A peppy and energetic but not overly cloying tone aligns nicely with a clutch of lively and engaging performances in this smart, heartwarming follow-up to last year’s Diary of a Wimpy Kid, based on Jeff Kinney’s same-named series of books, which have sold a combined 42 million copies. Though characterized in fits and starts by the sort of overly demonstrative acting and tonal underlining one sadly comes to expect from so many family films, Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Rodrick Rules works as entertainment even for older audiences because its public humiliations of the familial variety are so relatable. For the full, original review, from Screen International, click here. (20th Century Fox, PG, 99 minutes)
Way too kind. “Relatable”? I don’t know about you, but I’ve never run through an old folk’s home in my underwear, only to duck into the ladies room and be attacked by grannies.
If I could relate to that, I’d probably not hate the movie. Did like the kid who played Rodrick, though.
Totally relatable in tone and feeling, if not event specifics, man — the way kids play things off one another, and posture w/parents. And Devon Bostick was aces, I agree.