Diary of a Wimpy Kid (2010)
Average Rating: 5.5/10
Reviews Counted: 105
Fresh: 56 | Rotten: 49
Unlike its bestselling source material, Diary of a Wimpy Kid fails to place a likable protagonist at the center of its middle-school humor -- and its underlying message is drowned out as a result.
Average Rating: 5.7/10
Critic Reviews: 27
Fresh: 14 | Rotten: 13
Unlike its bestselling source material, Diary of a Wimpy Kid fails to place a likable protagonist at the center of its middle-school humor -- and its underlying message is drowned out as a result.
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Average Rating: 3.2/5
User Ratings: 99,286
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Movie Info
Hapless preteen Greg Heffley (Zachary Gordon) endures bullies, swirlies, morons, and wedgies while navigating the treacherous world of middle school and recording his traumas in his personal journal in this family-oriented comedy inspired by author Jeff Kinney's best-selling series of illustrated novels. Try as he might, Greg just can't understand who thought it was a good idea to place kids who haven't even hit their first growth spurt in the same school as kids who get a five-o'clock shadow by
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Cast
-
Zachary Gordon
Greg Heffley -
Robert Capron
Rowley Jefferson -
Rachael Harris
Susan Heffley -
Steve Zahn
Frank Heffley -
Devon Bostick
Rodrick Heffley -
Connor Fielding
Manny Heffley -
Owen Fielding
Manny Heffley -
Chloe Moretz
Angie Steadman -
Karan Brar
Chirag Gupta -
Grayson Russell
Fregley -
Laine MacNeil
Patty Farrell -
Alex Ferris
Collin -
Andrew McNee
Coach Malone -
Belita Moreno
Mrs. Norton -
Rob La Belle
Mr. Winsky -
Nicholas Carey
Pete Hosey -
Samuel Patrick Chu
Carter -
Donnie MacNeil
Wade -
Samantha Page
Shelly -
Ava Rebecca Hughes
Marley -
Owen Best
Bryce Anderson -
Cainan Wiebe
Quentin -
Cole Heppell
Quentin's Sidekick -
Harrison Houde
Darren Walsh -
Severin Korfer
Dieter Muller -
Jennifer Clement
Mrs. Flint -
Karin Konoval
Mrs. Irvine -
Raugi Yu
Vice Principal Roy -
Kaye Capron
Rowley's Mom -
Jake D. Smith
Archie Kelly -
Talon Dunbar
Arthur -
Willem Jacobson
Cheese Boy -
Naomi Dane
Cheese Girl -
Sean Bygrave
Coach Brewer -
Maxine Miller
Elderly Woman -
Taya Clyne
Granddaughter -
Nathaniel Marten
Grown-Up Greg -
Peter New
Grown-Up Quentin -
Nikki Frazer
Lunch Girl #1 -
Greta Gibson
Lunch Girl #2 -
Nathan Smith
Kingergarten Boy -
Kina Mori McWatt
Kindergarten Girl -
Dylan Bell
Kindergarten Greg -
Madison Bell
Kindergarten Patty -
Adom Osei
Marty Porter -
Alfred E. Humphreys
Mr. Jefferson -
Brent Chapman
Mr. Parnell -
Rylee Styles
Preston -
Ryan Grantham
Rodney James -
Ethan Shankaruk
Snot Kid -
Paul Hubbard
Brock Branigan -
Jesse Wheeler
Unpopular '80s Boy -
Brett Dier
'80s Breakdancer -
Brandon Barton
'80s Jock Boy -
Cindy Busby
'80s Popular Girl -
Alistair Abell
Male Reporter -
Tara McGuire
Female Reporter
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Diary of a Wimpy Kid Trailer & Photos
All Critics (105) | Top Critics (27) | Fresh (57) | Rotten (49) | DVD (8)
The young cast is all game, and sidekicks Robert Capron and Grayson Russell are a real hoot. Slumber party viewings are inevitable.
Top CriticLargely avoids the gimmicky saccharine aftertaste that's typical of the genre. Anyone older than the story's resident Job, however, may not find much to write home about.
Too soon though -- maybe 30 minutes in -- audience laughs turn to chuckles, fading to worn smiles.
Looks drab and drained of color, and can't even muster the antic buoyancy of an average episode of iCarly.
The problem with Diary of a Wimpy Kid is the wimpy kid is a jerk.
What sets this kid comedy apart is how well it resists the temptation to clobber the bullies and crown the underdog.
By far my favorite of the three-film series.
An imaginative family film featuring a tremendously mischievous and likable lead character.
...a bottom-of-the-barrel children's movie...
If you're a parent who's been forced to sit through a barren desert of painfully unfunny family comedies, Diary will feel like an oasis.
Zachary Gordon, as the wimpy kid of the title, seems to be aiming for a Ferris Buehler-esque omniscience and superiority and, while he doesn't quite pull it off all the way, I was down for his struggle.
A fairly forgettable and polarizing comedy that's strictly targeted to the preteen boys of the audience, all of whom are convinced this is how middle is and will be like...
The characters (through no fault of the young performers) have all the personality of hand puppets.
Conveys, in a good-humoured, sharply observed way, the small, painful cruelties and unpredictable rules of early adolescence, and it celebrates awkwardness without feeling the need to convert it into cheap triumph.
The film retains much of the original humour, some of it well executed. It's reasonably faithful to the spirit of the books, probably because Kinney is the executive producer, but it's by no means equal to his originals.
Perceptive, funny, unusually edgy voyage into the comic travails of schoolyard politics and childhood friendship.
Performances from the young cast are arguably a little too slick and knowing for the naive characters they are playing, but that is often par for the course in American films these days.
In an early self-referential monologue, Greg says, "Who wants to see a movie about a kid who's stuck in middle school with a bunch of morons?" Who indeed?
All right all you 8 - 12 year olds, get in line for some fun at Greg Heffley's expense.
While the blackness of many situations resonates and despite some amusing moments, the film's tone is so ardent and realistic, it often works against it. Nonetheless, this coming of age film for the under 12 set has merit and charm
[A] sappy and superficial adaptation...
The film's wry wit and understanding of childhood anxieties will remind older viewers of the television series The Wonder Years which is no small compliment.
Though the film sags a little in places, it imparts its be-true-to-yourself life lessons with sweetness and charm...
As my son says, 'The books were a lot better.'
Audience Reviews for Diary of a Wimpy Kid
Super Reviewer
Starring the excellent Zachary Gordon in his first major role as the central protagonist Greg Heffley, 'Wimpy Kid' tells the story of a wimpy dork, who through the use of his diary, which he repeatedly tells people is a journal, tells us of his first days in middle school in the US.
Its witty and clever direction is impressive, especially when the crew are working with one of the three golden don'ts of cinema, children. All of the children act well, especially supporting best friend Robert Capron and older brother Devon Bostick. As well as wonderful, although short, performances from Rachael Harris and Steve Zahn, Thor Freudenthal brings together a nice set of characters.
The script and story itself is just a collection of stories in his first year at the school, but they are linked together nicely through the story of his friendship with embarrassing but lovely best friend Rowley.
For kids the film has plenty of gags, which parents will enjoy too. But the very nature of the film, and the fact that Greg Heffley is a child who believes he knows everything will appeal to parents and older kids, such a myself, as well. It's a mickey take, and the protagonist doesn't have to be liked or loved. Instead, as we walk with the character through his first year, we learn to love him.
The theme of the whole story isn't produced in a grand spectacle, but isn't done terribly either. It's nothing special on that front, but the cross-audience appeal and wide selection of funny moments, topped off with the book's style animation makes 'Wimpy Kid' an appealing, but unlikely treat.
Super Reviewer
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- Greg Heffley: Let me get something straight. This is a journal, not a diary. When mom went to buy this thing, I clearly told her not to buy anything with the word diary on it.
-
- Patty Farrell: Sing! Sing! SING!
-
- Rowley Jefferson: Zoo-Wee-Mama!
-
- Rowley Jefferson: My mom said to just be myself, and everyone would like me.
- Greg Heffley: That would be good advice if you were somebody else.
-
- Rodrick Heffley: Hey little brother, was your first day as crappy as I said it would be?
-
- Kindergarten Greg: Patty, Patty is fatty. Has a face just like a ratty.
- Kindergarten Patty: [sobs while everybody laughs]
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Latest News on Diary of a Wimpy Kid
March 22, 2010:
Box Office Guru Wrapup: Alice Reigns For Third Straight WeekendThe Red Queen ruled once again as Disney's Alice in Wonderland remained at number one for the third...
March 19, 2010:
Critics Consensus: Wimpy Kid Gets Picked OnThis week at the movies, we've got a scheming tween (Diary of a Wimpy Kid, starring Zachary Gordon...
August 4, 2009:
Steve Zahn Fathers a Wimpy KidSteve Zahn has joined the cast of "Diary of a Wimpy Kid," signing on to play the father of the...
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Foreign Titles
- Gregs Tagebuch - Von Idioten umzingelt! (DE)
- Journal d'un dégonflé (FR)
