Gregs Tagebuch - Von Idioten umzingelt!

I haven't read the book by Jeff Kinney which this film is based upon, but one thought struck my mind, and that is Ferris Bueller just got younger! For all his wisecracks, smart alecky ideas and attitude, Greg Heffley (Zachary Gordon) just reminds me of the time when Matthew Broderick took on the Bueller role, though this time round it's got less to do with cars and girls, but everything to do about surviving middle school, just about the time before puberty kicks in for him.

No thanks to the 101 tactical lessons on middle school survival by his brother Rodrick (Devon Bostick), Greg decides that his goal and calling during his time will be to be Mr Popular, though he increasingly finds that task being close to impossible given the number of his schemes backfiring most of the time, and when his best friend Rowley (Robert Capron) continues to be the source of embarrassment to his perceived supercool demeanour. He tries to rewrite the school's playground rules, only to find that he isn't quite the trend setter or the visionary he thinks he is, while his plus sized friend somehow manages to climb up the popularity rankings.

It's about that time in our lives where we think we're able to change the world from a very young age, where we think we're infallible, and that whatever we do, we can reset the established norm. It's about how negative emotions such as jealousy and envy get the better of us sometimes, and we react in the nastiest of ways due to pride. Then there's the message of being true to oneself rather than the actor being someone else. Relatively heavy themes for what's essentially a kids' film, but that's how director Thor Freudenthal managed to include in the tale of the wimpy kid's first year in middle school without you feeling overwhelmed but them.

What works here wonderfully is the casting, which is probably just about the highlight of the film itself. Zachary Gordon owns the role as Greg and has this schmuck look on him that doesn't irritate, but will buy you into his exploits, and most times laugh along or at him depending on whether his antics will rub you the right way or not. And nearly stealing the limelight away from Greg, is his best friend Rowley, played to wingman perfection by Robert Capron, who like his character is always on the verge of upstaging Zachary Gordon and stealing his thunder. The two are believable as best friends forever in Harry Potter-Ron Weasley proportions, and it is their play against each other, one using the other to further his cause, the other just happy to have someone whom he can try to emulate, being the strong points in the narrative. Their acting's natural, and have incredible chemistry so much so that you wonder if everything will go downhill when they split.

The humour in the film is manifold, from pure wit right down to the occasional toilet humour with farts, pee and all, from the home to outside of home, and the usual challenges faced when in battlezones such as the canteen, the gym, and festivals like Halloween and even Mother-Child Night?! The basic animation featured in the film also boosted its narrative through its simple, iconic drawings, and provides very much on how Greg sees himself, and that of his friends and family, which no doubt had tinges of familiarity and being stereotypes, such as the nasty big sized girl whose influential family means she can act like a bitch, or that nerd outcast that everyone tries to avoid. Plot elements such as the rotting piece of cheese stuck on the school grounds also provide for plenty of inane moments, and Cheese Touch is something that I'll never forget.

Diary of a Wimpy Kid is loads of fun, being reminiscent of the time when growing up was quite the pain and more often than not a time of being misunderstood. Highly recommended!

This is a film for children. It's considered a family movie, but if you graduated from school you better skip it. The story of a 12-year-old who wants to be popular at a new school at all costs, but tries in the wrong and ugly ways, and after much peripeteia finally learns his lesson. The classic story of friendship, selfishness and sacrifice, bullying, complexes, and responsibilities ... there's nothing new that could interest anyone older than the movie's protagonists. It's not bad in any aspect, but it doesn't really stand out in any way either.

6/10

I saw Diary of a Wimpy Kid (DOAWK) at a Cineplex large screen (full-price), with 2 grand-daughters, one of whom has read the books (I haven't). I concur with others that the film starts out promising, but tends to bog down in the middle. The main character becomes a little mean-spirited, and the fun begins to fade somewhat. I gather that the books contain a certain cynical tone for the main character, and that the humour plays off that. When you transfer to a screenplay, you have to get the 'voice' right, or else the gags don't work.

I might compare it to describing a Seinfeld plot to a bewildered foreigner: "you see, George takes a disabled parking spot at the mall, causing a girl in a wheelchair to have an accident, so George and Kramer buy her a replacement wheelchair that has defective brakes, and she goes screaming down a hill.." sounds mean, huh? it's not -- it's hilarious WHEN you see it in context. Maybe that's what happens in DOAWK -- incorporating several ideas from the books resulted in some 'losing the context', so to speak.

However, family films are few and far between these days, and this is passable family fun. My advice? if you have a matinée-priced theater, go see it. At full price? stay home and watch your 'Better off Dead' DVD on your big screen TV.

Films like 'Diary Of A Wimpy Kid' take you back in time. Of how, we celebrated our school days and how we cherish them today. Moving on, 'Diary Of A Wimpy Kid' is a fairly entertaining film, that makes you laugh, re-counts your memories and is cute in nature.

Based on the book in the illustrated novel series of the same title by Jeff Kinney, Thor Freudenthal has directed the film well. However, the film is not without it's minuses. It gets repetitive and is about 10-15 minutes longer then it should've actually been.

Coming directly to the acting department, Zachary Gordon is first-rate as the protagonist. He expresses the haste nature, anger and envy every kid goes through. Robert Capron is outstanding! The real scene-stealer! Chloë Moretz looks lovely, as always, and performs superbly. Steve Zahn in a brief role, has not much to do. Alex Ferris is hysterical.

On the whole, It's film that will entertain you in those 90 minutes, and expect only entertainment from this one. Nearly, A Thumbs Up!

I really enjoyed the movie. The movie depicts the life of a teen Greg (Zachary Gordon) who has his issues of longing to be famous in the middle school.He ranks himself 19 on the popularity list.He has a dream to fulfill.He considers his previous friends 'who were not able to grow up' according to him ... morons and tries to maintain his standard by keeping his distance from the infamous.His best friend Rowley however though weird in his ways,as Greg considers him 'still not Middle school ready',keeps on posing a threat to his popularity position. Chloe Moretz has a wonderful role herself in the movie however her appearance is short.But the story is however about the wimpy kid and hence that becomes justified.There are a lot of funny moments in the movie and you would smile every now and then on their innocence.There is one another character Fregley- Greg places him at the last position in the popularity list. There is this funny moment wherein whoever touches the piece of stale cheese is considered to have THE CHEESE TOUCH. Whoever touches that person takes with himself the cheese touch.Even a cockroach was concerned about its dignity. No matter how hard he tries he always gets branded every now and then as the douche.Eventually however Greg learns that it really doesn't matter if one is on the top of the popularity list in the school but what matters the most is being on the top of the list of your best friends. A little act of genius and sacrifice vindicates him eventually. I found the movie totally enjoyable as guys we were kids once remember after all ! We used to consider some little and petty things as important, didn't we ? The sequel to the movie - Diary of a Wimpy Kid 2: Rodrick Rules is set to hit the theaters in March 2011 and I'm looking forward to it as well. The movie was really cute and I wish everyone watches it although I'll give it a 6 as it wasn't excellent though but the movie is highly recommended if you want to relive a part of your past.