Parents' Guide to

How to Eat Fried Worms

By Jane Boursaw, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 9+

A gross-out movie with a sweet story.

Movie PG 2006 98 minutes
How to Eat Fried Worms Poster Image

A Lot or a Little?

What you will—and won't—find in this movie.

Community Reviews

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age 9+

Based on 7 parent reviews

Lilianna R.
Lilianna R. Adult
March 17, 2023
age 9+

Positive messages

I'm so frustrated that the c.s.m. rating says there's no positive messages. There's a foe to friend situation, it promotes being honest with your parents, and being fair and honest in life. The two downsides I'd say are the continuous continuity errors and it doesn't pass the Bechtel test. There's 3 females. A mom, a teacher, and a side kick/baby sitter character.

This title has:

Great messages
James L.
James L. Parent of 6, 9 and 9-year-old
March 23, 2018
age 11+

Serious Concerns, Somewhat Redeems Itself

There is so much wrong about this movie and how it portrays kids and school. In the first 20 minutes it is a negative and there is almost no admirable behavior. There is great concern your kids, or others, will act out like they may see in the film. However, the film does largely redeem itself and the age and maturity of your children will matter when you watch it. The movie does become fun. There are laughs. It becomes an adventure. At the end, all our kids gave it a thumbs up, but parents must give special attention to the bad behavior "is just a movie" and use it as a teaching lesson to demonize the unacceptable behavior and applaud the good stuff.
See all 7 parent reviews

What's the Story?

Based on Thomas Rockwell's popular 1973 book, this movie revolves around 11-year-old Billy (Luke Benward), who ticks off the school bully, Joe (Adam Hicks) on his first day at a new school. When Billy opens his thermos to reveal a mess o' worms, Joe asks him if he eats worms a lot. "Yeah, I eat 'em all the time," says Billy. "Ya wanna try one?" Billy tosses one of the slimy creatures to the bully, but it lands smack on his face. Thus begins a challenge in which Billy must eat ten worms in a day, without throwing up. Whoever loses has to put worms down their pants and walk through school in front of everyone. The recipes get creative, with various preparation methods and names like Barfmallow and Radioactive Slime Delight. Meanwhile, Billy's dad (Thomas Cavanagh) struggles with his new job; his mom (Kimberly Williams-Paisley) is busy looking after his younger brother (Ty Panitz); and adorably gawky Erika (Hallie Kate Eisenberg) understands Billy because she towers above her classmates.

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say (7):
Kids say (24):

Despite the gross premise, this movie can teach kids a lot about how to deal with bullies and stand up for yourself. Also, 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.

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.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • 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?

Movie Details

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Research shows a connection between kids' healthy self-esteem and positive portrayals in media. That's why we've added a new "Diverse Representations" section to our reviews that will be rolling out on an ongoing basis. You can help us help kids by suggesting a diversity update.

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