David Farnor | On 28, Dec 2023

Director: Luke Cormican
Cast: Erica Cerra, Wesley Kimmel, Hunter Dillon, Spencer Howell
Certificate: PG

Diary of a Wimpy Kid is a quietly snowballing franchise that, seven films in, shows no sign of stopping. The latest, an animated festive special, catches up with Greg Heffley (Wesley Kimmel) in the days before Christmas, as he hopes that he’ll be given the MegaStation 9000 games console. But, of course, he’s been taught that you have to be a good boy to get the presents you wish for – so when and Rowley Jefferson (Spencer Howell) accidentally make a gigantic snowball that tears down the street and damages the town’s snowplough, they avoid owning up to their mistake and instead hide the evidence of their involvement in a nearby bin. When that turns out to be a toy donation point that will be emptied by the police on Christmas Eve, Greg immediately goes into seasonal meltdown. The fact that his grandma’s creepy hand-stitched elf toy is sitting on the shelf and watching his every move only adds to his gnawing guilt.

One of the lovely things about the animated adaptations of the books by Jeff Kinney is that they don’t shy away from the “wimpy” part of the title – Greg is not the nicest boy in the neighbourhood and is primarily motivated by what benefits him. Wesley Kimmel and Spencer Howell are a brilliant double-act as the naughty, selfish kid and his do-gooder, kind-hearted sidekick, and a lot of the fun here is just watching the pair play off each other – a phone call involving some singing is a delight.

With Kinney’s involvement in the animated adaptations, there’s not only a sense of faithfulness in the writing but also in the visuals, with the cartoon drawings capturing the tone and feel of the books while embellishing them and upping the scale. There are playful imaginative flashes, subjective flourishes and some nicely timed slapstick to match the cast’s enthusiastic vocal performances.

There’s also a sweet line in morals, as Greg – who is destined for an encounter “Snowplow Lady” Gabby (Lisa Ann Walter) – learns that mistakes aren’t necessarily world-ending, that being nice to others is a year-round thing, and that not everyone is as fortunate as he is. Throw in some unsettling horror notes involving that unnerving elf toy and you have a fun and heartfelt animation that sits comfortably alongside A Christmas Story for festive family viewing. All that in an hour? Long may this franchise’s momentum continue.

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