Leave It to Beaver MPAA Rating: PG Entertainment: +3 Content: -1/2

This amusing comedy is patterned after the very popular family TV series which ran from 1957 to 1963. It recreates the wholesome Cleaver family with dad and mom played by Christopher McDonald and Janine Turner and their two young sons, Wally (Erik vonDetten) and "Beaver" (Cameron Finley). Eight year old Beaver is the star of the show as the likable son who is always getting into trouble and disappointing his parents, particularly dad. Beaver wreaks havoc as a newspaper boy and is a real flop as a pee wee football player. He also manages to get his bike stolen and accidentally destroys his new computer. And his egotistical, worldly wise young friend, Eddie(Adam Zolotin), just makes matters worse. The film has lots of slapstick comical incidents, teenage trials and tribulations, and some real touching moments between Beaver and his dad. It's really one of the more entertaining family films to come out of Hollywood in recent years.

This recreation takes place in contemporary times and, unfortunately, has been "modernized" to fit the times as well as to avoid a G rating. It makes liberal use of sexually suggestive comments and events involving young people, such as one of Beaver's friends inviting him over to watch his sister and her boyfriend "make out". And Wally attends a party where young boys and girls play "spin the bottle" and he ends up kissing his girlfriend fervently. The language has also been modernized to include words such as "sucks" and other words with definite sexual connotations. In one instance, Beaver's mom tells young Eddie who talks too much to "cut the cr..p". Happily, though, the theme of the film is that parents should have unconditional love for their children, particularly underachievers and those not being honest with them. Unfortunately, parents of very young children will think this film is appropriate for their youngsters, and it isn't. For this reason, we hesitate to give the film our unqualified approval.

Preview Reviewer: John Evans
Distributor: Universal Pictures, 100 Universal City Plaza, Universal City, CA 91608