DIARY OF A WIMPY KID: DOG DAYS
US, 2012, 94 minutes, Colour.
Zachary Gordon, Devon Bostick, Rachael Harris, Robert Capron, Steve Zahn.
Directed by David Bowers.
Writer and artist Jeff Kinney had great success with his books, Diary of a Wimpy Kid. This is the third film version.
By this stage, fans of the books will have accepted the characters, the comic situations, the problems, the solutions, family reconciliations.
On the other hand, while young audiences may be able to identify with Greg Heffley and the other characters (although Rodrick is still obnoxious and Rowley is very sympathetic), he is still both wimpish and nasty, which means ambiguous reactions to him until the end and the reconciliation with his father – who is played with quite some zest by Steve Zahn.
The books continue in their further plans for other films.
1. The popularity of the books, the sketches and illustrations? The target audience, children, parents?
2. The comedy, spoof – serious underlying values, questions?
3. The American town, the houses, school, parties, the country club and the visits, the swimming pools, tennis? The Sweet Sixteen and the band playing?
4. The music, the rock ‘n roll, the musical score?
5. Greg as the wimpy boy, or not? His capacity for mischief? How different was he from Rodrick? His own vanity, pushing Rowley, focus on Holly and the girls, his reaction to the teachers, lying to his parents, clashes with Rodrick? Ordinary teenager and/or the touch of the nasty?
6. Greg, at home, the summer, wanting to play computer games? At the pool, failure, with his brothers? Friendship with Rowley, going to the country club, Rodrick using him to get in or else reporting him to their parents? The pool, his diving and the little girl criticising? His losing his swimming trunks? Flirtation with the girls? The presumption about tennis, the failure of the game? Rowley and his parents, Rowley lying and ashamed of it? Greg being exposed, at the club, the large bill, his father’s reaction? The wilderness experiences, with his father, the trap for the leader, his confession? Reconciliation with his father?
7. Rodrick, his age, selfish, vain, with his band, tricking Greg, his slovenly manner, eating? Lazy? Using Greg to get into the country club, in the garbage skip? The band, the performance, the mayhem? Any redeeming features?
8. The picture of the parents, the mother, her principles, kind to her children, with each of her children? Her setting up the reading club and Greg’s friends coming? Dad, easygoing, soft, his work, attitude to each of his children? The summer, going to the pool, urging Greg to be active, not to play computer games, Greg deceiving him, saying that he had the job at the country club, dad offering him to work at the office? Getting Greg to be involved in the wilderness exercises? The discovery of the truth about the country club, the huge bill? Not yelling at Greg but saying he was disappointed? The Wilderness exercise, the failures, the boys overhearing the criticism, setting up the trap, Greg confessing, the exposure of the leader of the group and his mod cons? Dad and his supporting of Greg?
9. The baby? At the pool, Greg looking after him? At home?
10. Rowley, Greg and his friendship, sharing with Greg, the magic, his visits, watching the horror film and the fright, his father bringing him home, coming to the party, rescuing Greg, in the basement? Inviting Greg to help him, Greg’s refusal to help with the magic, the concert, Greg relenting, the success?
11. The intended audience, young people and their reaction, identifying or not? Parents watching the film?
