SnoopyStyle
Alice McKinley (Alyson Stoner) has to move with her family, dad Ben (Luke Perry) and brother Lester (Lucas Grabeel), to a new town. Her mom's dead since she was 5. She is awkward and have imaginary fantasies. She gets put in with the stern Mrs. Plotkin (Penny Marshall) but she wants so much to be with the happy pretty Miss Cole. Elizabeth (Parker McKenna Posey) is the neighbor girl. Pamela (Bridgit Mendler) is the mean girl.The fantasies look weak and way too cutesy basically pinker with spotlights. Alyson Stoner is reasonably interesting as the gawky teen and she shows some acting range. It's not a bad kids movie but it's not particularly great either. Penny Marshall plays an interesting character. The mother's death provides some depth to the movie and there are some serious issues being dealt with here. It's OK for the genre but it does need better directions.
Cedric_Catsuits
This is a little too lightweight to be of interest to most adults, but for what it is, it's done pretty well. Sure there are serious topics here, but they are not explored in any great depth or with any signs of real pain and suffering, so would be quite suitable for a younger audience, or for all the family to share in.Stoner is very cute here but she does look and act her real age (14) when she is supposed to be playing an 11 year old. That's a big age gap at that time of life, and for me her performance just doesn't work at that level, but that's not really to the detriment of the film as a whole. She is not the most talented actress by a long chalk, but she has a certain charm on screen that many young stars lack, and it is easily sufficient to carry a light movie like this.Grabeel is good and there is ample support from all the kids. Perry is Perry. Marshall is probably the best of the bunch, experience obviously telling. All in all the performances are competent and the characters sufficiently well rounded to make them interesting, even if the plot itself is a little weak.Few flaws here then, but don't expect to be wowed. One for a rainy day in with the kids.
James Weinberg (jasarthur)
I'm giving this a 10 not because it was Lawrence of Arabia or some earth-shattering, life-altering drama, but for two reasons: 1) to counterbalance the snobs who gave it a low rating, and 2) because for what it is, it was really good. Yes, it could be a Saturday morning Disney Channel show. Yes, it reminded me of Lizzie McGuire or That's So Raven and other programs of that genre. But folks, that's what it's supposed to be! Why are you trashing it when it is so obviously not trying to compete for an Oscar? I'm a middle-aged father and watched this with my son. We both thoroughly enjoyed it. Penny Marshall was a an unexpected delight.I've never seen the Stoner girl before, or most of the cast for that matter, but thought they were all very talented. No--I haven't read the book that people mention on the boards, so I don't know if was faithful or not. Does it really matter? It had well-defined characters, good interaction and lots of momentum. I'm a professional musician and I even liked the soundtrack. This movie presented a believable story about commonly shared family circumstances (okay...for middle-class white kids) treated with humor and respect. Funny, good acting, cute kids, no cursing or stupid sexual jokes, and valuable messages for teens. So, I guess I had more than two reasons for giving it a 10!
autumnborn
I suspect it will be straight to DVD. And for good reason. It's choppy and the story line is empty. Why is there a problem with Lester and the young women in his lives? Nobody really knows. It's suddenly an issue. Why is it that Dad begins dating and suddenly stops? What really prompted the change? It would have made a good Disney channel series. Fluffy, not requiring any intelligence or thought. I wouldn't be surprised to see it on the fall lineup.The acting wasn't bad in the least. But the script was full of holes and not much character development. Every one of them was flat on both sides. The actors did a fine job and it was delightful seeing Penny Marshall on the big screen again. She reminded me of my fourth grade teacher, Mrs. Hustavet, in one segment. Creepy.Sandy Tung undoubtedly did the best he could. (He's cute, in that middle aged, slightly rumpled way so many women find attractive.) I just don't think there was much substance with which to work.
AD
