Greg has a problem in Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Rodrick Rules , and it comes in the form of his big brother, Rodrick. Wait. Make that two problems - his big brother Rodrick and his little brother, Manny. He might have conquered his first year of middle school, but that doesn't mean that he has control of his life at home. Being the middle child isn't easy, a fact many young viewers can relate to.
Capturing the heart and soul of the average middle school viewer, an awkward Greg tries to win the heart of the beautiful new girl in class. That's not easy when your well-intentioned parents are constantly embarrassing you, and your older brother is bullying you. Whether you have read the popular books by Jeff Kinney, you are bound to laugh out load at least several times during this film.
Child Actors Make the Film a Success
The writing is witty, the scenes are real, and the cinematography is fabulous, merging the popular illustrations from the book and real life. But in our viewers' opinions, the real success of the film comes from the actors themselves. Even when Rodrick (Devon Bostick) is acting nasty, he still has endearing qualities.
Zachary Gordon (Greg) captures the soul of a child caught between childhood and growing up. His innocence mixes with savvy as he endeavors to wade in the waters of male/female relationships and teen trouble. Of course, he couldn't do this all without his disarmingly charming sidekick, Rowley (Robert Capron) who many of us fell in love with in the first movie, Diary of a Wimpy Kid. Once again, he does not disappoint.
The Brother Bond
As a mother of three boys, I was somewhat disheartened at the initial message that it's a universal truth that siblings don't get along. My kids thought it was a riot. All of us were fine with the message as the story on our screener DVD sent to us by Twentieth Century Fox progressed. When the brothers were put in a tight spot, they bonded.
The boys did some pretty disrespectful things such as throwing a party without permission while the parents were out of town, but it was a major part of the plot, and there were consequences. The adults in our family found the film funny and enjoyable. The teens who watched it related to Rodrick, and the middle school children who reviewed the film watched it over and over. I lost count of the viewings after six. They took it on sleepovers, watched it on rainy days, and asked for it on car trips. All-in-all, I'd say it was a hit. I can't wait until the next one. I hear it's in the discussion stage. In the meantime, if you want to see more of Greg and his adventures, check out the Diary of a Wimpy Kid website for games, video clips and more.
Christine Pollock - Christine Pollock loves to tell people that she watches TV for a living - a true fact that’s also appreciated by her ...
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