Diary of a Wimpy Kid (film)
Encyclopedia
Diary of a Wimpy Kid is a 2010 American comedy film
directed by Thor Freudenthal
and based on Jeff Kinney
's book of the same name
. The film was released on March 19, 2010. It was released on DVD
, iTunes
, and Blu-ray
on August 3, 2010.
(Zachary Gordon
) starts going to middle school with his immature friend, Rowley Jefferson. Greg and Rowley's friendship falls tragically apart after Greg allows Rowley to take the blame for a mistake Greg made during Safety Patrol. After Greg tells Rowley the truth and tries to tell it as a joke, Rowley berates him for being a bad friend who cares about nothing but himself. When Mr. Winsky, the Safety Patrol teacher, heard what had actually happened, he told Greg that he was now relieved of his Safety Patrol duties "effective immediately", and promotes Rowley to a captain. Rowley then leaves Greg and befriends a kid named Collin Lee (Alex Ferris
). Greg tries to move on by having a sleep over with Fregley, but Fregley's sugar-induced hyperactivity is too much for him to take. He then tries to pursue popularity without Rowley by auditioning for the school play of The Wizard of Oz
, but the performance is ruined by Patty when she throws a temper tantrum at Greg when he does not sing and blames him for the play being ruined and Greg throws an apple at her resulting an apple-throwing fight in the middle of the performance.
At the school's mother-son dance, Greg's mother (Rachael Harris
) suggests Greg ask Rowley to go out for ice cream with them. However, Collin tells Greg that he and Rowley already have plans. Later, Greg is excited when Rowley comes up to him in school, but is disappointed when he learns Rowley only wants a game back. Greg refuses to return the game, causing them to get into an argument. Kids gather around them, wanting them to fight, but are quickly dispelled when the teenagers that Greg and Rowley had angered on Halloween drive up, looking for revenge. The kids find the Cheese and make Rowley eat it. They are about to force Greg to eat the cheese when Coach Malone arrives, leading the kids to run away.
The children return and find the partially eaten cheese. Patty begins to accuse Rowley, but Greg steps in and blames himself. He picks up the cheese and makes a profound speech about the ridiculousness of the cheese and other middle school institutions, but Patty ruins it when she shouts out that Greg has the Cheese Touch, causing everyone to run away from Greg. Greg and Rowley reconcile, and Angie approaches them to compliment Greg for his bravery. Greg and Rowley make it into the class favorites list as "cutest friends". The film ends with Greg, Rowley, and Angie laughing after Patty hugged Rowley and contracted the Cheese Touch, and Greg narrating that he still has the summer and next year ahead of him.
(Forever the Sickest Kids), Capitol Records
(Beastie Boys), B-Unique Records
(Kaiser Chiefs), Columbia Records
(Bonnie Tyler, Teddybears), XL Recordings
(Electric Six), Rough Trade
(1990s), Beautiful Bomb Records (Smash Mouth), Chrysalis Records
(Bonnie Tyler), Stick Music (Bonnie Tyler) and Gordy Records (Rick James).
, with Zachary Gordon
starring as Greg.
The official trailer
for Wimpy Kid was released viral
ly on January 21, 2010 and was shown in theaters with Tooth Fairy
and Alice in Wonderland
. A poster for the film was released shortly after. Another trailer was shown with Percy Jackson & the Olympians: The Lightning Thief
.
The official Facebook account for Wimpy Kid had uploaded three clips from the film, as of March 1, 2010.
In the United Kingdom
and Ireland
the film was released in cinemas on August 25, 2010.
, based on 101 reviews. The consensus given is "Unlike its bestselling source material, Diary of a Wimpy Kid fails to place a likable protagonist at the center of its middle-school humor – and its underlying message is drowned out as a result." It also holds a "mixed or average" rating of 56 at Metacritic
, based on 26 reviews. Roger Ebert
gave the film a three and a half out of four stars rating: "It's nimble, bright and funny. It doesn't dumb down. It doesn't patronize. It knows something about human nature." Glenn Whipp of the Associated Press
was less positive, saying, "In transferring the clean, precise humor of Kinney's illustrations and prose to the big-screen, the material loses just a bit of its charm." At the Movies host David Stratton
gave the film one star while co-host Margaret Pomeranz
gave it half a star. Stratton called the film "tiresome" and said there was "nothing remotely interesting in Thor Freudenthal's direction or the screenplay." Pomeranz disliked the character of Greg Heffley, saying "I really thought he was unpleasant. I did not want to spend time with him. I could not wait for the end of this film."
.
Despite a lack of distinctive marketing, Diary of a Wimpy Kid drew a decent crowd, opening to $22.1 million on approximately 3,400 screens at 3,077 sites, notably beating out the heavily hyped The Bounty Hunter
. It was the biggest start ever for a non-animated, non-fantasy children's book adaptation. Diary of a Wimpy Kid grossed more in its first three days than similar films like How to Eat Fried Worms
and Hoot
grossed in their entire runs. The film grossed $63,003,625 in North America and $11,695,602 in other territories for a worldwide total of $75,699,227.
was published on March 16, 2010, by Amulet Books (an imprint of Abrams Books
). It includes film stills, storyboards, preliminary concept drawings, and also behind the scenes information to humorously chronicle the making of the film. It also includes some new illustrations.
Comedy film
Comedy film is a genre of film in which the main emphasis is on humour. They are designed to elicit laughter from the audience. Comedies are mostly light-hearted dramas and are made to amuse and entertain the audiences...
directed by Thor Freudenthal
Thor Freudenthal
Thor Freudenthal is a German director and screenwriter who generally works in film.Freudenthal was born and raised in West Berlin, West Germany. He attended the Berlin Academy of Arts, and later moved to Southern California as an exchange student at CalArts. He started out as an animation director...
and based on Jeff Kinney
Jeff Kinney (writer)
Jeffrey "Jeff" Kinney is an American game designer, cartoonist, producer, and author of children's books including the Diary of a Wimpy Kid book series. He is also attributed to be the creator of the children-oriented website Poptropica...
's book of the same name
Diary of a Wimpy Kid
Diary of a Wimpy Kid is a realistic fiction novel by Jeff Kinney. It is the first book in the Diary of a Wimpy Kid series. The book is about a middle-school child named Greg Heffley and his struggles in middle school. Greg also had problems with his best friend, Rowley Jefferson. The books focuses...
. The film was released on March 19, 2010. It was released on DVD
DVD
A DVD is an optical disc storage media format, invented and developed by Philips, Sony, Toshiba, and Panasonic in 1995. DVDs offer higher storage capacity than Compact Discs while having the same dimensions....
, iTunes
ITunes
iTunes is a media player computer program, used for playing, downloading, and organizing digital music and video files on desktop computers. It can also manage contents on iPod, iPhone, iPod Touch and iPad....
, and Blu-ray
Blu-ray Disc
Blu-ray Disc is an optical disc storage medium designed to supersede the DVD format. The plastic disc is 120 mm in diameter and 1.2 mm thick, the same size as DVDs and CDs. Blu-ray Discs contain 25 GB per layer, with dual layer discs being the norm for feature-length video discs...
on August 3, 2010.
Plot
11-year-old Greg HeffleyGreg Heffley
Gregory "Greg" Heffley is the main protagonist of the realistic fiction book series Diary of a Wimpy Kid created by American cartoonist Jeff Kinney. Greg has appeared in Diary of a Wimpy Kid, Rodrick Rules, The Last Straw,. Dog Days,. The Ugly Truth, and will appear in Cabin Fever...
(Zachary Gordon
Zachary Gordon
Zachary Adam Gordon is an American film and television actor, best known for playing Greg Heffley in the Diary of a Wimpy Kid films which are based on Jeff Kinney's #1 New York Times best seller Diary of a Wimpy Kid....
) starts going to middle school with his immature friend, Rowley Jefferson. Greg and Rowley's friendship falls tragically apart after Greg allows Rowley to take the blame for a mistake Greg made during Safety Patrol. After Greg tells Rowley the truth and tries to tell it as a joke, Rowley berates him for being a bad friend who cares about nothing but himself. When Mr. Winsky, the Safety Patrol teacher, heard what had actually happened, he told Greg that he was now relieved of his Safety Patrol duties "effective immediately", and promotes Rowley to a captain. Rowley then leaves Greg and befriends a kid named Collin Lee (Alex Ferris
Alex Ferris
Alexander "Alex" Ferris is a Canadian child actor. He currently stars on jPod as Connor Lefkowitz, and appeared in The Time Traveler's Wife as Young Henry DeTamble.Ferris was born in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada...
). Greg tries to move on by having a sleep over with Fregley, but Fregley's sugar-induced hyperactivity is too much for him to take. He then tries to pursue popularity without Rowley by auditioning for the school play of The Wizard of Oz
The Wizard of Oz (adaptations)
The Wonderful Wizard of Oz is a 1900 novel by L. Frank Baum, which has been adapted into several different works, the most famous being the 1939 film The Wizard of Oz, starring Judy Garland...
, but the performance is ruined by Patty when she throws a temper tantrum at Greg when he does not sing and blames him for the play being ruined and Greg throws an apple at her resulting an apple-throwing fight in the middle of the performance.
At the school's mother-son dance, Greg's mother (Rachael Harris
Rachael Harris
Rachael Elaine Harris is an American actress and comedian.-Early life:Harris was born in Worthington, Ohio. She graduated from Worthington High School...
) suggests Greg ask Rowley to go out for ice cream with them. However, Collin tells Greg that he and Rowley already have plans. Later, Greg is excited when Rowley comes up to him in school, but is disappointed when he learns Rowley only wants a game back. Greg refuses to return the game, causing them to get into an argument. Kids gather around them, wanting them to fight, but are quickly dispelled when the teenagers that Greg and Rowley had angered on Halloween drive up, looking for revenge. The kids find the Cheese and make Rowley eat it. They are about to force Greg to eat the cheese when Coach Malone arrives, leading the kids to run away.
The children return and find the partially eaten cheese. Patty begins to accuse Rowley, but Greg steps in and blames himself. He picks up the cheese and makes a profound speech about the ridiculousness of the cheese and other middle school institutions, but Patty ruins it when she shouts out that Greg has the Cheese Touch, causing everyone to run away from Greg. Greg and Rowley reconcile, and Angie approaches them to compliment Greg for his bravery. Greg and Rowley make it into the class favorites list as "cutest friends". The film ends with Greg, Rowley, and Angie laughing after Patty hugged Rowley and contracted the Cheese Touch, and Greg narrating that he still has the summer and next year ahead of him.
Cast
- Zachary GordonZachary GordonZachary Adam Gordon is an American film and television actor, best known for playing Greg Heffley in the Diary of a Wimpy Kid films which are based on Jeff Kinney's #1 New York Times best seller Diary of a Wimpy Kid....
as Greg Heffley - Robert CapronRobert CapronRobert Capron is American child actor who is best known for starring as Rowley Jefferson, Greg Heffley's best friend in the Diary of a Wimpy Kid movies. He started off with a role in Bride Wars and later had small parts in Hachiko: A Dog's Story and the Disney film The Sorcerer's Apprentice...
as Rowley Jefferson - Rachael HarrisRachael HarrisRachael Elaine Harris is an American actress and comedian.-Early life:Harris was born in Worthington, Ohio. She graduated from Worthington High School...
as Susan Heffley - Steve ZahnSteve Zahn-Early life:Zahn was born in Marshall, Minnesota, the son of Zelda, who worked for the YMCA, and Carleton E. Zahn, a retired Missouri Synod Lutheran pastor. Zahn spent part of his childhood in Mankato, Minnesota, attending Kennedy Elementary School...
as Frank Heffley - Devon BostickDevon BostickDevon Bostick is a Canadian actor, best known for playing the lead role in the Atom Egoyan-directed film Adoration and Rodrick Heffley in the Diary of a Wimpy Kid movies.- Life and career :Bostick was born in Toronto, Ontario...
as Rodrick Heffley - Connor and Owen Fielding as Manny Heffley
- Chloë Grace MoretzChloe MoretzChloë Grace Moretz is an American actress, known for her role as Hit-Girl in the 2010 superhero film Kick-Ass. She also appeared in The Amityville Horror, Days of Summer, Diary of a Wimpy Kid, Hugo, and portrayed Abby, the child vampire, in Let Me In.-Personal life:Moretz was born in Atlanta,...
as Angie Steadman - Karan BrarKaran BrarKaran Brar , is an American actor, best known for his role as Chirag Gupta in the Wimpy Kid feature film franchise, Diary of a Wimpy Kid and Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Rodrick Rules, as well as for his co-starring role as "Ravi Ross" on the Disney Channel comedy series, Jessie.-Early life:Karan Brar was...
as Chirag Gupta - Grayson RussellGrayson RussellGrayson Russell is an American film and television child actor best known for playing Texas Ranger Bobby, son of the title character in Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby and Fregley in the Diary of a Wimpy Kid movies....
as Fregley - Laine MacNeil as Patty Ferrell
- Alex FerrisAlex FerrisAlexander "Alex" Ferris is a Canadian child actor. He currently stars on jPod as Connor Lefkowitz, and appeared in The Time Traveler's Wife as Young Henry DeTamble.Ferris was born in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada...
as Collin Lee - Andrew McNeeAndrew McNeeAndrew McNee is a Canadian actor, possibly best known for starring as Coach Malone in the movie Diary of a Wimpy Kid and Hoss in Scary Movie 4.-Filmography:*Good Morning *The Delicate Art of Parking...
as Coach Malone - Rob LaBelleRob LaBelleRob LaBelle is an American film and television actor.-Early life and education:He was born in Minneapolis, Minnesota.-Career:LaBelle has made appearances, many as a character actor, in dozens of film and television roles, most in the science-fiction genre, and is probably best known for his role as...
as Mr. Winsky - Kaye Capron (Robert Capron's real-life mother) as Mrs. Jefferson
- Alf Humphreys as Mr. Jefferson
- Jennifer ClementJennifer ClementJennifer Clement studied English Literature and Anthropology at New York University and also studied French literature in Paris, France. She is currently the President of PEN Mexico....
as Mrs. Flint - Belita Moreno as Mrs. Norton
- Harrison Houde as Darren Walsh
Soundtrack
The soundtrack is supposedly to be released by La La Land Records with special thanks to the labels for the artists; Universal Motown RecordsUniversal Motown Records
Universal Motown Records was a record label that operated as a division of Universal Motown Republic Group. It was the contemporary incarnation of the legendary Motown Records label, and the "urban" half of UMRG, although there was some rock artists on the label as well.Changes were made at...
(Forever the Sickest Kids), Capitol Records
Capitol Records
Capitol Records is a major United States based record label, formerly located in Los Angeles, but operating in New York City as part of Capitol Music Group. Its former headquarters building, the Capitol Tower, is a major landmark near the corner of Hollywood and Vine...
(Beastie Boys), B-Unique Records
B-Unique Records
B-Unique Records is a London-based record label, founded in 2001 by Mark Lewis and Martin Toher.B-Unique has been a division of Atlantic Records UK since February 2008...
(Kaiser Chiefs), Columbia Records
Columbia Records
Columbia Records is an American record label, owned by Japan's Sony Music Entertainment, operating under the Columbia Music Group with Aware Records. It was founded in 1888, evolving from an earlier enterprise, the American Graphophone Company — successor to the Volta Graphophone Company...
(Bonnie Tyler, Teddybears), XL Recordings
XL Recordings
XL Recordings is a British independent record label owned by Richard Russell. It originated as a 1989 offshoot of Beggars Banquet Records.Though only releasing an average of six albums a year, XL Recordings has worked with The Prodigy, Radiohead, The White Stripes, Dizzee Rascal, M.I.A., Vampire...
(Electric Six), Rough Trade
Rough Trade
Rough Trade may refer to:*Rough Trade Records, a record label*Rough Trade , linked but independent London record stores*Rough Trade , a Canadian new wave rock band*Rough Trade , an episode of American Dad!...
(1990s), Beautiful Bomb Records (Smash Mouth), Chrysalis Records
Chrysalis Records
Chrysalis Records was a British record label that was created in 1969. The name was both a reference to the pupal stage of a butterfly and a combination of its founders names, Chris Wright and Terry Ellis...
(Bonnie Tyler), Stick Music (Bonnie Tyler) and Gordy Records (Rick James).
- "Ride" by The VinesThe Vineshttps://wikimediafoundation.org/wiki/Special:LandingCheck?landing_page=L11_1121_WMUK_Jimmy_DDOptimised&utm_medium=sitenotice&utm_campaign=C11_1121_WMUK_DDvOneOff&utm_source=B11_1121_WMUK_Jimmy&language=en&country=GB...
plays when Greg first steps foot in middle school. - "Never Miss a BeatNever Miss a Beat"Never Miss a Beat" is a song by the British indie rock band Kaiser Chiefs that was released as the lead single from the band's third album Off with Their Heads on 6 October 2008. The song was produced by Mark Ronson and features backing vocals from Lily Allen and members of the rock group New...
" by Kaiser ChiefsKaiser ChiefsKaiser Chiefs are an English indie rock band from Leeds who formed in 1996. They were named after the South African football club Kaizer Chiefs....
. This song is heard when the boys are playing a game of gladiator in gym class. - "The Four Seasons" by Vivaldi is played when Greg fantasises about himself being older and rich.
- "More Than I Can Do" (instrumental version) by Scott Kinney (brother of Jeff KinneyJeff Kinney (writer)Jeffrey "Jeff" Kinney is an American game designer, cartoonist, producer, and author of children's books including the Diary of a Wimpy Kid book series. He is also attributed to be the creator of the children-oriented website Poptropica...
) is played when Löded Diper arrives at Greg's home. - "Super FreakSuper Freak"Super Freak" is a 1981 hit single produced and performed by Rick James. The song, co-written by James and Alonzo Miller, was first released on James' album Street Songs and became one of James' signature songs. It features background vocals from Motown labelmates The Temptations, in which the bass...
" by Rick JamesRick JamesJames Ambrose Johnson, Jr. , better known by his stage name Rick James, was an American singer, songwriter, musician and record producer. James was a popular performer in the late 1970s and 1980s, scoring four number-one hits on the U.S. R&B charts performing in the genres of funk and R&B...
. It was heard when Fregley was wrestling Greg. - "When They Fight, They Fight" by The GenerationalsGenerationals (band)Generationals are an American indie rock duo formed in New Orleans, Louisiana. The duo, consisting of Ted Joyner and Grant Widmer, released their debut album, Con Law, in July 2009. An EP, Trust, followed in November 2010...
is played when Greg finds out he's in the school paper for being beaten by Patty in wrestling. - "Hot" by Smash MouthSmash MouthSmash Mouth is an American rock band from San Jose, California. The band was formed in 1994, and was originally composed of Steve Harwell, Greg Camp, Paul De Lisle and Kevin Coleman as lead vocals, guitar, bass and drums respectively...
is heard when Greg is walking down the hallway wearing a shirt and tie - "Danger! High VoltageDanger! High Voltage"Danger! High Voltage" is a song by Electric Six, released as a single on 6 January 2003 through XL Recordings. It was the band's debut single, and reached number 2 in the UK Singles Chart and was named Single of the Week by the NME. It was also released on the band's debut album Fire .Jack White...
" by Electric SixElectric SixElectric Six is a six-piece metro Detroit-based band that plays what has been described as a brand of rock music infused with elements of "garage, disco, punk, new wave, and metal." The band met recognition in 2003 with the singles "Danger! High Voltage" and "Gay Bar", and subsequently recorded...
is heard when Greg and Rowley attempt to escape the teenagers on HalloweenHalloweenHallowe'en , also known as Halloween or All Hallows' Eve, is a yearly holiday observed around the world on October 31, the night before All Saints' Day...
. - "CobrastyleCobrastyle"Cobrastyle" is a single performed by Teddybears featuring Mad Cobra from two of their albums, Fresh, and Soft Machine. Cobrastyle uses the piano riff from "Good Thing" by Fine Young Cannibals, and uses elements from Erick Sermon's "Bomdigi" and Sugar Hill Gang's "Rapper's Delight"...
" by TeddybearsTeddybearsTeddybears is a Swedish band formed in 1991, known for mixing pop, rock, hip-hop, electronica, reggae, punk and many other genres.-History:...
. Played when Greg dreams of auditioning for safety patrols. - "O.K. Mr Hillbilly" written by Ron Henley is played when Greg thinks the teenagers from Halloween are passing by, when it is just a man in a truck
- "You're Supposed to Be My FriendYou're Supposed to Be My Friend"You're Supposed to Be My Friend" is the second single released from the Cookies album by the Scottish indie rock band 1990s. This is featured in the 2010 film Diary of a Wimpy Kid, and at the start of an episode of Castle_....
" by 1990s1990s (band)-History:They were signed to Rough Trade Record Company when they were spotted at only their sixth gig, and have released two albums so far, Cookies and Kicks....
. This song is played when Rowley stops being Greg's buddy. - "Total Eclipse of the HeartTotal Eclipse of the Heart"Total Eclipse of the Heart" is a song written and produced by Jim Steinman and recorded by Welsh singer Bonnie Tyler for her fifth studio album, Faster Than the Speed of Night...
" by Bonnie TylerBonnie TylerBonnie Tyler is a Welsh singer, most notable for her hits in the 1970s and 1980s including "It's a Heartache", "Holding Out for a Hero" and "Total Eclipse of the Heart".-Early life:...
is the song that is sung to when the kids audition for The Wizard of Oz. - "We Three Trees" performed by Greg and the other two trees in the School Play.
- "Time To Die" written by Ali Dee TheodoreAli Dee TheodoreAli Dee Theodore is an American music producer, writer, performer, and business owner.-History:The son of choreographer Lee Theodore and nephew of Hollywood singer/dancer Cyd Charisse, Ali began studying music and dance at the age of nine...
and Joey Katsaros which was performed by Löded Diper when Greg's mother was about to tell Rodrick off. - "Le FreakLe Freak"Le Freak" is a successful 1978 disco song by the disco band Chic. It was the band's third single album and first Billboard Hot 100 and soul music number-one song. Along with the tracks, "I Want Your Love" and "Chic Cheer", "Le Freak" scored number one on the disco charts for seven weeks...
" by ChicChic (band)Chic was an African American disco and R&B band that was organized during 1976 by guitarist Nile Rodgers and bassist Bernard Edwards. It is known best for its commercially successful disco songs, including "Dance, Dance, Dance " , "Everybody Dance" , "Le Freak" , "I Want Your Love" , "Good Times"...
. This song can be heard playing in the background at the Mother/Son Sweetheart Dance when Greg and his mom enter. - "The Popular Thing" by Jukebox The GhostJukebox The Ghost-Everything Under the Sun:Jukebox the Ghost's second album was released on September 7, 2010. 'Empire' the first single, was released on June 1, 2010.-External links:* * * * *...
. This song is played when Greg attempts to make up with Rowley by inviting him to join him for an icecream after the dance. - "IntergalacticIntergalactic (song)"Intergalactic" is a Grammy-winning song by American hip-hop group the Beastie Boys, released as the first single from their fifth studio album Hello Nasty on May 12, 1998....
" by Beastie BoysBeastie BoysBeastie Boys are an American hip hop trio from New York City. The group consists of Mike D who plays the drums, MCA who plays the bass, and Ad-Rock who plays the guitar....
. This song is played at the Mother/Son Sweetheart Dance when Rowley and his mom dance. - "What Do You Want From Me (Diary of a Wimpy Kid Mix)" by Forever the Sickest KidsForever the Sickest KidsForever the Sickest Kids is an American pop punk band from Dallas, Texas, who have yet to be signed to a new label after the closure of Universal Motown Records. In issue 228 of Alternative Press, the group was named the number one underground band in the "22 Best Underground Bands". Their first...
. This is heard in the end credits. - "Tear It Up" by White Demons
- "Up Rock" (slow version) by Ali Dee TheodoreAli Dee TheodoreAli Dee Theodore is an American music producer, writer, performer, and business owner.-History:The son of choreographer Lee Theodore and nephew of Hollywood singer/dancer Cyd Charisse, Ali began studying music and dance at the age of nine...
and The Deekompressors - "Live to Rock" by Brian Tichy
Production
Filming of Diary of a Wimpy Kid wrapped up on October 16, 2009. A few months later, on March 19, 2010, the film was released. It combines live action with animation and is directed by Thor FreudenthalThor Freudenthal
Thor Freudenthal is a German director and screenwriter who generally works in film.Freudenthal was born and raised in West Berlin, West Germany. He attended the Berlin Academy of Arts, and later moved to Southern California as an exchange student at CalArts. He started out as an animation director...
, with Zachary Gordon
Zachary Gordon
Zachary Adam Gordon is an American film and television actor, best known for playing Greg Heffley in the Diary of a Wimpy Kid films which are based on Jeff Kinney's #1 New York Times best seller Diary of a Wimpy Kid....
starring as Greg.
The official trailer
Trailer (film)
A trailer or preview is an advertisement or a commercial for a feature film that will be exhibited in the future at a cinema. The term "trailer" comes from their having originally been shown at the end of a feature film screening. That practice did not last long, because patrons tended to leave the...
for Wimpy Kid was released viral
Viral video
A viral video is one that becomes popular through the process of Internet sharing, typically through video sharing websites, social media and email...
ly on January 21, 2010 and was shown in theaters with Tooth Fairy
Tooth Fairy (film)
For other uses, see Tooth Fairy .Tooth Fairy is a 2004 short film about a father who forgets to leave money for his daughter from the "tooth fairy"...
and Alice in Wonderland
Alice in Wonderland (2010 film)
Alice in Wonderland is a 2010 American computer-animated/live action fantasy adventure film directed by Tim Burton, written by Linda Woolverton, and released by Walt Disney Pictures...
. A poster for the film was released shortly after. Another trailer was shown with Percy Jackson & the Olympians: The Lightning Thief
Percy Jackson & the Olympians: The Lightning Thief
Percy Jackson & the Olympians: The Lightning Thief is a 2010 fantasy-adventure film directed by Chris Columbus. The film is loosely based on The Lightning Thief, the first novel in the Percy Jackson & The Olympians series by Rick Riordan...
.
The official Facebook account for Wimpy Kid had uploaded three clips from the film, as of March 1, 2010.
In the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
and Ireland
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
the film was released in cinemas on August 25, 2010.
Critical reception
Reviews of Diary of a Wimpy Kid have been mixed. It holds a "rotten" rating of 53% on the film review aggregator site Rotten TomatoesRotten Tomatoes
Rotten Tomatoes is a website devoted to reviews, information, and news of films—widely known as a film review aggregator. Its name derives from the cliché of audiences throwing tomatoes and other vegetables at a poor stage performance...
, based on 101 reviews. The consensus given is "Unlike its bestselling source material, Diary of a Wimpy Kid fails to place a likable protagonist at the center of its middle-school humor – and its underlying message is drowned out as a result." It also holds a "mixed or average" rating of 56 at Metacritic
Metacritic
Metacritic.com is a website that collates reviews of music albums, games, movies, TV shows and DVDs. For each product, a numerical score from each review is obtained and the total is averaged. An excerpt of each review is provided along with a hyperlink to the source. Three colour codes of Green,...
, based on 26 reviews. Roger Ebert
Roger Ebert
Roger Joseph Ebert is an American film critic and screenwriter. He is the first film critic to win a Pulitzer Prize for Criticism.Ebert is known for his film review column and for the television programs Sneak Previews, At the Movies with Gene Siskel and Roger Ebert, and Siskel and Ebert and The...
gave the film a three and a half out of four stars rating: "It's nimble, bright and funny. It doesn't dumb down. It doesn't patronize. It knows something about human nature." Glenn Whipp of the Associated Press
Associated Press
The Associated Press is an American news agency. The AP is a cooperative owned by its contributing newspapers, radio and television stations in the United States, which both contribute stories to the AP and use material written by its staff journalists...
was less positive, saying, "In transferring the clean, precise humor of Kinney's illustrations and prose to the big-screen, the material loses just a bit of its charm." At the Movies host David Stratton
David Stratton
David James Stratton is an English- Australian film critic and television personality.-Life and career:Born in Trowbridge, Wiltshire, England in 1939, Stratton was sent to Hampshire to see out the war years with his grandmother, an avid filmgoer, where he was taken to the local cinemas regularly...
gave the film one star while co-host Margaret Pomeranz
Margaret Pomeranz
Margaret Pomeranz AM is an Australian film critic and television personality.-Early life:Pomeranz was born in 1944 in Waverley, a suburb of Sydney, and was educated at the Presbyterian Ladies' College, Sydney in Croydon, the then newly opened Macquarie University, and the Playwright's Studio at...
gave it half a star. Stratton called the film "tiresome" and said there was "nothing remotely interesting in Thor Freudenthal's direction or the screenplay." Pomeranz disliked the character of Greg Heffley, saying "I really thought he was unpleasant. I did not want to spend time with him. I could not wait for the end of this film."
Box office
The film opened in second place at the weekend box office grossing $22.1 million, behind Alice in WonderlandAlice in Wonderland (2010 film)
Alice in Wonderland is a 2010 American computer-animated/live action fantasy adventure film directed by Tim Burton, written by Linda Woolverton, and released by Walt Disney Pictures...
.
Despite a lack of distinctive marketing, Diary of a Wimpy Kid drew a decent crowd, opening to $22.1 million on approximately 3,400 screens at 3,077 sites, notably beating out the heavily hyped The Bounty Hunter
The Bounty Hunter (2010 film)
The Bounty Hunter is a 2010 American action comedy film directed by Andy Tennant, starring Jennifer Aniston and Gerard Butler. The story centers on a bounty hunter hired to retrieve his ex-wife who has skipped bail...
. It was the biggest start ever for a non-animated, non-fantasy children's book adaptation. Diary of a Wimpy Kid grossed more in its first three days than similar films like How to Eat Fried Worms
How to Eat Fried Worms (film)
How to Eat Fried Worms is a 2006 American film based on the 1973 children's book of the same name by Thomas Rockwell. It was produced by New Line Cinema with Walden Media. Development began in 1998 and theatrical release for the U.S. and Canada was August 25, 2006. The DVD for the film was released...
and Hoot
Hoot (film)
Hoot is a 2006 American family comedy film based on Carl Hiaasen's novel of the same name. It was directed by Wil Shriner and produced by New Line Cinema and Walden Media. Hoot was released on May 5, 2006....
grossed in their entire runs. The film grossed $63,003,625 in North America and $11,695,602 in other territories for a worldwide total of $75,699,227.
Home video release
The film was released on DVD and Blu-ray on August 3, 2010. The Blu-ray Version features six pages from Rowley's diary, Diary of The Most Awesome Friendliest Kid.Book
A tie-in book, written by Kinney, called The Wimpy Kid Movie DiaryThe Wimpy Kid Movie Diary
The Wimpy Kid Movie Diary is a movie tie-in book by Jeff Kinney about the making of the 2010 movie Diary of a Wimpy Kid, which stars Zachary Gordon as Greg and Robert Capron as Rowley. Unlike the other books, it is non-fiction.-Background:...
was published on March 16, 2010, by Amulet Books (an imprint of Abrams Books
ABRAMS Books
Abrams, formerly Harry N. Abrams, Inc. , is an American publisher of high-quality art and illustrated books, and the enterprise is presently a subsidiary of the French publisher La Martinière Groupe...
). It includes film stills, storyboards, preliminary concept drawings, and also behind the scenes information to humorously chronicle the making of the film. It also includes some new illustrations.
Awards and nominations
- 2011 Kids Choice Awards
- Favorite movie (nominated) lost to The Karate Kid (2010 film)The Karate Kid (2010 film)The Karate Kid is a 2010 American martial arts film and remake of the 1984 film of the same name. Directed by Harald Zwart, produced by Will and Jada Pinkett Smith, the film stars Jaden Smith and Jackie Chan...
- Favorite movie (nominated) lost to The Karate Kid (2010 film)
- 32nd Young Artist Awards
- Best actor in a feature film (Zach Gordon) (nomination) lost to Jaden SmithJaden SmithJaden Christopher Syre Smith is an American child actor, rapper, songwriter, dancer, and the son of Will Smith and Jada Pinkett Smith. He is the elder brother of singer Willow Smith...
- Best supporting actor in a feature film (Robert CapronRobert CapronRobert Capron is American child actor who is best known for starring as Rowley Jefferson, Greg Heffley's best friend in the Diary of a Wimpy Kid movies. He started off with a role in Bride Wars and later had small parts in Hachiko: A Dog's Story and the Disney film The Sorcerer's Apprentice...
) (nomination) lost to Billy UngerBilly UngerWilliam Brent "Billy" Unger is an American teen actor credited as Billy Unger. Unger as a child actor appeared in high-attention films such as National Treasure: Book of Secrets , Cop Dog , Opposite Day , You Again and will appear as the title character Billy Stone in The Lost Medallion: The... - Best supporting actor in a feature film (Alex FerrisAlex FerrisAlexander "Alex" Ferris is a Canadian child actor. He currently stars on jPod as Connor Lefkowitz, and appeared in The Time Traveler's Wife as Young Henry DeTamble.Ferris was born in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada...
) (nomination) Lost to Billy UngerBilly UngerWilliam Brent "Billy" Unger is an American teen actor credited as Billy Unger. Unger as a child actor appeared in high-attention films such as National Treasure: Book of Secrets , Cop Dog , Opposite Day , You Again and will appear as the title character Billy Stone in The Lost Medallion: The...
. - Best asemmblence in a feature film (Zach Gordon, Robert CapronRobert CapronRobert Capron is American child actor who is best known for starring as Rowley Jefferson, Greg Heffley's best friend in the Diary of a Wimpy Kid movies. He started off with a role in Bride Wars and later had small parts in Hachiko: A Dog's Story and the Disney film The Sorcerer's Apprentice...
, Devon BostickDevon BostickDevon Bostick is a Canadian actor, best known for playing the lead role in the Atom Egoyan-directed film Adoration and Rodrick Heffley in the Diary of a Wimpy Kid movies.- Life and career :Bostick was born in Toronto, Ontario...
, Chloë MoretzChloe MoretzChloë Grace Moretz is an American actress, known for her role as Hit-Girl in the 2010 superhero film Kick-Ass. She also appeared in The Amityville Horror, Days of Summer, Diary of a Wimpy Kid, Hugo, and portrayed Abby, the child vampire, in Let Me In.-Personal life:Moretz was born in Atlanta,...
, Laine MacNeil, Grayson RussellGrayson RussellGrayson Russell is an American film and television child actor best known for playing Texas Ranger Bobby, son of the title character in Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby and Fregley in the Diary of a Wimpy Kid movies....
, Karan BrarKaran BrarKaran Brar , is an American actor, best known for his role as Chirag Gupta in the Wimpy Kid feature film franchise, Diary of a Wimpy Kid and Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Rodrick Rules, as well as for his co-starring role as "Ravi Ross" on the Disney Channel comedy series, Jessie.-Early life:Karan Brar was...
, and Alex FerrisAlex FerrisAlexander "Alex" Ferris is a Canadian child actor. He currently stars on jPod as Connor Lefkowitz, and appeared in The Time Traveler's Wife as Young Henry DeTamble.Ferris was born in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada...
) (Won) - Best supporting actress (Laine MacNeil) (nomination) lost to Diandra Newlin and Stefanie Scott
- Best actor in a feature film (Zach Gordon) (nomination) lost to Jaden Smith