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    Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Rodrick Rules

    Reviewed by
    adamwatchesmovies@

    “Diary of a Wimpy Kid 2: Rodrick Rules” is a much better, more enjoyable film that the previous one. It contains some head scratchers, our protagonist is still a tiny bit intolerable and the gross-out jokes are again so nasty you want to look away. For the most part, however, it is funny, it builds on the storyline of its predecessor well, and entertains its intended audience.

    With his first year of middle school over, Greg Heffley (Zachary Gordon) and his best friend Rowley (Robert Capron) are optimistic about returning to classes. Unfortunately, Greg’s efforts to impress the newest, prettiest girl in school, Holly (Peyton List), are hampered by his parents’ insistence that he and his older brother Rodrick (Devon Bostick) spend more time together.

    This story spends less time focussing on Greg and Rowley together, which is a relief. Whenever the two interact, you can’t help but feel sorry for the small-minded mama’s boy. It’s interesting, though probably not very wise, to have a protagonist in a children’s movie that’s largely self-involved and mean, even to his friends. In these types of live action films, the wimpy kid usually has a heart and you’d feel sorry for him when things don’t go his way. The approach in this franchise is to surround him with annoying, cartoonishly malevolent or incompetent people in an effort to make Greg look better. Even for a children’s movie, it goes way over-the-top, with Greg’s parents being downright neglectful. Like the first time around, it’s as if the story was originally written years ago and has been hastily retouched to include video games, the internet and other bits of modern technology. There is no way, NO WAY! Mr. and Mrs. Heffley wouldn’t throw a fit when Greg tells them that his Xbox has been destroyed by his hideously irritating little brother. Surely the 14-year-old didn’t pay for the machine himself!

    About a third into the film is where Rodrick and Greg start spending a lot more time together and the story takes a positive turn. The relationship they have, while exaggerated, feels genuine. They conspire together against their parents; Rodrick dispenses some poor, but hilarious advice for his little brother; the siblings get in some genuinely humorous scenarios.

    This plot is more streamlined and the actors that bring it to life have improved significantly since 2010. Their dynamics and interactions are much livelier. You want to see how the school talent show Rodrick is participating in, you laugh at the two teens running circles around their dimwitted parents and the conclusion actually contains a smidge of genuine emotion.

    “Rodrick Rules” is not a great film, but as a follow-up to the first “Diary of a Wimpy Kid”, it’s solid. It’s a sequel that improves upon the first and will satisfy the fans who have persevered. (On DVD, May 21, 2017)

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    adamwatchesmovies@  4.6.2017 age: 26-35 2,867 reviews

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