Expecting a timely, politically correct melodrama that uses bees as a metaphor for the circle of life, the state of familial relationships or some other well-integrated theme, I was somewhat surprised to find that the title refers to that which is not yours – as in “none of your beeswax.” Oddly enough, it is a theme equally as common and justly comprehendible.

It is a story about families, people taking care of each other, ties that go awry and ones that mend themselves once again. They are the connections that we make and break, the people that are in our lives for a reason at a time when we need them most. And that is why we let them know our beeswax.

Jeannie, who has been paraplegic since youth and gets around in a wheelchair, co-owns a used and vintage clothing store with her semi-estranged friend Amanda. Lauren is Jeannie’s nearly identical twin sister. The girls look alike, though Lauren is not wheelchair-bound.

As tensions between the storeowners culminate into threats of a lawsuit, Jeannie calls on the help of an ex-boyfriend, Merrill, who has just graduated from law school. Falling immediately into bed together, Merrill begins distracting himself from his own problems by trying to assist Jeannie.

Lauren, however, is between jobs and between boyfriends at the moment. To give her life some direction, she is seriously considering going to Kenya, Africa to teach English. When Lauren gets suckered into a familial obligation back home, Sally, her mother’s partner, somewhat overreaches her stepmotherly bounds by trying to involve herself in Jeannie’s problems.

In the end, the women learn life is about the beeswax and other small stuff that, for most sisters, is easier to deal with when you have each other.

Beeswax is a slowly paced indie flick that focuses on the ordinary trials and tribulations of two very different sisters. The revelations that the film uncovers are small and slightly underdeveloped, and there is little action or dialogue to warrant outstanding performances.

Much can be said, however, for the filmmaker’s wish to portray these characters as realistically as possible. This may go back to the small budget, but the on-location shooting and small town setting really appeals to the audience’s ability to relate to the characters.

In the end, it’s a simple story that anyone can relate to – even if it is none of our business.

Grade: C+



Beeswax releases in select theaters Aug. 21.