How to Eat Fried Worms (New Line Platinum Series)
The popular 1973 kid's book How to Eat Fried Worms gets a respectful, straightforward translation with this 2006 movie. When bullies put worms in his thermos, Billy fights back--and only gets in deeper trouble when he makes a stomach-churning bet that he can eat ten worms. Using a variety of cooking schemes, the pack of bullies make a slimy meal even more repulsive, but Billy--to his own surprise--takes on everything they throw at him. As the disgustingness escalates, he discovers that not everyone is what they seem. Though many story elements are changed from the book, How to Eat Fried Worms treats the situation and characters with intelligence and integrity. There are a few cartoonish moments (including some inventive animated sequences), but overall the movie is down-to-earth and sincere, delivering some simple and unforced messages about courage and friendship along with the gross-out humor. The kids--including Luke Benward (Because of Winn-Dixie) as Billy and Hallie Kate Eisenberg (probably best known from a series of popular Pepsi ads) as a too-tall girl who shares Billy's outsider status--aren't overly slick, and the scenes between Billy and his father (Tom Cavanaugh, from the TV show Ed) feel honest and unpatronizing. A modest but heartfelt movie. --Bret Fetzer
