE dispels many Mormon myths head on, and in the wake of this transformation leaves you both laughing and crying. I appreciated that very much.But what I enjoyed most about this film is there was no "happily ever after." Not everyone was converted. Hardship still existed. All the story plots did not resolve into a nice, trite ending. However, you knew that the characters changed--that they were better people for what they had experienced, and they were now better equipped to go through other challenges in life. They had the ability to live with uncertainty, keep a smile on their faces, and move forward. For me, that was the hidden redemptive power in this film, and that is one of the biggest reasons I highly recommend it!