Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Roderick Rules: An Insightful Sequel

Continuing off last year’s adaptation of Diary of a Wimpy Kid for Disney+, this weekend marked the arrival of the adaptation of the sequel Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Roderick Rules. The sequel builds on the predecessor, putting the focus on Greg’s home life that really provides a lot of explanation as to how he became the self-centered narcissist he is in the first movie, while also giving him some room to grow as a character over the course of the movie.

Picking up where the predecessor left off, this entry follows Greg Heffley and his brother Roderick on the hijinks that ensue as a result of a party that Roderick throws while their parents are out of town. Greg learns more about his brother and his family over the course of the movie, which also introduces their grandfather, voiced by Ed Asner.

One of the strengths of this movie (and the book by extension because it is a very faithful adaptation) is that Rowley is kind of given a backseat role and is not a major player in the story. In the first movie, he was portrayed as the friend who had helicopter parents who, as a result, was not as socially inclined as his friends, however that schtick needs to be given a break every once in a while so it has more impact when it returns. Besides that, this story is entirely about the creation, destruction, and rebuild of a relationship between Greg and Roderick and Rowley fits into that in only the most superficial of ways.

The backstory of Roderick and Greg is pretty well executed, and it gives enough for the audience to understand the strained relationship going in. The viewer understands why Greg is so eager to go along with Roderick’s plans and why Greg initially does not believe that Roderick double-crossed him. Greg just wants the approval of the brother that he views as cool since his own self-worth is tied up in how other people perceive him. As the movie goes on, and as the relationship implodes, Greg continues to show his sociopathic tendencies by blackmailing his brother with polaroid pictures he took of the party without a shred of guilt.

If there is room for improvement, it would be that the movie could have probably expanded the backstory between the dad and his brother and the fractured relationship there. The grandfather explains it in passing and the father has a line or two about how they don’t talk anymore, however if they are trying to establish that Greg and Roderick are going to break the cycle, a little more explanation there would have gone a long way.

Clocking in at just over an hour, the continued adaptations of Diary of a Wimpy Kid on Disney+ make for an enjoyable family viewing experience with vibrant animation and a unique art style that does not require a massive time commitment to enjoy. If one or their family enjoyed last year’s entry, they will almost certainly find enjoyment in Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Roderick Rules.

Final Rating: 9/10