Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Rodrick Rules (2022) Parent Guide

Greg Heffley (Brady Noon) and his brother, Rodrick (Hunter Dillon) don’t usually get along. But deep down, Greg really wishes that Rodrick would be a more involved brother and share all his teenage wisdom. So, when their parents go away for their anniversary, Greg sees the perfect opportunity for some brotherly bonding. Unfortunately, Rodrick has other plans for his parent-free weekend.

Diary of a Wimpy Kid is a franchise that has stood the test of time. Those books were big when I was a kid, and they’re still one of the highest circulating items at any public library (I know from experience!). I was a little too old for it by the time any of the on-screen adaptations came along, so this was my first foray into the animated outputs of this intellectual property. And my super professional, articulate opinion is… it’s fine.

At its core, the message of the story is sweet and relatable to anyone with a sibling. Greg and Rodrick learn that even though they fight, they still love each other, and they’ll always have each other’s backs. They also learn the importance of standing up for your sibling and owning up to your mistakes. Those messages are well done and clear, which makes them easily understandable for kids. The boys get up to a lot of shenanigans, but they always face consequences for their actions and it is very clear that their behavior is unacceptable.

Look, the audience for this is young kids. It’s not for adults, or even teens. And when judged by that metric, Rodrick Rules does a good job. It’s short, to the point, and has a few bathroom jokes in it for the giggles. For everyone else though, it’s boring. I had a hard time focusing, even with the short runtime, and had to force myself not to play games on my phone to pass the time. However, my six-year-old loved it. He said it was exciting and he liked every part of it. With that vote of confidence and the complete lack of notable negative content, I do recommend this film for its target audience, just maybe not for anyone else.