Directed by John Schultz. Starring Jordana Beatty, Heather Graham G cert, general release, 91 mins

IN RECENT years, distributors, after failing to launch franchises based on juvenile novel sequences, have received sad reminders that there really is only one JK Rowling. Are there enough fans of Megan McDonald's Judy Moodynovels to beat the odds this time round? There had better be. Few hitherto uninterested observers (of any age) are going to extract much fun from this hyperactive sugar rush of a movie. If you, dear parent, thought Diary of a Wimpy Kidwas exhausting then you'd better get in some training before greeting young Ms Moody.

Concerning a young girl’s efforts to juice-up her summer holidays (hunting Bigfoot, attempting wire- walking), this is one of those infuriatingly zippy kids’ films that puts a “whoosh” on the soundtrack every time a character turns her head or slams a door. You’ll find more plot in a late Beckett play. You’ll meet more complex character arcs in a Punch & Judy show. Still, it’s nicely played by actors of all ages and only overstays its meagre welcome by 10 minutes or so. Adults can distract themselves by wondering what brought poor Heather Graham to this unhappy situation. That’s her playing the “zany” aunt.