Spellbound
Metascore
80 out of 100

Generally favorable reviews - based on 34 Critics

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 32 out of 34
  2. Mixed: 2 out of 34
  3. Negative: 0 out of 34
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  1. San Francisco Chronicle
    Reviewed by: Carla Meyer
    100
    Resembles a Christopher Guest movie in that it follows obsessed, socially awkward folks on a seminal journey in their lives.
  2. Boston Globe
    Reviewed by: Ty Burr
    100
    At its most unsettling level, Spellbound asks us to consider what words are for and what childhood should be. It's as profound as anything you'll see this year, and, yes, it should have won the Oscar.
  3. Premiere
    Reviewed by: Brooke Hauser
    100
    While it may be excruciating to watch a speller miss a word by a letter, it's just as exciting to watch another kid jump the hurdle.
  4. Entertainment Weekly
    Reviewed by: Lisa Schwarzbaum
    91
    Thrilling little epic set in the bewildering arena of the English language.
  5. Portland Oregonian
    Reviewed by: Marc Mohan
    91
    The end result is the best documentary you'll see this year, as thrilling a competition as any Super Bowl and as suspenseful a story as any Hitchcock film.
  6. Seattle Post-Intelligencer
    Reviewed by: William Arnold
    91
    Not only is it an enormously entertaining study of a curiously American institution, it also manages to be a nail-biting competition film, an engrossing group character study and a wonderfully graceful comedy of manners.
  7. Los Angeles Times
    Reviewed by: Kenneth Turan
    90
    At a time when so many in this country are at odds about what represents America at its best, it's refreshing and then some to see a film that everyone can agree is an example of exactly that.
  8. The New York Times
    Reviewed by: Dana Stevens
    90
    Enough drama, humor and unfiltered nail-biting suspense to put all the thrill-mongering screenwriters in Hollywood to shame.
  9. Slate
    Reviewed by: David Edelstein
    90
    The movie becomes a nail-biter, the audience hanging on every letter. Who could have anticipated that a spelling competition would yield such a heartbreaking thriller?
  10. Washington Post
    Reviewed by: Ann Hornaday
    90
    Just might be the most action-packed suspense thriller of the summer.
  11. Austin Chronicle
    Reviewed by: Sarah Hepola
    89
    As good, old-fashioned dorkfests go, it doesn't get much better than the National Spelling Bee, with its arcane words, bespectacled competitors, and stinging little bell.
  12. Rolling Stone
    Reviewed by: Peter Travers
    88
    By the time they're onstage, your pulse is pounding right along with theirs. Spell this movie: g-r-e-a-t.
  13. Chicago Tribune
    Reviewed by: Mark Caro
    88
    Boasts all of the drama and suspense of any reality TV show, but it actually stars smart people. And they're kids.
  14. Philadelphia Inquirer
    Reviewed by: Carrie Rickey
    88
    I love this movie, and I love the pride, spirit and sportsmanship of the kids who represent the best of American pluck and luck.
  15. Charlotte Observer
    Reviewed by: Lawrence Toppman
    88
    The terrific Spellbound really isn't about the ability to tear words apart letter by letter. It's about nerve-wracking competitiveness.

User Reviews

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User Score
8.0 out of 10

Generally favorable reviews- based on 22 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 14 out of 16
  2. Mixed: 2 out of 16
  3. Negative: 0 out of 16
  1. lolawonderly
    9
    This movie completely changed my outlook on life. I was 7 when I first saw it in theaters, and I was completely blown away. I was very impressionable, as so many 7 year olds are, and for the first month or so after I watched it, I had it decided that I too, was going to be a spelling bee kid. Obviously I didn't really stick with my plans of being a nationally ranked speller, but, a year ago, when I watched the movie again, I realized the impact this film had on me had just about nothing to do with spelling. Spellbound provides revealing insight on being the best, regardless of what hobby, sport, or subject you're trying to excel at. Surprisingly compelling, Spellbound ranks near the top of my list as far as documentaries go.… Full Review »
  2. ChristopherJ.
    7
    A documentary that exposes the lifestyles of the nerdy and almost-famous spelling bee contest. The kids are fascinating and the parents are what you'd expect them to be: strange.… Full Review »
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