Common Sense Note
Parents need to know that this movie is gross, which is probably why it will appeal to fourth-graders everywhere. There's also some crude potty humor and mild profanity, as well as name-calling and bullying. But the message is straightforward and simple: It's okay to stand up for yourself, and sometimes, you have to eat worms (or in grown-up terms, do something you don't want to do) in order to gain the courage needed to get by in this crazy world.
Families can talk about the best way to fit into a new situation. What's the best way to make friends? How can you help new kids feel welcome? Was Billy right to mouth off at the school bully on his first day at school? Should he have taken the challenge to eat the worms? How could he have handled it differently? What could his parents have done to help him out? What was the real reason for Joe's bullying?
Common Sense Review
Reviewed By: Jane Boursaw
Feeling hungry? How about a worm shake? Maybe a tasty worm sandwich? Yeah, disgusting! Despite the gross premise, this movie can teach kids a lot about how to deal with bullies and stand up for yourself.
Based on the popular 1973 book by Thomas Rockwell (son of artist Norman Rockwell), this movie revolves around 11-year-old Billy Forrester (Luke Benward), who ticks off the school bully, Joe Guire (Adam Hicks) on his first day at a new school. When Billy opens his lunch thermos to reveal a mess o' worms, Joe mocks him, asking him if he eats worms a lot. "Why, yeah, I eat 'em all the time," says Billy. "Ya wanna try one?" And with that, he tosses one of the slimy creatures to the bully, only to have it land smack on his face.
This sets off a challenge that has Billy agreeing to eat ten worms over the course of a day, all without throwing up. Whoever loses the bet has to put worms down their pants and walk through school in front of everyone.
You can imagine that some of the recipes -- provided by Joe's "gang" -- get pretty creative. The worms are fried, whirled into a blender, cooked up with veggies, and nuked in the microwave (not good). They have such entertaining names as Barfmallow and Radioactive Slime Delight.
Meanwhile, Billy's dad (Thomas Cavanagh) is having a tough time adjusting to his new job, and Billy's mom (Kimberly Williams-Paisley) is busy looking after his younger brother (Ty Panitz). Hallie Kate Eisenberg plays an adorably gawky girl who understands Billy's plight because she towers above her classmates.
As with other books-to-movies produced by Walden Media –- Hoot, Holes, and The Chronicles of Narnia, to name a few –- this movie is well made, even if it strays a bit from the book's details (one day for the worm challenge, as opposed to two weeks). The sweetness of the story and the friendships Billy develops are at the heart of this movie. And the kids seem like "real" kids! Not the Hollywood version we usually get in movies.
Interestingly, the inspiration for the book came from a disappointing meeting Thomas Rockwell had with an editor. Frustrated that the book he'd just written didn't go over very well, Rockwell felt like he should just go home and eat fried worms. Thus, the book –- and this movie –- were born.
One little suggestion: You might want to skip that spaghetti dinner before seeing this movie. Trust us on this.
Families who enjoy this movie will also like Hoot, Holes, and Because of Winn-Dixie.
Rate It!
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Sexual ContentWoody refers to his private parts as "dillydink". Other references to body parts ("sphincter") and potty humor. Mild romantic scenes between characters. |
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ViolenceThis movie is refreshingly free of slapstick violence; most is of the verbal variety. Students fear Joe's "death ring," which supposedly kills its victims when they reach 8th grade. |
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LanguageLots of snot and worm jokes. The boys snicker over crude potty jokes, pet names for male anatomy, other mild profanities. |
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Social BehaviorBilly thinks about running away, then decides to face the worm challenge. Kids try to intimidate others, and everyone's afraid of Joe, the school bully. His group of insecure thugs do whatever he says. Name-calling, sibling rivalry, and mocking authority figures are integral to the plot. |
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CommercialismThis movie has an old-fashioned family feel to it, so there are few references to products. |
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Drug/Alcohol/TobaccoDad drinks wine after a hard day at work. |
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