"Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Rodrick Rules" takes our intrepid wimpy hero through seventh grade - more struggles to be popular, more efforts to make his unaffected, unpretentious and childish pal Rowley less of an embarrassment. It makes more of an effort to connect the big screen "Kid" with the Jeff Kinney "Diary" books - a lot more animation.
It just takes a long time to get going. Apparently seventh grade doesn't pack as much potential for scarred-for-life trauma as sixth grade.
The problems of Greg Heffley (Zachary Gordon) lie closer to home, this time around. His baby brother, Manny, is old enough to talk and old enough to rat him out. And older brother Rodrick (Devon Bostick) has become "the king of laziness, except when it comes to torturing me."
Thus Greg's academic career is hampered by teachers who tar him with the same brush as his underachieving sibling. Greg's crush on the willowy new model-classmate, Holly Hills (Peyton List), is doomed by Rodrick's pranks.
Thankfully, Mom (Rachael Harris) has noticed the boys aren't getting along and concocts a scheme to pay them to get along.
As kids' entertainment, "Rodrick Rules" is harmless enough. But it's less broad than the first film and less funny.
"Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Rodrick Rules"
Our grade: C
Genre: Comedy
Running Time: 99 min
MPAA rating: PG
Release Date: Mar 25, 2011
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