Based on the best-selling illustrated novel of the same name by Greg Kinney, Diary of a Wimpy Kid is billed as a family comedy about a runt-sized middle schooler who is struggling — and constantly failing — to become one of the cool kids.
Not a bad premise, right?
Sadly, it often comes across more like a low-budget series of gross-out sketches about boogers, poop, urine, hairy moles and — would you believe — a lingering piece of mouldy cheese?
Yes, for some pre-teens, this could be right up their alley, and fans of Kinney’s black-and-white cartoon drawings will approve of the live-action film depiction.
But I couldn’t help thinking that with a better plot, director, cast and more money, the filmmakers might have really had something here, particularly since the four screenwriters’ combined credits include TV’s critical faves Freaks and Geeks and Undeclared.
Maybe a TV series would have been a better fit, actually.
One of the big problems with the movie is the main character as played by Zachary Gordon, who just isn’t that engaging or edgy in the lead role of Greg Heffley. A perennial underdog, he tries out for the wrestling team, safety patrol and the school musical in search of greatness, with his faithful best friend Rowley at his side.
Infinitely more intriguing is Chloe Grace Moretz (500 Days of Summer), as the wise-beyond-her-years school newspaper photographer who sums up middle school as “an intellectual wasteland.”
She reminded me of the young Claire Danes in My So-Called Life.
I also liked Greg’s older brother, Rodrick — a wannabe musician who drums in a band called Loded Diper (don’t ask) when he’s not torturing his younger sibling — as played by Canadian Devon Bostick (Adoration).
Noteworthy too are Robert Capron as the red-headed, round-faced Rowley, who becomes cool in spite of himself; Grayson Russell as the glasses-and-braces-wearing supernerd Fregley, and Laine McNeill as Patty, Greg’s nemesis — a shrieking A-type personality in pigtails who comes across like Heidi’s evil twin.
The film does have some genuinely good moments, such as the tryout scene for the school musical featuring hilarious use of the song Total Eclipse of the Heart as sung by a rag-tag, off-key group of students.
The cast of Glee, they are not.
Otherwise, director Thor Freudenthal (Hotel for Dogs) seems really out his league here with low production values, bad lighting and scenes of snowfall on the movie’s Vancouver set that look so fake they’re painful.
And why, for the love of God, doesn’t he make better use of sharp, comedic actors Steve Zahn and Rachael Harris as Greg’s parents?
It’s not a good sign that in the early moments of the film, Greg looks straight at the camera and says: “Who wants to see a movie about a kid stuck in middle school with a bunch of morons?”
Not me, that’s for sure.
(This film is rated G)
jane.stevenson@sunmedia.ca
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