Ron Howard's 'Cheaters' Now 'What You Don't Know'

All things being equal, I prefer the title Cheaters to What You Don't Know. They're the same movie, in different phases. Cheaters is directed by Ron Howard and has a big cast - Vince Vaughn, Winona Ryder, Kevin James, Jennifer Connelly, Queen Latifah, and Channing Tatum - but Universal said the name must go. So now, we're left with the less specific title What You Don't Know. It's still about the same thing, infidelity, but I guess Cheaters doesn't test well. But it's easier, it means more, and it's more memorable, so this may not be the best move.

Terrible Idea for Romantic Comedy Gets Worse

You know what the romantic comedy Valentine's Day really needed? More damn cast members. Jesus Freewheelin' Christ, what are there, over a dozen major roles in this thing? The Hollywood Reporter says that Queen Latifah and Jamie Foxx are new signees, as is Carter Jenkins of the new Aliens in the Attic.

Now, if you're new here, I hate the very notion of this movie. It's a romantic comedy opening on Valentine's Day and it's called Valentine's Day. It's directed by Garry Marshall, who despite the familiarity of his name, is a absolutely mediocre director. On his best day. And then, to make matters worse, the film won't possibly develop any kind of meaningful story because it has way too many characters. I mean, unless this is four hours long, there's no way to wade through all the storylines.

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Movie Review - 'The Secret Life of Bees'

The Secret Life of Bees Starring Dakota Fanning, Queen Latifah, Alicia Keys, and Sophie Okenedo Directed by Gina Price-Blythewood Rated PG-13

The Secret Life of Bees is a film with a lot of heart. On its own, that's not always enough, but this one has a fair amount of intelligence, too. It's smart enough to let its two lead actors carry the action and propel the drama with their instincts, and when your leads are Dakota Fanning and Queen Latifah, those instincts are usually pretty good.The story could've been anything, so long as The Queen and Dakota were able to share a few scenes, but the film is based on the novel of the same name, about a girl's search for truth in a time searching for its own. Lily (Fanning) tells us in the film's opening minutes of the horrible way she came to be at a crossroads in her life at the age of 14.Her relationship with her father (Paul Bettany) is not one to treasure; withstanding it may even be tough. So Lily decides to split town with Rosaleen (Jennifer Hudson), who works for her father.This being 1964, a white girl and a black woman walking through rural South Carolina might raise an eyebrow. But Lily believes she is being guided somewhere important when she winds up on the doorstep of August Boatright (Queen Latifah). August and her sisters, May and June (Sophie Okenedo and Alicia Keys) offer to let Lily and Rosaleen stay so long as they help with the family business: Honey.We have seen many of the lessons taught by The Secret Life of Bees in other films. And there are still many lessons to be learned about racial equality in our everyday lives, secret or otherwise. Those are not the film's strengths, but rather its window dressing. The real power here is in the terrific ensemble of women who push each other and pull each other closer. And yes, Dakota Fanning can now be considered a woman, by my estimation.Though she is still only 14 years old, Fanning is beginning to walk into more mature roles with a grace equal to the precociousness that marked her work as a seven-year-old in I Am Sam. She has always been believable, perhaps too mature for her years, but now she's a veteran, and she's gaining an understanding that comes with growing up.The Secret Life of Bees hinges on that, as well as the natural ability of Queen Latifah. And for the most part, the film succeeds because of their efforts. But I found that it took risks it did not need to take and didn't take some it probably should have. It's still a nice movie with great performances, but it's probably a little too nice and not demanding enough.

Movie Trailer - Queen Latifah and Dakota Fanning in 'The Secret Life of Bees'

I'm still a big believer in Dakota Fanning's talent, and fortunately for her, she seems to be taking to her teenage years better than a lot of actors who become wildly successful before they're 12. She's an integral piece of the puzzle in The Secret Life of Bees, a new film adaptation of the Sue Monk Kidd novel. It's 1964 and young Lily Owens (Fanning) is on the run from her cruel father (Paul Bettany). She and her caregiver, Rosaleen (Jennifer Hudson), stumble onto a group of sisters in South Carolina who give them refuge and don't ask any questions. The sisters are played by Queen Latifah, Sophie Okonedo, and Alicia Keys.

Now, because we mentioned that the movie is set in South Carolina in 1964, you can probably see where some of this story is headed since we have a white teenager living with four black women. Some folks in South Carolina still prefer the Confederate flag, so...

Anyway, it's hard not to take notice of the cast and the appearance of the Fox Searchlight studio logo has been a pretty good indicator of quality over the past few years. All in all, this looks like one you may need to take seriously. Take a look at the new trailer, courtesy of MovieWeb. The Secret Life of Bees hits theaters on October 17th, where it will square off against W., Flash of Genius, and Max Payne.