They Weren't That Bad..."Middle School: The Worst Years Of My Life"

Middle School: The Worst Years of My Life (2016)  

Rated PG

Starring Griffin Gluck, Alexa Nisenson, Thomas Barbusca, Lauren Graham, Andrew Daly, Adam Pally, Rob Riggle, Isabela Moner

Directed by Steve Carr

The Story:

Rafe (Gluck) is trying to get through his middle school years, but just can't seem to catch a break. Now on his latest, and last chance at school, his creativity is immediately stifled by a seriously by-the-rules principal (Daly). Meanwhile at home, Rafe's mom (Graham) is getting serious with an obnoxious boyfriend (Riggle) who is driving Rafe and his sister (Nisenson) crazy. At the prompting of his best friend Leo (Barbusca) they devise a plan to undermine all of the principal's rules, and hopefully get through the rest of the year in one piece.

This was a pretty fun film.

Based on a series of books, it is close in style and tone to Diary of a Wimpy Kid, only I found this one to be more enjoyable. It does borrow a bit of plot from Max Keeble's Big Move, but that's okay, because that too was a pretty funny movie.

The kids do a pretty fine job of carrying a lot of the film as they build prank upon prank at the school.

This eventually wins many of Rafe's classmates to begin to like and respect him, which is a feeling that Rafe hadn't had in some time, with so many moves under his belt.

As for the villains of the film, they struck comedy gold with boy Daly and Riggle. The two are insufferable and egotistical, and garner much of the laughs in the movie as they both get put in their place by film's end.

There's also some surprisingly heartfelt moments in the film that creep up on you when you're least expecting it.

Very well done, and a very enjoyable film.

Probably not good enough for best of the year honors, but one I wouldn't mind watching with the kids again.

Final Grade: B