Post by StevePulaski on Jun 2, 2011 16:08:46 GMT -5
Ramona and Beezus.
Rating: ★★★
Anybody who went to school knows Beverly Cleary and her wonderful series of children's novels. Besides the Ramona series of books, she wrote The Henry Huggins books and The Mouse and the Motorcycle. Along comes Ramona and Beezus, based off of her book Beezus and Ramona written in 1955. Not reading the book in years, I vaguely remember moments in it that weren't in this. I have researched to find that this film is based on the seventh book out of all the Ramona books but for some reason still has the title of the first. Strange.
Moving right along, the story is about the plucky youngster named Ramona (King) and her older sister Beatrice (nicknamed Beezus, played by Gomez) trying to save their parents home by raising money to pay for bills. Their parents have been constantly fighting and their Aunt Bea has fallen for a man that she used to like when they were younger named Hobart (Duhamel).
The film doesn't have one plot, it's a series of subplots that make up the entire film. The main story is just that there are two sisters, the youngster being unknowingly disruptive, and at times, a nuisance, and the other just trying to live her private life. It's a coming of age story to say the least.
There are some G rated movies, you should just let be. You don't want to over critique them. Obviously they won't go into anything deeper than maybe "you loser," but sometimes you wish they would. I'm not saying vulgarity makes a movie any better, but sometimes when a movie like this is made, you want it to have some sense of realism. It can be done, but at a G rating, it's very difficult. This winds up having just enough.
At least Ramona and Beezus doesn't wonder off into a cliche and bubbly world where everything is always nice. No, the statement comes up frequently, Ramona is a nuisance. She is an overactive child that needs to calm down sometimes. She means well, and doesn't want trouble, but trouble has a way of finding her. I can accept that.
Beezus doesn't do much to improve the storyline. We don't really know if she really appreciates her sister or is holding back true feelings. At the beginning of the film, the relationship between them suggests they are very close, but throughout the whole film she goes back and forth to making fun of her and then loving her. Maybe a case of off the wall hormones.
The premise is cute, the characters are lively, and the entertainment is here. Ramona and Beezus is what I call a "last minute movie." This is the kind of film you see a commercial for three days before it comes out on TV. Suddenly it becomes a movie weekend. This finds ways to be appreciated by all ages, and finds ways to have the right amount of realism while maintaining a squeaky clean image.
Starring: Selena Gomez, Joey King, Hutch Dano, Ginnifer Goodwin, John Corbett, Bridget Moynahan, Josh Duhamel, and Sandra Oh. Directed by: Elizabeth Allen.