By Kent Turner
July 20, 2010
Fans of Beverly Cleary's Ramona, rest easy--director Elizabeth Allen has chosen well. The first film adaptation of the beloved series includes memorable scenes in which the pratfall-prone girl with the overactive imagination cracks an egg on her head, thinking it's hard-boiled, as well as the one where she wears pajamas to school.
One overarching story line strings together the slice-of-life vignettes: the lighthearted relationship between Ramona and her even-tempered dad, John Quimby. Taken straight out of Ramona and Her Father (HarperCollins, 1977), John loses his job and becomes Mr. Mom while his wife suddenly becomes the breadwinner. (Perhaps as an incentive for adults, the parents are played by Sex and the City's John Corbett and Bridget Moynahan). In a refreshing contrast to so many movies, the Quimby household looks lived in and just a touch middle class. Think IKEA rather than Crate & Barrel.
Simmering in the background is Ramona's resentment toward her seemingly perfect, straight-A teen sister, Beezus--Ramona's toddler mispronunciation of Beatrice, which happened to stick. Beezus feels less than exalted, however: "How could I be normal with a name like Beezus?" Their rivalry remains comedic and good-natured throughout because the conflicts come out of nine-year-old Ramona's peculiar way of thinking.
Even with occasional stop-motion animation, like Ramona soaring to outer space, Allen keeps the film simple and winningly wholesome. Parents needn't worry--"guts" is about the only bad word spoken. (There's some vomit spewing, too.) And the only darkness on the horizon is the cash-strapped parents arguing over bills.
Teen star Selena Gomez as Beezus may have top billing, but the real star is Joey King as her younger, gangly sister. King easily grabs your attention, and the camera loves her deep blue eyes. Tenacious and without guile, King's adorable without succumbing to preciousness. Ramona's a natural clown, pleased as punch by her own ideas, and she has a point--"funner" should be a word. When Ramona has her school picture taken on an extremely bad hair day, she looks even more disheveled than Nick Nolte in his mug shot.
Ramona and Beezus is also an ensemble comedy, with supporting characters having their moments in the sun. Ramona's most special Aunt Bea (Ginnifer Goodwin) reignites a flirtation with the high school bad boy who broke her heart, and Beezus experiences her first crush. The movie offers something for everyone, adults and children, without the two cancelling each other out. Here, being different isn't bad. It's fun, too.
While I applaud an attempt to make a G rated live action film, I can't support the Disney actress whose selfish actions fractured the Disney star kingdom into factions.
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