Film Review: Bad Aura For ‘Judy Moody and the Not Bummer Summer’

Submitted by PatrickMcD on June 10, 2011 - 4:05am

CHICAGO – Films based on children’s book series can’t all be good. The law of averages eventually catches up to the literary moppets who turn their charms towards the big screen. Case in point, the below average “Judy Moody and the Not Bummer Summer.”

Rating: 2.0/5.0

The film is all sticky, cutesy poo (literally) that is as welcome this summer as a mosquito at a barbecue. Strangely cast in the film is Heather Graham, as free-spirited Aunt Opal, acting much as she did when she shed her clothing as Rollergirl in “Boogie Nights.” And the hyper-caffeinated Judy Moody is stuck in overdrive through Jordana Beatty’s performance, a child actor least likely to evolve to a post adolescent career.

Nine-year old Judy Moody (Beatty) is looking forward to the best summer ever. She fidgets through the last day of third grade, when teacher Mr. Todd (Jaleel White) establishes his yearly “Find Mr. Todd” contest for the vacation period. The bell rings, and the madness of the end of term erupts, with Judy gathering her three best friends together to plan the not bummer summer.

But there is bad news. Two of her friends are off to amazing adventures, one to circus camp and another to Indonesia (no joke). That leaves Judy with only her nerdy pal Frank (Preston Bailey) to complete her complicated style chart, which chronicles summer adventures by awarding “thrill points.” Depressed because she thinks the system is ruined, Judy has to re-tool everything in order to conquer even the simplest of those thrills.

Complicating matters is that Judy’s parents (Kristoffer Winters and Janet Varney) have to tend to a sick relative over the summer, leaving Judy with her brother Stink (Parris Mosteller) with her Aunt Opal (Graham). The flighty, hippie-esque Opal teaches Judy, Stink and Frank a new type of freedom, one that involves reckless driving and art projects that spill onto the lawn. Maybe it will be a not so bummer summer after all.

”Judy Moody and the Not Bummer Summer” opens everywhere June 10th. Featuring Heather Graham, Jaleel White, Jordana Beatty, Parris Mosteller, Preston Bailey, Kristoffer Winters and Janet Varney. Screenplay by Kathy Waugh and Megan McDonald, directed by John Schultz. Rated “PG”