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YMMV / Bee Movie

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  • Awesome Music: "Barry Flies Out" and Sheryl Crow's rendition of "Here Comes the Sun".
  • Critical Dissonance: It received mixed reviews from critics who praised its humor and voice cast, but criticized its plot. Nevertheless, the film was a moderate box office success, grossing $293 million worldwide. It has since gathered a cult following, partly driven by memes of the film shared on social media, most notably a reading of the film's entire script.
  • Crosses the Line Twice:
    • Barry wins the case by asking if nature intended for Bees to be "honey slaves to the WHITE MAN?!?" It's surreal enough to be at least little funny, but then the one black lawyer on the opposition awkwardly scoots his chair away from the other lawyers and Montgomery, who are all white. Even more so when Montgomery angrily whispers "He's playing the species card!"
    • Part of the montage after Barry's ban on bee-harvested honey is put into effect shows animal control tranquilizing Winnie the Pooh.
    • An elderly woman being held down by police simply for putting honey in her cup of coffee. She also says “I can’t breathe!”
    • A woman's shower is interrupted by Barry and the police for using shampoo that's made from honey.
  • Cult Classic: The film was a modest financial success on release, but the general initial atmosphere was largely of befuddled ambivalence due to its strange premise, questionable writing, and awkward incorporation of celebrity voice talent. Over the years, however, it's since developed cult status in large part due to Memetic Mutation, with newer audiences joking at just how bizarre and uniquely quotable it is.
  • Ensemble Dark Horse: Ken's role in the film is really small but he leaves an impression due to being played by Patrick Warburton and being bizarrely sympathetic.
  • Ham and Cheese: Two of the biggest sources of comedy in the movie are Ken and Layton Montgomery, and a lot of it comes from how much their voice actors, Patrick Warburton and John Goodman respectively, shout their lines. Particular moments include when Ken jested with Barry while trying to murder him and when Montgomery gets stung by Adam.
  • Hype Aversion: Promotion up the wazoo is probably one of the main reasons that the movie wasn't as successful as hoped.
  • Just Here for Godzilla: Fans of Jerry Seinfeld and not the memes just want to see him animated.
  • Memetic Loser: The fans of the movie - both ironic and otherwise - love mocking Ken. History does not speak of many men who were cuckolded by a bee.
  • Memetic Mutation: Ya like memes? Here's a list.
  • MST3K Mantra: So much artistic license that it’s best just to ignore it and enjoy the movie.
  • No Yay: The friendship between Barry and Vanessa is great. The possible romantic shipping between a human being and a small talking bee? No way. Even actor Jerry Seinfeld was against the romantic implications of Barry and Vanessa's relationship.
  • One-Book Author: Jerry Seinfeld’s only notable movie role.
  • One-Scene Wonder: Ray Liotta and Sting Adam Westing during the trial.
  • Signature Scene: Barry introducing himself to Vanessa, due to his memetic line "Ya like jazz?"
  • So Bad, It's Good: One of the most well-known examples in terms of animated movies. The premise is already weird, the execution even more so. But that makes the movie extremely quotable.
  • Squick: Six words - "Are you her little... bed bug?"
  • Took the Bad Film Seriously: Say what you want about the script and its insult to biology and the law system, but the actors are clearly giving their all.
  • Unintentionally Sympathetic: Ken is presented as a minor antagonist, Barry's romantic rival who tries to kill him on two occasions, but most audience members end up rooting for him. This is because he comes across as the Only Sane Man in the movie, repeatedly acknowledging the absurdity of the plot and getting understandably upset when he loses his girlfriend to a bee.
  • Values Dissonance: The notion of working in the same job for your entire life as being an unpleasant prospect is not shared the world over. Indeed, in Japan, the concept of shūshin koyō ("lifetime employment") is seen as something to aspire to, as it guarantees job security for the rest of your life.
  • Watch It for the Meme: The movie did so-so in theaters, but the huge amount of memes about it prompted a resurgence of popularity in The New '10s.
  • What Do You Mean, It's for Kids?: Late in 2021, Jerry Seinfeld himself admitted that the somewhat intense sex atmosphere and romantic plot between Barry and Vanessa wasn't appropiate for a kids movie, and apologized for that.

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