User Reviews

This movie is pretty good. I've seen it so many times and have always thought this movie was among the best "O.G" disney movies. Now that I've seen it again as someone who is older now, it's...eh. It's got the generic disney channel flick vibes. The mean clique, the "cute" boy, and many more. It's worth a watch but just know it is a bit cliché. But I love that the plot will go on to be unique. You don't see too many movies where the main character accidentally becomes a best-selling author. So summary, it's got some overused tropes in it, but it's got a good message at the end and it's a great movie that lots of teens might relate to.

Read It and Weep (2006) tries to package elements of 1996's "Harriet the Spy" into an episode of "Naturally Sadie" and then throws in the standard "teenage girl's upward social mobility causes her to neglect her best friends". This is one of those movies that give film producer's anxiety attacks about their job security. It not only looks good on paper (the book from which it was adapted is excellent) but it is very well executed. Good songs, Kay Panabaker has an effortless charm and does a slick voice-over narration, the acting for the camera direction is excellent (even getting a nice performance from Jason Dolley-which will strike anyone who has seen him on "Corey in the House" as quite an achievement), and the budget was large enough for professional production design.

So why is the whole less than the sum of its parts? And why did this movie fail to generate any real reaction despite an aggressive promotional campaign on the Disney Channel? My guess is that when all is said and done the thing just doesn't have any bite, having had the book's more realistic and controversial elements stripped out for the adaptation. Couple that with the fact that the movie's structure sends the wrong message; heroine Jamie Bartlett is perfectly fine with her celebrity status and unconcerned about blowing off her friends until she overreaches and her new world begins to fall apart. It is not the shallowness of her new world that she finds objectionable but the fact that she has soon alienated everyone she has been trying to impress.

Then there is fact that none (absolutely zero) of the movie's comedy elements are humorous. It's not meant to be a comedy but the producers have clearly inserted stuff (the pizza selections for example) only for their comic qualities. Unfortunately none of this stuff is even remotely funny.

Finally there is the whole imaginary alter ego thing (Kay's older sister Danielle), a character who pops in and out of countless scenes as a kind of counterpoint to the voice-over commentary. Ultimately this adds nothing to the story and the repositioning of the character with each sentence is genuinely irritating. If they had to go with this kind of thing it would have been better to have the competing angel and devil whispering in her ear. The reason being that the alter ego thing is too close to actual schizophrenia; not the mentally stable heroine role model Disney should be showcasing to an unsuspecting preteen market.

High school sophomore Jamie Bartlett (Kay Panabaker, "Phil of the Future") has three semi geek friends (who would only be geeks in a teen movie), and documents her life in a journal- the names are changed to protect the innocent. The journal is accidentally turned in as a school assignment and then published and quickly becomes a bestseller. Jamie is plunged into the life of a big-time celebrity and elevated to the top of the school's social hierarchy.

Although it should be obvious that the characters in her journal have real-life in-school counterparts, no one seems to notice or to particularly care. Then during a talk show interview Jamie slips up and reveals that the journal's villainess is based on new friend and school queen bee Sawyer Sullivan (Allison Scagliotti-Smith). Since this should have already been clear to everyone, the viewer must work to suspend disbelief as Jamie's adoring classmates turn against her for the nasty characterizations in her journal.

The DVD (and the Disney Channel broadcasts) are in 4:3. The DVD has two featurettes. "Making of Read It and Weep" (4:30) talks about making the movie. The second featurette focuses on which cast members keep journals and on the Panabaker sisters discussing their careers from the perspective of sisters.

There is also a Jordan Pruitt two-minute video of her singing "Outside Looking In". The music video interweaves various types of students taking class photos with the song about fitting in.

The "Read It and Weep" premise needs a better treatment but the movie should still be enjoyable for many in the middle school crowd; especially if they are crushing on one or more of the actors. There is little that is worth the interest and attention of younger or older viewers.

Then again, what do I know? I'm only a child.

Okay, so I just watched this movie on Disney channel and I think it was pretty awesome. Normally, I don't like Disney channel movies, but this one is the best I've seen. It left an impact on me. It teaches you to just be yourself and don't let anybody get to you. Be yourself and you'll do fine. This movie even almost made me cry and I hardly ever cry, so for it to actually do that is pretty amazing. It left me shaking and only the really good movies with great meanings do that to me. I really liked that song "Outside Looking In" By: Jordan Pruitt. I also like the song her brother sang at the end. Does anybody know if it's a real song (as in is it out in stores)? And how I can find it? I really want to listen to it again. Oh and I thought Nick Whitaker (The guy who plays her brother) is quite cute. This movie is certainly going in my favorites and I can't wait to watch it again tomorrow. What's your opinion on it?

For as long as I can remember, I've been addicted to Disney movies whether they were animated or on the Disney Channel. I remember waiting every month for the latest Disney Channel film to premiere and throughly enjoying each new film. Though I cannot pin-point exactly when it started happening but slowly Disney Channel movies began taking a turn for the worst and I stopped watching them as I grew older; no doubt they were still entertaining for little kids but one of the things I always enjoyed (and still do) about Disney is that they masterfully appeal to both children and adults, not to mention those inbetween. The first Disney Channel movie I watched in as long as I can remember was "High School Musical" and my faith in the channel was instantly renewed. But this review is not about "High School Musical", but about Disney's latest film "Read It and Weep," the first Disney Channel film since "HSM" that actually caught my attention.

"Read It and Weep" follows the (mis)adventures of a high school freshmen, Jamie, who is always on the outside looking in. True, she's got three great friends, a cool but strange older brother and loving parents but Jamie wants something more. She wants the hottest boy in school, Marco, to notice her and wants to be able to stand up against Sawyer and her gang of "Populars" for once. But, seeing as Jamie will never be able to get up the guts to do these things, she creates the character Is to live out these wishes for her. Is (short for Isabelle) is the girl that every other girl wants to be and every guy wants to date; in short, Is is perfect. Not only can Is climb the rope in gym class and get the guy, but she can also "zap" away any problem that gets in her way. Accidentally, Jamie turns in the story of Is to her English teacher and the "novel" ends up being published in the school newspaper because making it all the way to the Bestseller list. Suddenly Jamie (or rather, Is) finds herself sky-rocketing in popularity; Sawyer and the "Populars" actually want to be friends with her and Marcco is starting to look her way. But slowly, things start to get out of control, especially when Is begins to manifest herself as a more permanent part of Jamie's life and prompt Jamie to wonder how much of Is is just a character and how much of Is is in herself. Jamie faces the age-old dilemma of choosing between what she thinks she wants and what made her happy before, leaving a good message for all tweens who watch the film.

As an 18-year-old, I found certain things about the film bothersome that wouldn't even enter the mind of the tweens and younger children who watch it, so I know I'm simply nitpicking. The fact that Jamie's novel is so successful in such a short time is highly impossible, though enviable, but the plot is bearable given the fact that it's a light-hearted kid's film and the intended audience wouldn't care too much about all the steps it takes to earning that sort of career and popularity. The story is cute (based upon the pre-teen novel "How my Private Journal Become a Best Seller -sorry if that's not the exact title) and the characters are warm, though Jamie is slightly obnoxious at times. The real winner of the story, however, is Is (played by Danielle Panabaker, Kay's older sister) who doesn't get as much screen time as she should. Panabaker Sr. plays her character with a comfortable ease, no doubt feeding off the fact that she's used to upstanding her younger sis (though Kay has a promising career in front of her in the children's movie set, if I'm not mistaken) and is enjoyable the entire time.

For the intended audience, "Read It and Weep" offers a very important lesson: you don't need to be superhuman to be happy and content. Being yourself is just as fine as being like Is. While most children's films will force their messages down the throats of the kids watching, "Read It" manages to work the meaning into the story without making it painfully obvious.

As with any children's movie, the story is sub duded, written for a child to understand and enjoy (though this is one of the first Disney Channel films I remember where two of the characters actually kiss; there was only a peck on the check in "HSM." The little romance between Jamie and her background best guy friend was more then enough to keep me interested) but still manages to capture the attention of any age group. Even at the age of 18, I found the movie adorable and entertaining, something I would watch again given the chance.

While "Read It and Weep" is no "High School Musical", it is certainly a movie to stand with "HSM" when it comes to turning around the quality of Disney Channel movies. If Disney continues to make films like "Read It and Weep", which smartly appeal to kids, teenagers and older teens like myself, then they were be right back on track with the old films they used to make "back in the day." "Read It and Weep" certainly deserves a viewing, no matter your age and, if nothing else, will leave you with a hint of a smile on your face.

I read the book based on this movie several years ago and I must say, I remember enjoying the book and the movie was a bit disappointing. Ihave no complaints about the acting, but I noticed no credit to the book except near the end, "How my private, personal journal became a national bestseller." Also, the plot line seemed very different and much more predictable than the book. This might just be me, but I did not like the movie very much at all. I asked some of my Disney-channel-obsessing friends if they thought that the book was better too and they didn't even know the movie was based on a book! Nothing against DisneyChannel or any of the actors, but I did not like this movie.

This movie is only proof that Disney Channel movies are getting better. First we had High School Musical and now we have Read It and Weep. I'm not saying this was the best movie I've ever seen, but I did like it. For me, it didn't seem as sappy as other Disney Channel movies. It was pretty cute. I really liked Kay Panabaker as Jamie. We should expect great things from her. Danielle Panabaker is great, too. And I know that this may seem silly, but I loved all the clothes in the movie. They were really awesome.This truly was an original movie and it was entertaining. And if you didn't like it,just remember this: it was a movie made for TV. Don't hold your standards too high.

Worst disney movie?! The characters have no personality. Ok maybe I'm just too old for this lol.

I thought this film was way good but a bit far fetch but all together it was good but i have one question...I really want the laptop she has does any one know what the laptop is???like what type it is?? the film is really good but i don't like Jayson Donnelly but apart from him it was good and this movie made me think about the way i was treating my friends its such a good film but i really want to know what laptop she has i mean its like so cool the way she can like flip it and then write on it so anyone know what make it is??? please please please please tell me so i can like go out and buy it because i so badly love it i really want it

Jamie Bartlett (Kay Panabaker) is a teen under the thumb of popular girl Sawyer Sullivan (Allison Scagliotti). Her journal's alter ego Is (Danielle Panabaker) is everything that she isn't in real life. While watching TV with her friends Harmony (Alexandra Krosney) and Lindsay (Marquise Brown), she accidentally sends her entire journal rather than just the homework assignment. Then her journal becomes a best seller, and things get complicated.

The Panabaker sisters are good actresses. However the material is sub-par. It is strictly second rate Disney TV movie. The story is not realistic to the point of being very cheap and fake. Overall the acting is good, but the story is cutesy. The message of staying true to your friends is a good one. I just wish it was done with a better movie.

I was wondering if anyone knows if there was going to be a soundtrack to the new DCOM "Read it and Weep", because I love the song at the end done by Nick Whitaker, AKA Lenny, Jamie's brother. After the movie showed on Friday, I looked continuously for almost two hours and couldn't find the song anywhere. The title is "I Will Be Around". The movie also had many other great songs. I was able to find "Outside Looking In", but thats about it so far. This was one of the best Disney channel movies that has come out in a long time, and I loved it. All the cast members did a GREAT job, and I also thought it was wonderful the way they chose to have the Panabaker sisters play Jamie, and "Is". They were a great team.

The Panabaker Sisters Kay and Danielle play a high school novelist and her creation. Their film Read It And Weep shows what happens when your creation starts running and ruining your life.

Kay Panabaker is a freshman in high school with all the angst therein just trying to find your place. She's really treated bad by Allison Scagliotti the head cheerleader and mean girl. Her two friends are also some oddballs played by Alexandra Krosney and Marquise Brown are artists and activists and go in for causes like saving the whales.

Kay is a writer and diarist. She's written a diary in the form of a novel with characters modeled on the people she knows in school. When it accidentally gets published Panabaker is a celebrity.

Her sister Danielle plays the diarist and heroine Isabella and she becomes alive like Dr. Jekyll's Mr. Hyde and takes over. In fact the classic story is referenced.

The Panabaker sisters do all right in this Disney comedy. Kay gets to choose between faithful Jason Dolley and hunk Chad Broskey.

It's a Disney film, who do you think?

Okay, maybe most of the 7 is Jamie, Kay Panabaker, who in this movie seems a lovely creature. But I latched onto something in this picture which made me watch it till the end. For a movie aimed at, and I hate the word Tweens, it has a lot for adults to chew over too. The double personality was an interesting twist and not entirely coherent one, especially after watching it more than once. The whole pizzeria angle was hard to believe, why would anyone buy bad pizza, and how would it survive more than a few months. However the last thing I expect is realism concerning business in movies. But the themes of writing, reading and literacy is rare for this age group. Where is this movie set, it looks like Vancouver in the background?

I thought it was okay, it just didn't flow. I don't really get the point of it, if there is any. I really didn't like the scene where she is dressing herself for the dance, it seemed so out of place. I honestly found the talking to herself out loud thing kind of disturbing. She freakin acted like she held Is's arm and dragged her across the dance floor. On national television she was talking out loud to her. How dumb is that? I think it would have been better if she had just thought the thoughts to herself. What is up with her thinking by turning off her computer that it would leave Is behind? I think they should have just left out Is talking to her, the scenes where she was showing what she would do if she was Is were fine. It was freaky Is talking to her all the time. Her showing up at the dance is stupid. Oh and don't get me started on all the typical stories. We have the 'mean' brother coming through in the end of the story. Then the pizza parlor story, of course it ended up not closing. The guy best friend being in love with his best friend but her being 'in love' with the most popular guy. Hmmm, Lizzie McGuire? It was quite predictable. I also didn't get how easily she fell for Connor over a poem. :S Out of the blue she just kissed him because she realized he wrote a poem for her. The dance was quite stupid too. Oh yeah we have the animal rights best friend of course. The best friends feeling neglected after the main friend becomes famous. Also, how would teachers allow the whole school to be booing her? I hate how she can just come up with this huge speech all of a sudden and everyone forgives her. It is just a really poorly laid out movie, with no climax, or point.

Character wise a lot of the actors were great. Jaimie- I thought the actress did a good job portraying her, it was just a dumb character to have to portray Is- gah that was the absolute stupidest character ever, but the actress did a good job Harmony & Lindsay- great actresses Connor- he is cute, good actor Lenny- holy crackers he is amazing, i looove that song he sang, i hate that one song he was listening to though...the outside of the crowd or something Sawyer- over the top, i hate the way she talks, it is annoying...i agree with one commenter about when the seaweed was dumped on her she looked like she was going to scream i'm melting

Yes, my comment is kind of scattered and has no order, but hey, it goes with the theme of the movie right?

I don't think that the movie was horrible... and no offense to the person way above... but the book wasn't a children's book. it was aimed more for teens. Julia DeVillers is an author who usually writes nonfiction books for teens about confidence and such. i probably would have liked it more, but i love the book too much to like the movie. plus, one more thing... the girl doesn't realize that she has an alter ego until after she made it. she invented IS after becoming self conscious due to amber tiffany. she was just writing it as a story, and she didn't mean for it to become her alter ego Overall I thought that the acting was OK, the casting was almost what i expected, and it was a 6/10.

When i sat down on my friend's couch with a bowl of ice cream & turned the TV on, i never expected to find a new favorite movie. Read It and Weep is, in my book, one of the finest of all DCOM movies (and lets me honest, Disney has been feeding us a lot of trash recently). i thought the plot, though predictable, was funny, honest, and amusing. it had this sweet and sour feel, like you cant decide whether you want to hug the characters or smack them. it really expressed the ups and downs of popularity and fame, as well of the hardships of high school. and nick whitaker's singing ("Lenny" was his name, in the movie) blew me away, & made me want to know if he really sings and/or plays in the real world (i would buy his album!).

If you're looking for a deep, thought-provoking, lets-ponder-the-universe type of movie, keep looking. in fact, what made you think you could find that on the Disney channel anyway?? try USA, TNT, or Court TV.

But if what you want is a fun, hilarious, quite nearly tear-jerking movie that makes your heart bubble and your sides ache, look no further.

You've found it in Read It and Weep. -Krista C.