Diary of a Wimpy Kid

The first volume in author Jeff Kinney's wildly popular illustrated book series hits the screen in this live-action adaptation. The impish Zachary Gordon plays Greg Heffley, who enters middle school determined to become the class favorite, which won't be easy. His best friend, Rowley (the sweetly funny Robert Capron), is a redheaded lug who embarrasses him at every turn, while Greg's obnoxious aspiring rocker older brother, Rodrick (Devon Bostick), advises him to keep his head down. Greg, who is small for his age, believes he needs to excel at something to achieve his goal, so he tries wrestling and safety patrolling, but nothing seems to fit. During gym class, Greg and Rowley meet wise-beyond-her-years Angie (Chloë Grace Moretz), a school newspaper reporter who thinks that popularity is overrated. Greg isn't convinced, but the harder he tries, the more boorish he becomes, until even Rowley abandons him. After a humiliating encounter with some high school bullies, however, Greg learns what really matters: self-respect. Director Thor Freudenthal avoids sentimentality, although Rachael Harris and Steve Zahn could have used more face time as the terminally uncool Heffley parents (Harris' rhythm-impaired moves during a mother-son dance provide some of the best laughs). Kinney fans will also appreciate the way Freudenthal weaves Greg's stick-figure drawings throughout this zippy comedy. Recommended. [Note: DVD/Blu-ray extras include audio commentary by director Thor Freudenthal and writer Gabe Sachs, “Deleted Diary Pages” deleted scenes (10 min.), a gallery of “lost” comics, and trailers. The Blu-ray release includes bonus DVD and digital copies of the film. Bottom line: a solid extras package for a fun family film.] (K. Fennessy)