October 25, 2007 (New York City)
November 2, 2007 (United States)
Bee Movie is a 2007 American animated satirical comedy film directed by Simon J. Smith and Steve Hickner, and written by Jerry Seinfeld, Spike Feresten, Barry Marder, and Andy Robin. Produced by DreamWorks Animation and Columbus 81 Productions, it stars Seinfeld and Renée Zellweger. The film centers on Barry B. Benson (Seinfeld), an anthropomorphic honey bee who tries to sue the human race for exploiting bees after learning from his new florist friend Vanessa Bloome (Zellweger) that humans sell and consume honey.
Bee Movie premiered in New York City on October 25, 2007, and was released in theaters in the United States on November 2 by Paramount Pictures. It grossed $293.5 million worldwide on a budget of $150 million. It received mixed reviews from critics, who praised its humor and voice cast but criticized its plot and lack of originality. Nevertheless, it has since gained a cult following, partly driven by internet memes of the film shared on social media, which most often lampoon its surreal premise, script and celebrity cameos.
Storyline
Barry B. Benson, an idealistic young honey bee who has the ability to talk to humans, graduates from college, and is about to enter the hive's honey-making workforce, Honex Industries with his best friend, Adam Flayman. Barry is initially excited, but his ambitious, insubordinate attitude emerges upon discovering that his choice of job will never change once picked.
The two bees run into a group of Pollen Jocks, professional bees who collect nectar from flowers outside the hive, and they offer to take Barry with them if he is "bee enough". While on his first pollen-gathering expedition in New York City, Barry is separated by the rain, and ends up in the apartment of a human florist named Vanessa Bloome. Upon noticing Barry, Vanessa's boyfriend Ken attempts to kill him, although Vanessa intervenes and gently releases Barry outside, saving his life. Barry returns to express his gratitude to Vanessa, breaking the sacred law that bees must not communicate with humans. Barry and Vanessa develop a close friendship based on attraction, spending time together.
One day, when Barry and Vanessa are in a grocery store, Barry discovers that the humans have been stealing, and consuming the bees honey for centuries. He decides to travel to Honey Farms, which supplies the grocery store with its honey. Incredulous at the poor treatment of the bees, including the use of bee smokers to incapacitate colonies, Barry plans to sue the humans to put an end to their exploitation of the bees, with Vanessa agreeing to help.
Barry's mission attracts widespread attention from bees and humans, with countless spectators attending the trial. Although Barry is up against tough defense attorney Layton T. Montgomery, the trial's first day goes well. That evening, Barry is having dinner with Vanessa when Ken shows up. As Barry leaves to use the restroom, Ken ambushes and attempts to get rid of him, only for Vanessa to intervene and break up with Ken.
On the second day of the trial, Montgomery unleashes an unrepentant character assassination against the bees, leading to a deeply offended Adam to sting him. Montgomery immediately exaggerates the stinging to make himself seem the victim of an assault while simultaneously tarnishing Adam. Adam's actions jeopardize the bees credibility and his life, though he recovers in a hospital with a small, plastic sword as a replacement stinger. Barry wins the trial by exposing the jury to the torturous treatment of bees, preventing humans from stealing honey from bees ever again. Montgomery cryptically warns Barry that a negative shift of nature is imminent.
Human-obtained honey is returned in overload to every hive, leading to Honex stopping honey production, with all bees, including the vitally important Pollen Jocks, put out of jobs. Despite winning the legal lawsuit against humans, all of the world's plants begin to die out without any pollination, leading to an ecological crisis. Barry and Vanessa learn that the last remaining flowers on Earth are being stockpiled in Pasadena, California, for the Tournament of Roses Parade.
To carry out their mission, they travel there to steal a flower covered float, and load it into a plane intending to bring them back to the hive so they can re-pollinate the world's plants. When the plane's captain explains that the flight will be delayed due to bad weather, Barry attempts to reason with the pilots, only for them to knock each other out while attempting to vacuum Barry. With the help of Barry and his colony, Vanessa lands the plane safely.
In recognition for his heroism, Barry earns his place as a Pollen Jock. With the pollen of the last flowers, Barry and the Pollen Jocks reverse the damage, and save the world's plants, restarting the bees honey production. Later on, Barry runs a law firm at Vanessa's flower shop titled "Insects at Law", which handles disputes between animals and humans. While selling flowers to customers, Vanessa offers certain brands of honey that are "bee-approved". At the same time, Barry celebrates his new life as a Pollen Jock, balancing his adventures with responsibility.