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Written by Justin Tucker Friday, 23 July 2010 00:00

Beezus’ name may be in the title, but her presence in the movie takes a back seat to Ramona and Aunt Bea, which could upset fans of the books. 

In this day and age, it’s extremely rare to see a live-action film with a G rating, which is usually reserved for animated fare. The sweet and innocent Ramona and Beezus has received such a distinction. The film is based on the popular stories by Beverly Cleary that are part of the canon of children’s literature. It stars rookie Joey King and Disney Channel sensation Selena Gomez as the titular Ramona and Beezus, respectively.

The film mostly focuses on the rambunctious Ramona, whose overactive imagination and mischief tends to constantly get her into trouble. Her sister Beezus finds her to be a pest and an obstacle in her social life. They live with their loving parents, Robert and Dorothy (John Corbett and Bridgett Moynahan), and their baby sister Roberta. One day, Robert comes home with the news that he has been let go from his job because the company he works for has been bought out. This means the family could lose the house. Ramona decides she will take it upon herself to save the family. Meanwhile, Aunt Bea (Gennifer Goodwin), whom Ramona often confides in, begins a courtship with her high school sweetheart, Hobart (Josh Duhamel), which makes Ramona feel Bea is deserting her.

Beezus’ name may be in the title, but her presence in the movie takes a back seat to Ramona and Aunt Bea, which could upset fans of the books. While she is a central character, none of the plot threads involve her to any great degree as one would expect. Ramona and Aunt Bea are so prominent that the film should be titled Ramona and Aunt Bea.
The film, however, does realistically address troubling issues facing modern families. The Quimbys have to deal with downsizing, foreclosure, and the pressure that puts on not only the family, but Robert and Dorothy’s marriage. Ramona, although she doesn’t fully understand the gravity of the situation, fears that everything she knows and loves may come apart, which gives Ramona the motivation to keep her family intact.

Joey King is a talented young actress who fully captures the fun and unruly nature of Ramona, conveying the character’s sense of wonder and excitement. The best performance belongs to John Corbett as Robert Quimby. He brings a warm, tender quality to the character, and we see he is a man who truly loves his family and wants to bring stability to the household.

The film was directed by Elizabeth Allen, who also directed the 2006 family fantasy Aquamarine, and seems to have found her niche as family-friendly director. She has crafted a clean and wholesome film that children will most certainly enjoy. Though not a bad film, Allen does little to lift the film above average, which could potentially lead it to getting lost among the other family films released this year. | Justin Tucker