It’s easy to feel lost at times; to feel alone, ignored or misunderstood. It’s easy to feel stripped of any sense of power of control over life. Unintentional accidents and mishaps of circumstance can send us spiraling through our world in freefall, frightened and unsure.

But for everyone who has ever felt this way — for everyone who has ever felt as though everything they touch turns to ruin — there is Ramona.

Whether you know her as Ramona the Brave, or Ramona the Pest, or just Ramona Quimby, she’s been there and feels your pain.

And this delightful film adaptation of the beloved Beverly Cleary character brings the hero, or at least confidant, of millions of American women’s childhoods to dazzling life.

Rising child star Joey King shines as 9-year-old Ramona, the awkwardly lost middle daughter of Robert and Dorothy Quimby.

With little more than a modestly interesting script, and mediocre co-stars, King steals the audience’ hearts, delivering an enchanting performance filled with the constantly shifting emotion of childhood.

With a mere expression, King’s Ramona reminds us of the trauma of youth, and that desperate attempt to make sense of the larger world we knew little of.

With a shrug of her shoulders, or a laugh, she reminds us of the desire to help solve the problems of the adults in our lives, with no idea how to go about doing so.

We remember the desperate attempts to understand, and the desperate need to feel understood; the safe-haven of home and family, and the times that safety was shaken; the confusion of school and the feeling that you’re constantly messing up and disappointing those you need and trust.

Ramona reminds us of all of these things and takes us back to our own childhoods in a way that is difficult to recapture as adults, and rare in the pantheon of children’s cinema.

And this is a children’s film, just as the books are children’s books. Like that old floppy paperback that served as your childhood’s companion, or your sister’s at least, Ramona and Beezus speaks directly to the real-world experiences of children, allowing them to feel that perhaps someone else has been there, and understands what they are going through. In short, it helps them feel a little less alone and a little less frightened of the world.

And comforting children in a confusing world is what the Ramona series of books has always been about.

Along the way Ramona gets a hard lesson in economics, family dynamics, responsibility, and the eternal love between parent and child.

Robert and Dorothy get in on the act as well, providing wonderful examples of what fatherhood and motherhood mean, and how to do it well. Working as a real team, with each other’s and the family’s interests in mind, the couple walk through their several roles taking the very real and weighty adult concerns and setbacks in stride, holding to one another and to their family relationships as their greatest treasure.

It’s family as family should be, regardless of its form, with love, loyalty, and patience, ever seeking the good of everyone involved.

In an age that rarely sees true wholesome family entertainment, Ramona and Beezus hearkens to a bygone era, offering a true old-fashioned family experience that pays respect to the relationships without slighting the unconventional situations facing many modern families.

Most of all, it leaves the viewer with hope in their heart. And that’s something, in our modern world, we could all use a little more of.

—gparker@vernal.com

Should I let my

children see this film?

Unequivocally, yes! Take them to see this film today. Especially if your child is a girl, Ramona and Beezus will delight them, and connect with them in a personal way. It will also reinforce the idea of the sibling bond. There is no swearing in the film, no real violence of any kind, and no drug abuse, alcohol abuse, or even smoking. In fact, there is nothing at all to be avoided here. There is, however, a plethora of wonderful messages that uplift, comfort, and encourage young people as well as adults, instilling a desire to be and do better, and showing us what that “better” looks like in real life. This film should be seen by everyone, but especially by children.

Should I see this film?

Yes. But be warned, it is an emotional ride through the turbulence of childhood, all in a G-rated setting. If you do not want to cry; if you feel above the emotions of a family film with a truly loving father and mother who set a deeply affecting example of what it means to be parents, to love your children and put family first, then perhaps this film isn’t for you. But, if you can get past the fear of feeling too much — what some would see as the purview of the so-called “chick flick” — then you should see this film. The picture it paints is worth the price of admission alone. Fortunately you get much more for your money.