Movies Reviews

Diary of a Wimpy Kid 2: Rodrick Rules – Movie Review

By Anne Brodie Mar 24, 2011, 15:05 GMT

In this sequel to 2010\'s surprise hit, Greg Heffley, the kid who made "wimpy" cool is back in an all-new family comedy based on the best-selling follow-up novel by Jeff Kinney. (Kinney\'s "Wimpy Kid" series has thus far sold 42 million books.) As he begins seventh grade, Greg and his older brother - and chief tormentor - Rodrick must deal with their parents\' misguided attempts to have them bond.   ...more

This is a delightful film. I missed the original but it doesn’t matter – and I may be a girl, but I just know in my heart that this is the kind of a film a seventh grade boy would love. 

It’s about wading through the stacked landmines of adolescence, those locker humiliations and unattainable girls, parents who expect obedience, a bullying brother and a weekend spent without TV at grandpa’s retirement home – and living to face more. 

These are high class problems for anyone in the movies these days, and as such, Wimpy Kid 2 is a breath of fresh air.

The young talents in Wimpy Kid are established actors with sizeable resumes; obviously, knowing how to act helps irons out any potential wrinkles in a film that might have been cloying in other hands. Zachary Gordon, Robert Capron and Devon Bostick know their stuff, how to work the camera, charm audiences and get a point across. They’re funny, smart, physical and have the gift of comic timing and expression.

Gordon plays Greg, the Wimpy Kid, who is a pretty decent guy. He generally does what he has to do enjoys himself, is capable of friendship and respectful of others, even if they aren’t respectful of him.  But bad things happen to him all the time. 

He sits on chocolate planted under him by brother Rodrick (Bostick) o the way to church – so of course, Greg has to walk up to take communion with a dark brown mark on his bottom that everyone can see. He dies a thousand deaths. 

He tries to grab a classroom seat next to the pretty new girl but gets his rear handed to him by a mean old Valkyrie with pigtails. And the teacher pulls him to the front of the class, not his fault.

He winds up running through the old age home dressed only in his underwear and is trapped with a gaggle of half-naked grannies in a washroom stall. Not his fault. Rodrick locks him in the basement to keep him away from his “high school” party when the parents are out of town.  Not his fault.

And with all the awful occurrences, Greg remains chipper and optimistic; his outlet is animation – he draws it out in his special secret diary – which Rodrick steals.  Not his fault.

Rowley (Capron) is Greg’s best friend and he is in no way cool.  But he’s sincere and loyal and has a generous heart and Greg recognizes his intrinsic goodness.  He cannot tell a lie, and his sheer goodness tugs at the heartstrings.

In all Wimpy Kid 2 is a sunny, cheerful and somehow admirable slice of life of a boy that doesn’t veer off course into pap.  Its plot twists and turns and the challenges each character faces raise it above the bodily function humor of most cinematic boys.

Well played, Wimpy.

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35 mm comedy
Written by Gabe Sachs, Jeff Judah based on the books by Jeff Kinney
Directed by David Bowers
Opens: March 25
Runtime: 96 minutes
MPAA: Rated PG for some mild rude humor and mischief
Country: USA
Language: English