OK for kids 9+
Adorable comedy about middle-school anxieties...and farts.
What Parents Need to Know
Parents need to know that this adaptation of Jeff Kinney's best-selling Diary of a Wimpy Kid books is full of tween-friendly jokes and mischief. There are no full-blown swear words, but the dialogue includes a lot of insults like "moron," "idiot," "tool," "stupid" and the like, as well as the standard substitute for stronger words, "freakin'." Parents sensitive to scatological humor, beware! There are several jokes about boogers and farts, a few shots featuring kids on toilets (the middle-school boysroom has no doors on its stalls), and in one scene, the protagonist accidentally pees on his brother. While there's no frightening violence, there is a running theme about three older bullies who menace the main characters, and there's a girl who beats up a boy in front of the entire school. A rebellious seeming teen brother wears eyeliner, is in a garage band, and is caught with a naughty magazine (the cover only shows a woman in a bikini).
- Families can talk about Greg's hilarious single-minded quest to be deemed "popular" in middle school. How does Greg's attitude differ from Rowley's and Angie's? How accurate a reflection of middle-school life is this story? Kids: Have you ever been bullied, either in person or online?
- What does Greg's mom mean when she says: "It's our choices that make us who we are"? How did Greg follow her advice?
- Was Rowley justified in ending his friendship with Greg? Kids: what would you have done?
- Fans of the books: How does the movie compare? Which characters were different or new? Did you like the changes?
The good stuff
-
Messages: The biggest message of the story is what Greg's mother tells him: "It's our choices that make us who we are," meaning that even when we've messed up or failed, we still have an opportunity to choose to ask for forgiveness or to change. Rowley and Greg's friendship shows how important it is for friendships to be unconditional, regardless of how "popular" the other person seems to be, and how it's not OK to lie to your friend and let him get punished for something you did.
-
Role models: Rowley isn't a perfect role model, but he's an example of someone who is just himself and doesn't try so hard to be popular, like Greg does (unsuccessfully). Same goes for Angie, who is comfortable being different and doesn't worry about how often she's in the yearbook. Rowley's also a loyal and sweet friend until Greg betrays him and hurts his feelings. Greg shows kids that it's important to own up to your mistakes and to value your friends.
What to watch for
-
Violence: A trio of teens bullies and menaces Greg and Rowley, obviously trying to hurt them. After evading them on several occasions, the bullies catch up to them and force Rowley to do something really gross. Rodrick threatens to kill Greg. A girl taunts and wrestles Greg and later beats him up in front of the whole school.
-
Sex: Rodrick has a (fictional) magazine called "Moto Mamas" which seems to be a skin mag of scantily clad women on motorcycles -- only the cover is shown. One middle-school boy is shown walking hand in hand with girls. Greg says he heard girls say a boy has a "cute butt." A few quick glimpses of kids sitting on toilets or peeing (no nudity, obviously).
-
Language: Frequently said insults include "dumb," "moron," "stupid," "clueless," "jerk," "tool," "idiot," "freakjob," and of course, "wimp." A couple uses of "crap" and "God" as an exclamation. The word "freakin'" is also said a few times. Also several scatalogical references to snot, boogers, and farting.
-
Consumerism: Nintendo's Wii console is mentioned and shown, as well as the video game Wii Play.
-
Drinking, drugs and smoking: Not an issue
Fan Reviews provided by
3
Not as good as we expected by whoamitojudge
My 6-year old daughter rated this a Go, and my 9-year old and 12-year old sons rated it So-So. My husband and I would rate it a No, but if the kids sort of enjoyed it, then that's the main thing. There was some bathroom humor which is always good, and a few other kid laughs, but both my sons said they expected it to be funnier. From an adult's point of view, the storyline was tedious and trite. Overall, rather disappointing, but better than a sharp stick in the eye.
5
Diary Of A Wimpy Kid by bellegray
I liked the movie because it was very funny and true to life. I think kids at least 7 years would like it the best.
4
Mixed emotions by angpatr
Overall I liked the movie. In fact, my entire family liked it. The acting was great, the character development, the special effects.... There were two things that proved to be detractors to me, however. Sometimes the images moved too quickly. My eyes could not follow them, and it nearly made me nauseous to watch. But my main beef was the magazine. It was okay to have it in there, but the cover should not have appeared on screen so many times. This movie was rated PG, and the picture on the cover of the magazine was inappropriate for the rating. Maybe if it had been shown briefly one time, and then we see the back of the magazine, or we see the mom holding it, but the mag is only partly in the picture or not at all. Once we've seen it, we know what it is. We don't have to keep seeing it. You know, mom makes the son apologize to women for owning the mag, yet she holds it up for the world to see. It is for that reason that I will not purchase the DVD when it comes out.
4
Diary of a wimpy kid by Tyler06
Great kid movie, very entertaining!
5
Five Word Review by jnjlitzen
awesome funny long exciting accurate
5
Great Family Oriented Movie by She'
Experiencing this movie with my son who will soon be in middle school was a great teaching moment about character (self-identify), friendship, and responsibility. The movie industry should produce more of these coming of age movies that stick with the moral high ground that makes for a good, clean, wholesome, and enjoyable family experience.
4
Five Word Review by hexxrus
Teenage angst funny for all
5
wHAT AN AMAZING STORY by vamosavermovies
i REALLY ENJOED THIS MOVIE, I WENT WITH MY DAUGHTER AND I CAN SAY THAT IT WAS SO FUNNY, AND WITH A LESSON AT THE END, THE REALLY FRIENDSHIP LAST FOREVER !
2
NO GO by jamkelyat
First of all this movie is NOTHING like the book. i was very dissapointed. had no funny parts. ok acting,filmed well, but the movie sucked. in my opion not even worth renting. The real blockbuster movie experince is in the book.