Directed by Elizabeth Allen. Joey King, Selena Gomez, John Corbett, Bridget Moynahan, Sandra Oh, Ginnifer Goodwin, Josh Duhamel. 20th Century Fox / Walden.
Decent Films Ratings
| Overall Recommendability |
?B+ |
|---|---|
| Artistic/ Entertainment Value |
? |
| Moral/Spiritual Value (+4/-4) |
? +2 |
| Age Appropriateness |
?Kids & Up |
External Ratings
| MPAA | ?G | USCCB | ?NA |
|---|
Content advisory: Some domestic friction; a poignant episode involving a beloved family pet.
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By Steven D. Greydanus
Generations of children who have never been to Portland, Oregon have a lively idea of the neighborhood of Klickitat Street. They might not recognize it if they actually went there, since what matters about Klickitat Street is that it’s where Henry Huggins delivered newspapers and acquired his bony dog Ribsy — and it’s where the Quimbys live, next door to the Kemps. Ellen Tebbits’ house is a couple of blocks away. A few miles from Klickitat Street, in Grant Park, where Henry once dug for night crawlers, children will find statues of Henry, Ribsy and Ramona, so they’ll know they’re in the right neighborhood.
Ramona and Beezus is in the right neighborhood too, for all that it was filmed in Vancouver. Faithful to the spirit if not the letter of Beverly Cleary’s Ramona books, Ramona and Beezus borrows eclectically from multiple books rather than sticking to one, but gets right what most matters, above all Ramona herself. Fans of Disney princess Selena Gomez may show up to see her as Beezus — and she’s winsome and natural in the role — but the casting of Beezus is less important than that of Ramona. Ramona is probably Cleary’s best character, and it’s vital to get her right.
Newcomer Joey King is the ideal Ramona, with her impish smile, restless energy and genuinely baffled sense that other people don’t see the world the way it obviously is. Consider the unfairness of her teacher, Mrs. Meacham (Sandra Oh), who encourages her pupils to be original, yet inexplicably does not want them using words like “terrifical” or “funner.” “She can’t tell kids not to invent words,” Ramona appeals plaintively to her parents (John Corbett and Bridget Moynahan). “She’s not the president of the world!”
