Sometimes movies baffle me. Just baffle me. On the one hand, you have film A in which our pre-pubescent hero is constantly embarrassed by the camera and responds by getting himself deeper and deeper into trouble. Film A seems to delight in watching the hero suffer. Schadenfreude is the only way to describe how the camera feels about its subject. On the other hand, you have film B in which our pre-pubescent hero consistently challenges embarrassment with positive energy and a revised solution. The camera sees the hero suffer, but immediately jumps into a new scene not unlike Bullwinkle repeatedly attempting to pull a rabbit out of the hat knowing one of these days it’s gonna work. Neither is a good film. Film A, Diary of a Wimpy Kid, was a mild critical, audience and box office success. Film B, Judy Moody and the Not Bummer Summer, was a complete failure across the board.
Now let’s not get silly, Judy Moody ain’t a great film and cannot possibly be cherished by those over the age of ten. I could 
easily see this film being a favorite and repeat viewing among the sub-10 crowd, but if you catch anybody past puberty voluntarily watching Judy more than once, you might wish to alert the neighborhood watch.
Let’s serve up some Moody un-Blues: First off – we have an Urkel sighting. OK, you’re not watching Casablanca. I think it’s nice of the Moody producers to remind us of that fact early on, so we won’t be confused. Sure, the word “Bummer” in the title should have clued you in, but just in case, here’s Urkel. Then we introduce the plot: Judy Moody (Jordana Beatty) has graduated third grade and is determined to have the time of her life this summer. Can’t fault the premise — setting yourself up for the big fall is a very important part of growing up. Judy draws up elaborate charts so she can quantify her fun as it happens. Perhaps she’s a born accountant. Not many people are.
Despite living in a world entirely comprised of pastel colors, Judy is disappointed when her mediocre dreams turn sour (“tight-roping a creek wasn’t all that, where did I go wrong?”); then Heather Graham shows up to remind us to stop taking her career seriously. Luckily, you’ve stopped taking the movie seriously long before this point. Wanna see a kid throw up on a roller coaster? This is the movie for you.
Personally, I’d rather see Judy Moody ten times over before giving Diary another chance. Let me rephrase – I’d rather let my sub-ten-year –old niece see Moody ten times over before giving Diary another chance. Much better.
Rated PG, 91 Minutes
D: John Schultz
W: Kathy Waugh & Megan McDonald
Genre: Tame adventure
Type of person most likely to enjoy this film: 7-year-old girls
Type of person least likely to enjoy this film: 17-year-old girls
The books behind the movie, which I don’t know are good or bad, but they are illustrated by a local Dedham artist and he runs a bookstore in town, the blue bunny, which is the living breathing beating heart of dedham square across the street from our dedham community theater, that shows classy films, so when this movie came out there was great fanfare around the town and a special screening and I think some of the folks involved were here in town. I might read the books someday before spending 91 minutes watching the movie.