DIARY OF A WIMPY KID: THE LONG HAUL
US, 2017, 91 minutes, Colour.
Jason Drucker, Alicia Silverstone, Tom Everett Scott, Charlie Wright, Owen Asztalos, Dylan Walters, Wyatt Walters.
Directed by David Bowers.
The books are the work of author, Jeff Kinney. He has served as a writer and producer for the earlier three film versions of Wimpy Kid stories.
While the previous three films had established the characters in the mind and imagination of the audience, the children were growing older and so we have a new set of performers. Jason Drucker as Greg Hefley, Charlie Wright credible as Roderick, though a caricature, Owen Asztalos, a new actor as Rowley, Dylan Walters as the little baby and new actors as parents, Tom Everett Scott as the father and, very strongly, Alicia Silverstone as the mother.
Younger audiences are the target, and sharing with their parents and families.
The film offers a portrait of the Hefley family and audiences identifying with them or not – Greg, his age, Wimpy, causing trouble, sharing with Rowley, his good friend. On the other hand, Roderick is 16, preoccupied with heavy metal and his band, obtuse in the extreme. The baby is growing up, needs a mouth guard and one is found giving him Dracula teeth. But, during the road trip, he is able to learn Spanish and speak it well.
The mother decides that there should be a road trip – one which makes the National Lampoon trips seem rather tame! The mother is dominant, making all the decisions. The father is pleasant – and a touch wimpy in himself. On the trip they are going to see grandma for her birthday and it is decided that they need quality time together, and especially no phones, which are collected. And the music is at the decision of the driver – some of the Spice Girls’ music which the boys do not like. To while away the time there are word competitions.
The car is ready, overloaded with luggage and so everything is put on a boat which they trail. The culmination along the way is rough but they do encounter a big family, literally big, in a spa in a motel. Greg gets into trouble, is chased by the big man and finishes up, accidentally, in his bed and is pursued even more. They meet the family again at a theme Park and there is further pursuit.
Greg has an interest in a video show that his mother does not like and decides to send in a request to meet the host at a fair. He had been filmed previously, by YouTube?, with his hand stuck to a diver and that becomes his reputation. The host of the show is delighted to meet the kid and Greg and his behaviour lead to some further disaster.
There are many difficulties along the road, side roads after a traffic jam, going through mud, the boat bouncing and the luggage all lost.
However, they arrive, grandma is welcoming, they enjoy the party – and the mother decides that they must have another road trip.
The characters are particularly American – rather loud and in your face, the behaviour of the children sometimes exasperating. This may make the Wimpy Kid films not the favourites for every audience.
