Kidzworld reviews Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Dog Days, the 3rd Wimpy movie which combines two books
By: Lynn Barker
You are all set for a rockin’ summer either with your buds or playing video games at home but dad has other ideas and wants you outdoors at Scout Camp and going fishing with him. Do you tell a big lie to get out of it and have an awesome summer? Greg Heffley does.
Big Summer Plans
It’s the summer before 8th grade and “wimpy” Greg Heffley is determined to get Holly Hills’ phone number and spend the summer both getting closer to her and playing massive amounts of video games. She’s interrupted before he gets her whole phone number and, at home, dad has other ideas.
Fregley sure does tell some strange stories around the campfire!Courtesy of 20th Century Fox
Bummer Summer Begins
Greg’s dad wants him to go outside and play sports, go to Scout camp and go fishing. He turns off the TV and forbids video games. He also takes the family to the neighborhood pool where Greg gets stuck babysitting his little bro and there are so many kids in the pool he can only swim to the bottom to get any peace. Even worse is mom’s idea of a book club for Greg and pals; reading “Little Women”! Eeeeek.
Things are Looking Up
Greg messes up fishing and really ruins dad’s Civil War reenactment weekend but when pal Rowley invites him to the local country club where the pool is clean and not crowded and where Holly Hills is a member, he is in vacation heaven. To get out of more doomed “dad plans”, Greg lies and says he’s gotten a job at the club for the summer. He has a great time but has to sneak big bro Rodrick in so he can flirt with Holly’s older sister.
Sun is shining. Hanging in the pool with your best friends. Life doen't get any better.Courtesy of 20th Century Fox
Things Bottom Out
After he lies about being able to play tennis, Holly isn’t sure about Greg and when Greg hurts family feelings on a lame Rowley clan weekend to the seaside, Rowley won’t take him to the club anymore. When dad finds out about Greg’s “job” lie, he thinks of sending him to a very strict boarding school!
Looks like Greg is trying to score love in this tennis match!Courtesy of 20th Century Fox
Saving Summer
At Scout camp Greg manages to redeem himself in dad’s eyes and they bond over pizza and the knowledge that they both really hate camp! Greg tries to impress Holly by getting Rodrick’s band Loded Diper to play at her big sister’s Sweet 16 party. Doesn’t go too well but Holly thinks the outcome is pretty hilarious. Will she like Greg after all? Will summer be saved?
Wrapping Up
Again, this movie has something the whole family can identify with. Fun actor Steve Zahn who plays dad, gets to really cut loose in the film and he’s very funny. Greg learns some responsibility besides how to have a summer blast, repair a friendship (with Rowley) and just maybe, get the girl. The movie accomplishes all it sets out to.
Is this a Diary or a Journal?Courtesy of 20th Century Fox
Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Dog Days combines elements from two of the Kinney novels “The Last Straw” and “Dog Days” quite well and, although it seems that a ton of different, unrelated things happen in the film, they are strung together nicely and the variety will hold your interest.
It’s fun watching Greg growing up, making mistakes but moving, bit by bit, out of the wimp zone. For a character everyone can identify with and family-wide fun at the movies, let’s go 5 stars!
Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Dog Days: 
Wimpy Kid: Dog Days - GIRLS
