Director: Thor Freudenthal
★ ★ ★ ★ ☆
Based on a bestselling series of books by Jeff Kinney, the misadventures of 12 year old Greg (Zachary Gordon) are told in zany, episodic style, with plenty animated illustrations taken from the book to cater to fans. Greg is trying to survive middle school where he thinks he should be higher on the food chain, but his every attempt at improving his status results in disaster and humiliation, unlike his best friend Rowley who embraces his lack of cool and whose stock rises as a result. It wouldn’t be as much fun if it was just Greg getting picked on, but it’s his delusions of grandeur that make Wimpy Kid so engaging. It’s smart and sharp and young Gordon is a wonderfully adept performer, and while its lessons about the value of friendship are well earned, it’s not above talk of cheese touches and nuclear cooties, all of which adds to the appeal.
Diary of a Wimpy Kid Movie is wonderful!
ReplyDeleteI couldn't agree more with this review. It is an enjoyable, funny, sharp journey into the world of middle school, relationships, and family dynamics. The adaptation from book to scene is one of the best I've seen. Greg Heffley's character, in 3 dimensions, is played superbly by kid actor - Zachary Gordon. I haven't seen a kid actor carry a movie like that since Home Alone. He does such a good job with this difficult character and takes us on an emotional up and down trip through his learning experiences. There are so many laugh out loud funny scenes that it is hard to pick a best one. Go see or rent the movie and you will have the same problem. The Diary of a Wimpy Kid Movie is a wonderful departure from all the animated, 3D, and computer graphics nausea that has oversaturated the movie business today. If you want to see a more wholesome and relatable film, don't miss Diary, it is worth the watch.