" RAMONA and BEEZUS" *****5 STARS

"Ramona and Beezus" is delightful, funny and authentic! You walk away from this movie feeling good about how resiliant children are and how they're often able to deal with life's challenges with such postivity and love that it inspires the whole family to do the same. Newcomer Joey King who plays Ramona carries this film effortlessly. Ramona (King) is definitely the Shirley Temple of  our time, her natural talent is exceptional.

Her high-octane energy, quirky nature, comedic timing and loveable demeanor is what makes this film an absolute joy to watch.  Ramona (King) is 10 going on 35 she has a vivid imagination and the best intentions but being accident prone gets in the way.  She comes off like the bumbling black sheep of the family but she's really it's heart, a hero of sorts because she has the courage to be who she is, mistakes and all. When Ramona (King) learns her Dad (John Corbett) has lost his job, she's worried that her family will lose their home and she sets out to do everything she can to prevent that from happening. Her mom (Bridgett Moynahan) has to go back to work and of course the family's economic situation puts a strain on their relationship because her Dad (Corbett) has trouble finding a job.

Ramona loves her beautiful teenage sister Beezus (Selena Gomez) who's struggling with fitting in and finding her place in the world while dealing with developing romantic feelings for her male best friend whom she's known since they were little.  Ramona (King) is also enamored with her Aunt Bea (Ginnifer Goodwin) who's charming, beautiful and hopelessly in love with her ex-boyfriend Josh Duhamel. This is the last hoorah for their on-again, off again romance. Everything Ramona attempts seems to fail or get screwed up in some way. Ramona's plans to rescue her family consistently causes problems for her by making her look foolish but I have to admit a childs' love always comes through and in this case Ramona (King)  inspires her family to recognize what's really important in life. Sometimes challenges can open the doorway to our dreams and Ramona knows that and goes for it, not concerned or even worried about wether she's going to fail or how silly it might make her look. She's in it to win it!

That's what makes her so adorable and fun to watch. This film is based on several best-selling books about "The Adventures of Ramona Quimby" by Beverly Cleary. It truly captures how life's challenges looks from a child's perspective and how it's so important for them to contribute and be heard. "Ramona and Beezus" makes us realize that children inspire us and bring more to the table than adults are willing to give them credit for. You don't want to miss this film!!! It's worth seeing just to check out the unforgettable Joey King (Ramona)!

20th Century Fox
5 Stars (G) Family/Comedy
Cast: Joey King, Selena Gomez,
Ginnifer Goodwin, Sandra Oh,
John Corbett, Josh Duhamel
Director: Elizabeth Allen