Genre: Comedy
Director: Thor Freudenthal
Cast: Zachary Gordon, Steve Zahn, Rachel Harris, Chloe Moretz, Rob LaBelle, Alex Ferris, Robert Capron, Laine MacNeil, Karan Brar, Devon Bostick
RunTime: 2 hrs
Released By: 20th Century Fox
Rating: PG
Official Website: http://www.wimpykid.com/

Opening Day: 25 March 2010

Synopsis:

Meet the kid who made "wimpy" cool, in a family comedy based on the best-selling illustrated novel Diary of a Wimpy Kid by Jeff Kinney, the first in a series that has thus far sold 24 million copies. "Diary of a Wimpy Kid" chronicles the adventures of wise-cracking middle school student Greg Heffley, who must somehow survive the scariest time of anyone's life: middle school.

Movie Review:

Tuesday, 7.00pm - First of all, let me get something straight: This is a JOURNAL, not a diary. I’m only keeping this JOURNAL containing all my movie reviews ONLY BECAUSE I need to submit a write-up of some kiddy movie titled “DIARY OF A WIMPY KID”. And thanks to technology, I can type this review AS I WATCH THE MOVIE. The upside? I need not scribble in the dark on the pages of a sissy diary. The downside? Other people in the cinema are giving me strange stares as I type this on the macho laptop I’m holding. But who cares? The movie is taking FOREVER to start. I’m getting impatient.

Tuesday, 7.15pm - Like, FINALLY. Someone in the projection room has FINALLY decided to get the show going. Ah, so I’m introduced to this wimpy kid named Greg Heffley. He is starting a new academic year in middle school, and has to survive A WHOLE LONG LIST of challenges. The thing is, amidst all these ordeals, this kid actually feels that he deserves ALL THE RECOGNITION, FAME AND STATUS in the world. The trials and tribulations he has to go through, this poor young boy.

Tuesday, 7.40pm - I HATE IT when people talk during movies, but I shall forgive the folks sitting beside me because from their whisperings and murmurings, I actually learnt that this movie is based on a best selling illustrated novel by this guy named Jeff Kinney, and it has since sold a WHOPPING 28 MILLION COPIES. No wonder they decided to make a live action movie out of it. Every now and then, I see an animated version of Greg Heffley: I guess they must have been included to please fans of the novel. Nice touch. Although the movie feels lighthearted and makes me laugh with its juvenile humour, it also reminds me of the days when I first entered a new school. Those days of me trying to fit in with the other kids, trying to impress girls, trying to sound and feel important are ALL COMING BACK TO ME NOW. Then there is the VERY FAMILIAR part where Greg Heffley deals with his parents (who always succeed in embarrassing him), his older brother Rodrick (who always succeeds in bullying him) and his younger brother Manny (who always succeeds in being a spoilt little monster). One word: CLASSIC. The rude whispering folks are STARING ANGRILY at my brightly lit laptop screen. I wonder why.

Tuesday, 8.10pm - Whoever this Zachary Gordon is, he is doing a MIGHTY GOOD JOB playing Greg Heffley. I think he will have no problems getting a substantial female fan base. His co star Robert Capron plays his best friend Rowley Jefferson, who seems to be always taken advantage of by Greg Heffley. But I think it is the LOSER in this plump boy that makes him so LOVEABLE. Steve Zahn and Rachael Harris are okay playing Greg Heffley’s parents, but then again, the kids are the stars of the movie. Other supporting actors playing characters like Chirag Gupta (this puny Indian kid who reminds me of my neighbour), Fregley (this freckled kid who is plain creepy and frightening) and Patty Ferrell (this obnoxious spoilt brat who reminds me why I HATE GIRLS) perk up the movie with their very entertaining performances.

Tuesday, 8.25pm - The movie is beginning to feel REPETITIVE and TOO LONG FOR COMFORT. My laptop may not last till the end credits.

Tuesday, 8.35pm - Oh no, this Greg Heffley is getting quite MEAN. How can he treat Rowley Jefferson, his supposedly BEST FRIEND like that? The humour is beginning to wear off. Not that I disapprove of toilet gags and silly jokes, but I REALLY wish director Thor Freudenthal would approach them in moderation. And I REALLY wish people around me will stop STARING: Concentrate on the screen, would you?

Tuesday, 8.45pm - I’m heaving A SIGH OF RELIEF because it’s the movie ends on a happy note. Greg Heffley does have a heart after all, not like that selfish friend whom I’m NOT TALKING TO ANYMORE. Oh, looks like the movie is ending. Might as well. More people are STARING at me, and I thought I heard some GRUNTS too. One day when I’m famous, I’ll have better things to do than answer people’s stupid questions ALL DAY LONG. So this E-JOURNAL (not E-DIARY) is gonna come in handy.

Movie Rating:

(Don’t expect Greg Heffley’s lightweight but fun movie to be all “Dear Diary” this and “Dear Diary” that, because it nicely captures the wimpy kid’s pain being stuck with a bunch of morons)

Review by John Li