Diary of a Wimpy Kid is a charming, family-friendly film that follows the awkward trials and tribulations of a young boy just starting middle school. Greg (Zachary Gordon) wants nothing more than to be accepted and perhaps idolized by his peers. His best friend, Rowley (Robert Capron), is a hopeless social misfit, which is just one of the many silly, yet very real, obstacles young Greg must face. The movie is good specifically because it focuses on those situations faced by millions of awkward adolescents every year, finding the right lunch table to sit at, getting in the cool extra-curricular activities, and being terrorized by a cruel older sibling, and gives them a noticeable, yet believable, comedic twist.
One of the best examples of this is Greg's decision to become involved in wrestling, mistakenly believing that his hours spent studying the execution of the piledriver, the body slam, and the flying elbow drop will ensure his success. Greg and the class social pariah, Fregley (Grayson Russel) are the only two kids in the "chihuahua" division and thus they must wrestle each other. Fregley soundly thrashes Greg numerous times, impressing the coach, and making Greg look foolish. The next week Greg contrives a way to get moved up in weight class so he can wrestle different opponents, only to be thrashed by the only girl on the team.
Diary of a Wimpy Kid maintains its charm and good humor throughout the film, even in the more serious learning moments. It's easy to identify with Greg and he, as well as the rest of the case, convey a kind of sincerity in their roles that is not often seen with child actors, making the film enjoyable for both kids and adults. If you have kids, be sure to watch this movie with them, if not, find an excuse to watch it anyway, you might just enjoy yourself for an hour or two.
One of the best examples of this is Greg's decision to become involved in wrestling, mistakenly believing that his hours spent studying the execution of the piledriver, the body slam, and the flying elbow drop will ensure his success. Greg and the class social pariah, Fregley (Grayson Russel) are the only two kids in the "chihuahua" division and thus they must wrestle each other. Fregley soundly thrashes Greg numerous times, impressing the coach, and making Greg look foolish. The next week Greg contrives a way to get moved up in weight class so he can wrestle different opponents, only to be thrashed by the only girl on the team.
Diary of a Wimpy Kid maintains its charm and good humor throughout the film, even in the more serious learning moments. It's easy to identify with Greg and he, as well as the rest of the case, convey a kind of sincerity in their roles that is not often seen with child actors, making the film enjoyable for both kids and adults. If you have kids, be sure to watch this movie with them, if not, find an excuse to watch it anyway, you might just enjoy yourself for an hour or two.