Diary of a Wimpy Kid (2010) **1/2

Diary of a Wimpy Kid is just another in a long line of kids films that are full of gross out humor, an underlying message, and a kid that is so totally clueless he walks right into his problems. Greg (Zachary Gordon) is entering middle school thinking that he will be the most popular kid there. His best friend Rowley (Robert Capron) is beyond nerdy and Greg fears what the future may hold for his buddy. Of course Greg soon learns that he's dropping on the charts as his first year in middle school becomes a pre-pubescent hell. The remainder of the film is filled with basic cliches such as the best friends not being friendly, countless embarrassment, and finally reconciliation.

While Diary isn't a horrible film, it's not a great one either. It's acted well enough and the story is a little interesting, it just seems a little bogged down in that we've seen it all before. For you readers of the book, we've apparently read it all before, too. It's an OK film, but will it hold up in five years? Probably not. It's an average film that got lucky with a good title. Nothing more and nothing less.