Based on a true story, Disney's The Girl Who Spelled Freedom is a made-for-television film about a teen-aged Cambodian refugee who arrives in Chattanooga, Tennessee in 1979. As she adjusts to American culture, the girl becomes an excellent speller and, a mere four years after she arrived in the US, she competes in and wins a national spelling bee. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine, All Movie Guide
Review by All Movie Guide
All Movie Guide
is neutral about it.
The Girl Who Spelled Freedom is a well-made Disney television movie about a young Cambodian refugee who comes to the US and in four years not only learns English but also wins the National Spelling Bee. The story emphasizes the cross-cultural values that bind us all, and how even great adversity can be overcome. Unlike some other Disney efforts, it has been praised as a fine family viewing choice that can be enjoyed even by very young viewers. Much of the credit for the film's success should go to Australian director
Simon Wincer, who does a fine job of understanding and depicting the film's Southern U.S. setting. ~ Richard Gilliam, All Movie Guide