Common Sense Media Review
By Betsy Bozdech
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Beloved book girl comes to life in sweet, kid-friendly tale.
Parents Need to Know
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Ramona and Beezus
Parent and Kid Reviews
Based on 74 parent reviews
Parents say this movie is an enjoyable family film that resonates well with audiences of all ages, providing lessons about family love and resilience amidst challenges. While it touches on some emotional topics, such as the death of a pet and sibling relationships, viewers appreciate the humor and heartwarming portrayals of the characters, making it a charming adaptation of the beloved book series.
- family bonding
- emotional depth
- engaging characters
- humor balance
- relatable themes
Summarized with AI
Summarized with AI
Based on 80 kid reviews
Kids say that the movie is generally enjoyable, with many praising its humor, heartwarming themes, and suitability for family viewing. While some noted that it deviates from the source material and includes elements like death and mild romance, overall it is regarded as a fun, entertaining film for children and families, encouraging positive messages about resilience and relationships.
- humorous and heartwarming
- suitable for families
- deviates from source
- includes mild romance
- positive messages
Summarized with AI
What's the Story?
In RAMONA AND BEEZUS, grade-schooler Ramona Quimby (Joey King) lives with her family -- Mom (Bridget Moynahan), Dad (John Corbett), older sister Beezus (Selena Gomez), and baby sister Roberta -- on Portland's charming Klickitat Street. Everywhere she looks, Ramona sees the potential for adventure and imagination -- but even though she always means well, sometimes her enthusiasm leads to sticky situations ... and exasperated friends and family members. All of Ramona's optimism and imagination are put to the test when her dad unexpectedly loses his job; she's sure she can help save their house, whether that means selling homemade lemonade or auditioning for a TV commercial. Meanwhile, Ramona's Aunt Bea (Ginnifer Goodwin) is rekindling a romance with former high school sweetheart Hobart (Josh Duhamel), and Beezus starts looking at longtime friend Henry Huggins (Hutch Dano) in a new light.
Is It Any Good?
This book adaptation might not break any cinematic molds, but it's gentle, upbeat, and kid-friendly -- and that goes a long way. Fans of Beverly Cleary's beloved children's books about Ramona will quickly realize that Ramona and Beezus combines elements from more than one of them; the central job-loss storyline comes from Ramona and Her Father, while other incidents are borrowed from different books in the series. But while it may frustrate purists, the blending doesn't make the movie any less sweet or charming. Much of that is thanks to King -- she sells Ramona's particular mix of earnestness and mischievousness perfectly. You always believe her when she says she's sorry for her latest misadventure ... even though you know another one is just around the corner.
The rest of the cast is fine; Moynahan's character isn't particularly well developed, but Corbett's Mr. Quimby is warm and relatable -- his relationship with Ramona is one of the nicest things about the movie. Gomez, who's sure to be a big draw for tween fans (and also sings a song on the movie's soundtrack album), is cute as the often put-upon Beezus, and Duhamel is quite charismatic as reformed committmentphobe Hobart.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about Ramona's behavior in Ramona and Beezus . Does she ever mean to get in trouble/make mistakes? Why does it sometimes happen anyway?
What makes Ramona different from other kids? Kids: How are you different from your friends and classmates? Does that ever feel like a bad thing? How do you handle that?
Is Ramona and Beezus' relationship believable? How well do you get along with your sibling(s)? What are the good and bad parts about having a brother and/or sister?
Fans of the Ramona books can talk about how the movie compares to what they've read. Which do you like better? Why?
How do the characters in Ramona and Beezus demonstrate curiosity and integrity? Why are these important character strengths?
Movie Details
- In theaters : July 23, 2010
- On DVD or streaming : November 9, 2010
- Cast : Bridget Moynahan , Joey King , John Corbett , Selena Gomez
- Director : Elizabeth Allen
- Inclusion Information : Female Movie Actor(s) , Latino Movie Actor(s)
- Studio : Twentieth Century Fox
- Genre : Family and Kids
- Topics : Book Characters
- Character Strengths : Curiosity , Integrity
- Run time : 104 minutes
- MPAA rating :
- Last updated : January 30, 2026
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