If you like actor Adam Devine, you'll like this movie. Magic Camp feels built around him: he's present in just about every scene and playing to type as the sweet and funny underdog (see his previous roles in Modern Family, Pitch Perfect, and Isn't It Romantic, for example).
Devine's unthreatening style of self effacing humor is well-matched for a tween movie. Despite being down on his luck and resentful, his character is ultimately generous and optimistic, and Devine does a good job embodying those contradicting traits.
Magic Camp's storyline is predictable and some of its jokes fall a little flat, so it really is up to the actors to make the journey worthwhile. Jeffrey Tambor is entertaining if a bit subdued as the camp founder and magician-in-chief. The filmmakers did a solid job casting the diverse group of kids, whose stories are used to offer a range of valuable life lessons for younger viewers. Worth highlighting especially are Cole Sand as "mathemagician" Nathan and J.J. (Josie) Totah as Judd, the son of a famous magician whose real passion turns out to be costume design.
Read the full review at Common Sense Media.
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