No Limit Kids

Gr 5—8—Ashton is starting middle school and is worried about how he will fit in. He runs into trouble right away with the school bully, Zach. Celeste, another student, is given a hard time by Zach's ditzy cheerleader girlfriend. The outcasts befriend Charlie, a seemingly homeless man who hangs out at a local run-down theater and, with some other students, they band together to save the theater from demolition. They stage a fund-raising event and put on a modern version of Shakespeare's "Much Ado about Nothing." This musical movie for tweens gets off to a rocky start with lame acting and stereotyped characters. However, the actors soon get into a groove, and a plot twist and some excellent singing turns things around. The story focuses on the timely themes of bullying and standing up for personal beliefs. Although verging on didactic, the production is inspirational and capably demonstrates the importance of respect and not judging people based on outward appearances. It stars newcomers Ashton Harrell and Celeste Kellogg with a veteran supporting cast including Lee Meriwether (Batman), Bill Cobbs (Night at the Museum), Jeff Rose (Drop Dead Divas), and others. The film is directed by Grammy-nominated Christian producer/artist Dave Moody and, although it features strong family values, it is not overtly religious. With the current success of Fox's Glee, middle school students will enjoy rooting for these talented underdogs.—Lisa Hubler, Memorial Junior High School, South Euclid, OH