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Ramona and Beezus (2010)

Director: Elizabeth Allen

Time Out rating

Average user rating

2 reviews

Movie review

From Time Out London

Beverly Cleary’s epic cycle of good-natured children’s novels centring on the adventures of pre-pubescent troublemaker Ramona Quimby finally makes it to the screen, 60 years after Cleary first put pen to paper. Updating beloved material can be problematic (see the recent ‘Marmaduke’), but director Elizabeth Allen and her screenwriters choose not to labour the point: Ramona (Joey King) hasn’t suddenly transformed into a cellphone-wielding Britney clone and while the plot was inspired by current events – Ramona’s dad (John Corbett) loses his job and the spectre of foreclosure looms – these elements are treated with an impressive lightness of touch. The key word is charm: King is effortless in the lead, the supporting cast is slightly bland but likeable and the script contains a few solid laughs, even for grown-ups. Add two stars if you’re a nine-year-old girl, subtract two if you’re a misanthropic old cynic.

Author: Tom Huddleston

Time Out London Issue 2096: October 21 – 27m 2010

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User reviews of this film

Granny Gillie said...

Posted on Oct 28 2010 18:21 I took my two grandchildren aged 7 and 9 to see this film and we all thought it was absolutely wonderful. There was lots of comedy, plenty of thought-provoking family situations, gently sad in places,with a very satisfactory happy ending. In all a marvellous entertaining family film, and we could not understand why there were so few people in our screen.

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readie said...

Posted on Oct 20 2010 15:01 I have adored the Ramona books ever since Robert Piner gave me a copy of "Ramona Quimby Age 8" for my eighth birthday. I am therefore looking forward to this film with a potent mix of excitement and dread – excitement to see the books represented on the big screen; dread that this representative might be some hideously Disneyfied version of the books I love. Oh, I am also worrying about whether it is appropriate for a 31-year-old woman to go and see said film without children in tow. By that's a separate issue.
Having outed myself as a Ramona fan, I must take issue with one part of this review: "while the plot was inspired by current events – Ramona’s dad (John Corbett) loses his job". This plotline actually comes from the books – "Ramona and Her Father" is all about Mr Quimby's job loss, and the family's resulting financial struggles. So there.

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