Bottom line: Judy Moody and the Not Bummer Summer, based on the books by Megan McDonald, follows the vibrant, mismatched, loveable Judy Moody as she attempts to make a grand adventure out of a boring summer. The movie contains some mild rude words.
MPAA Rating: PG, for some mild rude humor and languageGenre: Comedy/Family
Runtime: Approx. 91 minutes
Starring: Jordana Beatty, Heather Graham, Parris Mosteller
Release Date: June 10, 2011
Judy Moody and the Not Bummer Summer - Overview
It's summer vacation! And, Judy Moody unveils her magnificent competition that is sure to guarantee the most super-duper, double-rare summer ever. She explains to her best friends Rocky and Amy, that each of them must participate in exciting activities that will earn thrill points. At the end of the summer, they'll tally the scores to see whose summer was most thrilladelic. But, Judy's master plan is massively foiled when she finds out that Rocky is going to circus camp and Amy is headed to Borneo, of all places. How can Judy ever compete with Borneo and Circus Camp? As if things couldn't get worse, Judy also finds out that even her parents are going off to California and she, Judy Moody, will be stuck at home with her Aunt Opal and little brother Stink.
When the mysterious and mystical Aunt Opal arrives, though, it looks like things may not be so dull after all. Never one to give up, Judy revises her plan and determines to out-fun Amy and Rocky anyway. Dragging along her friend Frank and her little brother Stink, Judy begins a series of adventures, or rather misadventures, that make the summer, well...interesting, for everyone.
Judy Moody and the Not Bummer Summer - Guide Review for Parents
Photo © Relativity Media
Judy Moody and the Not Bummer Summer is based on the Judy Moody book series by Megan McDonald and constitutes a brand new adventure for Judy. Megan's writing talent translates well from chapter books to screen plays, as it seems. This bright and colorful Judy Moody adventure will have kids laughing and will leave them inspired to run off on an adventure of their own making. And, don't let the girl heroine scare off any boy viewers. Judy is a character both girls and boys can easily relate to, and there are important boy characters as well. For kids in the age range of about 5-10, I can't imagine a more perfect summer flick.
Judy's rambunctious adventures are at times perilous, but in a humorous sort of way, so it is unlikely anything in this film will be unsettling or scary to kids. Except, there is a running segment of the story surrounding Stink, who is determined to prove that Bigfoot exists. Some very young children could be scared by the idea of Bigfoot or briefly frightened by a nighttime camping scene. We also see a brief glimpse of a zombie movie that Judy and Frank are watching in a theater.
The movie contains some mild rude words like "poop" and "crap." Also, Judy can be a little melodramatic, which some kids may want to imitate. Very young children may grow restless during this live-action movie, even with the whimsical injections of animation here and there, but for elementary age kids, Judy Moody and the Not Bummer Summer is an inspiring adventure that reminds all of us to live life and become aware the wonderful adventures that lie in everyday situations.
Judy Moody and the Not Bummer Summer - Content Overview
*May contain spoilers.- Violence (Low): Violence in this movie really only occurs in a zombie movie that Judy and Frank go to see. The two are shown in a theater and the screen is shown, so we see some gory looking zombies in typical zombie movie fashion. Frank gets scared runs out of the theater. Other than that, there is some physical banter between brother and sister, and a series of mishaps with the car as Aunt Opal is a very scary driver.
- Scary Scenes (Low): Some kids may be briefly frightened by the images of the zombie movie or the scenes involving the search for Bigfoot.
- Sex/Nudity (None)
- Drugs and Alcohol (None)
- Language (Low): Some rude words like "poop" and "crap" are used. The phrase "Oh my God" or variations of the phrase is used.
- Disrespectful/Imitative Behavior (High): Judy's moody behavior often results in some sarcasm, foot stomping, dramatic door slamming and the like. Judy and her friends have a club, and the initiation for the club is to hold a frog until it pees in your hand. Aunt Opal is into "guerrilla art," which means that she decorates public property on the sly. No public property is vandalized or damaged in the movie, though. Frank eats a ton of junk before getting on a roller coaster and consequently throws up everywhere.
- Sad/Unsettling Scenes (Low): Judy is sad that her parents are leaving her for the summer.
- Movie Topics Kids Might Have Questions About: Bigfoot, thrilling experiences, zombies, dares, guerrilla art
Judy Moody and the Not Bummer Summer - Blu-ray Bonus Features
- Join the Toad-Pee Club: Interactive Trivia Game
- Judy Moody's Guide to Making a Movie
- Flippin' Out with the Cast
- Camryn's "Wait and See" Music Video
- 10 Things You Need to Know About Judy Moody
- Deleted Scenes
