For those of you who grew up reading Beverly Cleary’s “Henry Huggins” and “Ramona” books, the movie “Ramona and Beezus” will not disappoint. If you’re unfamiliar with the unconventional Ms. Cleary characters, buckle up, grab a large bag of buttered popcorn, a giant cherry coke, and your favorite chocolate bar (Snickers, anyone?), Then sit back and enjoy the world view of an extremely mischievous, but well-meaning, Ramona Quimby.
The precocious nine (and three month) year old child has a unique perspective on life. It is through the prism of his eyes that we see this movie. From the moment we meet this charmer, we are hooked. We indirectly experience Ramona’s antics, weaklings, and miscalculations during this non-stop roller coaster ride.
Ramona is the weirdo (and horror) of her third grade classroom. She is the neighborhood wild girl to be avoided at all costs. She is the superhero (in her own mind) who invariably makes every bad situation worse.
Suffering from the classic middle child syndrome, the drama princess feels inadequate when compared to her beautiful and “perfect” teenage sister, Beezus, and her adorable little sister, who can do no wrong, Roberta.
When the Quimby family faces a major crisis, our tiny heroine takes it upon herself to rescue her loved ones from a certain disaster. Unfortunately for Ramona, her big ideas and good intentions only create more problems. While every attempt to be “good” backfires, she valiantly continues her campaign to change her image and the outcome of her efforts.
Director Elizabeth Allen cleverly allows us to enter Ramona’s imaginative brain with the use (but not overuse) of special effects. We are allowed to see the sometimes terrifying, but often magnificent world inside the mind of this amazing child. And what a world it is to behold. But, you won’t get any spoilers from this reviewer.
In particular, I loved the relationship between the father, played by John Corbett (“Sex and the City 2”), and his daughters. This bond is rarely explored in family movies, and yet it is such a critical factor in the development of each girl’s self-image. In television sitcoms, parents are often portrayed as buffoons, while most major movies portray parents as worthless who are abusive, absent, or weak. Finally, we witness a strong, but sensitive and loving father, who is able to show his emotions while still being an authority figure. Well done!
This children’s movie tackles some current and timeless themes: job loss, financial hardship, first love, sibling rivalry, night terrors, and even death. But this character-based script never gets clumsy or corny. These “serious” themes intertwine seamlessly throughout the film’s intricate tapestry.
Ultimately, this is a coming-of-age tale, where our main character learns valuable lessons about family, altruism, lost love, courage, determination, and altruism. We are privileged to experience, together with Ramona, her “aha” moments where she gains wisdom, compassion and insight.
There are no “throwaway” supporting roles in the film. Each person is real and memorable. The always wonderful Sandra Oh (“Grey’s Anatomy” and “Sideways”) is Ramona’s third grade teacher who uses an imaginary “silence” button to silence her class. Bridget Moynahan (“Me, Robot) plays Quimby’s mother, Dorothy. Ginnifer Goodwin (” Big Love “) is Dorothy’s younger sister, Aunt Bea, and the only adult who fully understands Ramona’s feelings of inadequacy. Josh Duhamel (“All My Children”) is Bea’s commitment-phobic ex-boyfriend, Hobart.
Rounding out the seasoned cast is googly-eyed stunner Selena Gomez (voiced by Helga in Disney’s “Horton Hears a Who”), as the distraught Beezus, a “horrible” name that stuck when little Ramona couldn’t pronounce her name. real. name, Beatrice. As an older sister, she finds herself in the unenviable position of trying to tame her “imaginative” brother without getting caught in the spotlight. Unfortunately, most of the time, Beezus is the recipient of one of Ramona’s well-meaning adventures. Beezus is a typical sister; one minute protecting Ramona from a situation that went wrong, and the next, restraining herself from strangling the ruin of her existence. And then there’s the great satisfaction you get from activating Ramona’s colorful imagination after the lights go out and shadows appear on her bedroom walls.
The success of this film falls squarely on the capable shoulders of its naive young man, Joey King. Although she is a newcomer to the movies, it is clear from the moment she appears on screen that she was born to play this pivotal role. Frankly, I can’t think of a more suitable child actress for the role. Think of Abigail Breslin and Dakota Fanning (about seven years ago) in a little bundle of dynamite. With his huge, expressive eyes, smug gaze, and OMG, his rolling-eyes attitude, Joey captures the heart and soul of this immortal fictional character.
I highly recommend “Ramona and Beezus” (also labeled, “A little sister goes a long way”) to all family members over the age of nine. I doubt too many twisted little kids can sit and watch this nearly two-hour movie. There is no violence, objectionable language, or scenes with sex or nudity.
I look forward to the sequel with great anticipation.