Parents' Guide to

Ramona and Beezus

By Betsy Bozdech, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 6+

Beloved book girl comes to life in sweet, kid-friendly tale.

Movie G 2010 104 minutes
Ramona and Beezus Poster Image

A Lot or a Little?

What you will—and won't—find in this movie.

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age 6+

Based on 70 parent reviews

bb636c88-95f7-4f3c-acef-a4b503537278
bb636c88-95f7-4f3c-acef-a4b503537278 Adult
February 17, 2024
age 10+

The pet cat dies 😔

The cat dies and the dad loses his job but it’s a great movie to watch but the older sister is not very kind either so it’s not the best movie but it’s worth watching anyway

rmp154
rmp154 Parent of 8 and 11-year-old
October 8, 2021
age 6+

Best family movie we've watched in a while!!

It's a challenge to find quality films suitable for the whole family, but we LOVED this movie. Hubby and I watched this with our strong-willed 8 yr old daughter, and to say that we related to Ramona's struggles is a huge understatement. John Corbett is outstanding as the dad who loses his job but sets a positive example with his attitude and outlook. We cherished the portrayal of this loving dad-daughter relationship. I will definitely watch this again with my daughter. Joey King is superb as Ramona. Sandra Oh is hilarious as the strict and standoffish teacher. This film took us through an emotional range of highs and lows appropriate for a young audience, and depicts how loving family bonds can weather the storm no matter what life brings. To me, this is some of the highest quality content I've seen in a while, and I'm puzzled why it doesn't have better reviews overall. The plot, dialogue, acting and cinematography are a caliber way, way above the typical Spy Kids-type movie. Highly recommend!
See all 70 parent reviews

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?

Our review:
Parents say (70 ):
Kids say (80 ):

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

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