Judy Moody and the Not So Bummer Summer


0.5/4

Starring: Jordana Beatty, Heather Graham, Preston Bailey, Parris Mosteller

Rated PG for Some Mild Rude Humor and Language

Call it “Judy Moody: The Little Brat Who Stole 90 Minutes and 9 Dollars of My Life.”  This is a TRULY miserable film.  Not only is it the worst movie I’ve seen in a theater, it’s a shoo-in for my “Bottom 10” list this year.

Judy Moody (Beatty) is a grade-schooler who is determined to have the best summer ever.  To that end, she makes a chart so her friends can keep track of how much fun they’re having, and whoever gets the most points wins.  The problem is that two of her best friends are leaving for the summer, and Frank (Bailey) is a wimp.  Then there’s her obnoxious little brother, Stink (Mosteller), who is obsessed with finding Bigfoot.  For Judy, this looks like it’s going to be the worst summer ever, but then her parents are called away to California, leaving her in the care of her worldly Aunt Opal (Heather Graham).

Right.  Judy may be having fun (or desperately trying to), but I sure wasn’t.  The bright colors and the words and photoboxes dancing across the screen can’t make up for the fact that the story is boring and its pint-sized stars are irritating.  The only thing saving this crapfest from a zero star rating is Heather Graham, who is kinda cool as Aunt Opal, but unfortunately, she’s strictly supporting.  This unfortunately leaves the screen time to Beatty, Bailey and Moestellar.  Not a good decision.

Beatty is a relative newcomer (she’s given an “introducing” credit in the end credits), and it shows.  She can’t act, and it’s painful to watch her try.  Ditto for Mosteller, who plays Stink as a disgusting little brat who’s obnoxious in a way that I’m certain wasn’t intended.  Obnoxious characters can be funny, but Mosteller is so annoying I wish Bigfoot would’ve gobbled him up during the first reel.  I was surprised to find that Preston Bailey played Cody on TV’s “Dexter.”  I’ll admit that he’s the least irritating character on screen, but that’s faint praise.  The only ones who aren’t painful to watch are Heather Graham or Jaleel White (who hasn’t lost his sense of comic timing from his days as Steve Urkel).  It’s amazing that they’re still able to perform with the skill that they do without choking on the awful lines they’re given.

I’ll admit that I’m not in the target audience for this movie (grade school girls).  But I don’t think the kids its intended for will like it.  It’s too boring, badly acted and horribly written for anyone to appreciate.  Worse, the film leaves itself open to a sequel.  If it’s made, I won’t be seeing it.

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