Movie Review: 'Ramona and Beezus'

When I think of my favorite books as a child, I think of the Ramona series. So, naturally, I was ecstatic when I saw the preview for Ramona and Beezus.

Opening day, my little sister and I marched into an early afternoon showing of the movie, ready to watch the tale of two sisters unfold on our screen.

Ramona and Beezus tells the tale of a nine-year-old girl who likes to “color outside the lines” and her older, more behaved, sister.

Because the Ramona books were a series and this was a movie, I knew the plot wouldn’t copy the book page-for-page. I was just curious about how they would bring such a beloved series to life.

Joey King dazzles as Ramona. There is a fine line between making Ramona seem like a bizarre, immature nine-year-old and presenting her simply as a girl with a wild imagination and a penchant for trouble. For the most part, King portrays the latter.

There were times when I wondered why Ramona did some of the things she did. She sometimes did seem like she was five instead of nine. However, I think this was more the fault of the script than the fault of the actress. (And I also think that is a problem that can occur when a series of books--when Ramona is various ages--are condensed into one movie.)

All of that aside, every time King stepped onscreen, I saw Ramona. She was Ramona.

Selena Gomez, most well-known for her role in Disney’s Wizards of Waverly Place and various other Disney projects, is tasked with the role of bringing Beatrice Quimby (better known as Beezus) to life.

This is one of Gomez’s first roles that is not Disney-related (although it is not far off from Disney). She does not have a lot to work with, but she does a respectable job. She was able to mix the right amount of teenage girl with loving big sister, which is not as easy as it sounds. Beezus is not always a saint to Ramona, but she doesn’t treat her badly either. (Actually, I admire the patience Beezus has with Ramona sometimes.)

Although Gomez’s portrayal of Beezus was not remarkably memorable, that is not through any fault of her own. From the title of the movie, it is obvious that Ramona is the central figure. If any part of Gomez’s smaller role was not perfect or Beezus-like, it was because of the script.

In fact, the writing was the weakest link of Ramona and Beezus.

I like that the movie showed the audience that Ramona has a very vivid imagination. However, there were times when I felt they overdid the imaginative sequences to the point where it felt more like a little kids’ movie and not like a family movie (which I think it was intended to be).

But the script’s biggest problem was its lack of focus.

Although there were plot points, there was no big, climactic plot. I couldn’t tell if Ramona was supposed to learn something by the end of the movie or if people were supposed to learn to accept her. I felt that was where they were heading, but they never quite got there.

There were times during Ramona and Beezus when I wondered if there was any point other than simply giving the audience a glimpse inside the life of a creative nine-year-old. In the end, I needed more character and plot resolution.

I was also a little bit disappointed in two of the supporting characters. Although she is not a central character, Willa Jean (Ruby Curtis) could have done more than run around and hit people with her tricycle. And worst of all, Beezus’s love interest, Henry Huggins (Hutch Dano), simply fell flat. He was, regrettably, entirely forgettable.

On the other hand, there were moments I did enjoy. I truly did feel sad during a poignant moment between the two sisters and there were parts of the movie where I chuckled. The lead and supporting actors had great chemistry and most of them brought a great charisma to the screen.

I also loved many of the supporting characters. Her parents (John Corbett and Bridget Moynahan) are solid rocks throughout the movie. And Hobart and Aunt Bea (Josh Duhamel and Ginnifer Goodwin) are great characters that unify many parts of the scattered plot and provide a cute romantic subplot.

Ramona and Beezus will never top the greatness of the Ramona book series, but it is a good standalone film. It is entertaining, funny and imaginative.
Whether you watch it in theaters or wait for it to come out on DVD, I recommend seeing it; it has an innocence that is lost in many films today and is a movie the whole family can watch together.

Ramona and Beezus is rated G.