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4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Don't try this at home, 7 April 2007
It's hard to call a film cute when the story revolves around a kid eating worms in a variety of ways, but certainly there's a lot to this film once you look beyond the whole yuck factor. It actually succeeds in turning worm-eating into a metaphor that resonates with meaning for adults as well as children, for we all have to eat a worm or two every so often (again, metaphorically) as part of life. It's all about how we project ourselves, and how honest we are to ourselves and those around us - especially those we really want to impress. What I'm trying to say is How to Eat Fried Worms is actually a wholesome film with a number of important life lessons to impart to viewers.
It's never easy being the new kid in school, largely because of that one bully who makes it his mission to harass and establish his dominance over everyone - especially newbies. For Billy (Luke Benward), it starts with a major glaring session upon arrival and quickly builds up to a thermos filled not with a delicious Kool-Aid type drink but a whole gob of nasty, disgusting worms, all of it courtesy of Joe (Adam Hicks), who sits atop the classmate food chain. Billy makes the spontaneous decision to play it cool, claiming that he eats worms all the time, then closes with a perfect toss of one worm into Joe's face. Yes, it looks like a small triumph for the little guy over the big bad bully, but the resulting taunts of "Worm boy" soon compel Billy to make the fatal mistake of "the bet." Before he knows what he's doing, he's bet Joe that he can eat ten worms on Saturday, with the loser having to come to school with a bucket load of worms in his pants.
As Billy's new friend Erika (Hallie Kate Eisenberg) often says, boys are just weird. Joe's gang goes all out to come up with some of the most disgusting fried worm delicacies they can imagine (don't ask me why they think it's harder to eat a fried worm than a squishy live one). The levers of power shift as Billy manages to stay in the game, everyone seems to learn something about himself along the way, and the outcome of the bet doesn't seem all that important when all is said and done. Don't judge anyone too quickly stands among this film's various lessons to all of us, but it will obviously play best to boys and girls who can personally relate to the vagaries of playground dominance that give rise to such silly yet all-important contests as Billy's worm-eating challenge.
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2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Can You Get Nostalgic Over Worms?, 30 Aug 2007
I can associate with "How to Eat Fried Worms" on several points. In my less sensible years as a little kid I, it is unfortunate to admit, tried the invertebrates of the title. Suffice to say, it isn't one of my fondest memories of childhood. So whether "How to Eat Fried Worms" gets me feeling nostalgic on that level is questionable. Other than that, this loveable family comedy is also a strong-minded and realistic drama. Most people have been bullied or pressured into doing things by bullies as a kid, and "How to Eat Fried Worms" perfectly captures the horror of peer pressure experienced by an impressionable child. Granted, the movie slightly sugarcoats the experience so as to satisfy its target demographic and successfully pull off its first foremost goal as a genuinely fun family comedy. Kids will love "How to Eat Fried Worms" and adults will like it too.
Based on an award-winning Thomas Rockwell children's novel, "How to Eat Fried Worms" tells the story of fifth-grade boy Billy (Luke Benward). Tormented by bully Joe (Adam Hicks) and his cronies not long following his arrival at his new school, Billy isn't exactly having a great time in his new surroundings. His parents aren't much help either, even though both his mom (Kimberly Williams-Paisley) and dad (Thomas Cavanagh) stop by regularly to hand down supposedly helpful advice, and spoilt little brother Woody (Ty Panitz) isn't exactly a delight either. Messy to the max, Woody makes the weak-stomached Billy feel sick frequently. Such squeamishness is soon truly put to the test by Billy's new tormentors when they challenge him to eat ten worms on a Saturday. Driven by a desire to gain acceptance from his peers, Billy gives things a go, but is well aware that his chances of success are pretty dim.
Writer-director Bob Dolman does a fine job in both his tasks, having events play out on-screen and on-page in a purely fantastical and hugely entertaining way. The script is sensitive and smart, without making the mistake of having its numerous child actors spout off unnatural and over-the-top dialogue. The kid-language is fittingly simplistic and honest, and Dolman gets the best out of said child performers. This Dolman does successfully without sacrificing the sensibilities, story nuance and true-to-life developments that have now become a requirement for the all-superior and highly motivating works of production studio Walden Media, who are proving to be the most promising suppliers of family entertainment out there.
In a put-upon leading role, Luke Benward is fantastic in the part of Billy. Benward is both funny and emotionally raw throughout, a feat achieved by only a few child actors working in Hollywood. Benward makes for a great lead star and outshines all of the adult cast. As head-bully Joe, Adam Hicks is nasty enough to Billy to be established a sufficient antagonist but is presented in a humanistic, natural manner that prevents him from being unlikeable. Hicks himself does a very good job in the role. Elsewhere, Hallie Kate Eisenberg is a genuine delight as tall classmate Erika, the only one of Billy's peers to initially give him a chance. In the most substantial lead role, Thomas Cavanagh is funny and endearing as Billy's dad, making up for his utterly bland lead performance in 2007's "Sublime".
One of the year's best family releases, "How to Eat Fried Worms" is a wonderful, joyous throwback to a viewer's childhood that rings true and entertains the audience at the same time. Kids are dead-certain to lap it up, the gross-out humour (thankfully, not fart jokes this time around) will satisfy them and the story is straightforward enough for young minds to follow and enjoy. Adults, on the other hand, will no doubt be able to stomach the movie, which puts to shame the dreadful likes of "Firehouse Dog" and "Bratz" before the opening credits are even finished.
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1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
A Rather Disgusting Film, But Entertaining None The Less., 4 Jun 2009
Based on the 1973 book of the same title "How To Eat Fried Worms" was released in 2006 and directed by Bob Dolman. The films cast comprises mainly of children, but a few that you may recognize are Luke Benward, Hallie Kate Eisenberg (who played Little Miss in Bicentennial Man) and Ryan Malgarini (Freaky Friday).
The film follows an eleven year old boy called Billy, who at his first day at a new school accidentally challenges the town bully. To avoid looking like a whip and to help earn some respect and friends from his classmates, he finds himself making a bet that he can eat ten worms before seven o'clock on Saturday without throwing up. The fact that he was bluffing and has a rather weak stomach makes the task all the more difficult, as his fellow classmates and the bullies henchmen (or henchboys?) start to cook up a variety of dishes all of which increase in ever more unappealing ways.
For a children's film it is actually pretty entertaining and at times genius when they try to find new disgusting methods of 'cooking' worms. This film has a definite appeal for children who are at the age that they like to be "grossed out" by things. There are also plenty of comic moments that helps to keep the film more like a comedy and less like a Fear Factor like horror.
At it's heart "How To Eat Fried Worms" is a tale about bullying, friendship, courage and being able to overcome problems. The film offers some important lessons such as fitting in at a new school and overcoming fear. These back-tones while evident are not overly present in the film and don't detract from the viewing pleasure in anyway.
There isn't much structure to the film, just multiple scenes of worm eating throughout, in that respect it appeals even more to the younger audience as it's easy to follow, understand, and above all else is rather disgusting. At times even I looked away from the screen (such as the microwave scene.)
Don't let the child cast put you off, as while some of them are inexperienced, in general they all work well together and deliver as good a performance as necessary for a film with a target audience of children. What was especially good and totally realistic was their reactions in the film towards eating the worms.
I read the book upon which the film is based back in Primary school, and as far as I can remember it has been reasonably faithfully adapted for the screen. It would also be an ideal opportunity to encourage your child to read something in the form of the book as an follow-up to the film.
Finally I should point out for all you 'Save The Worms' people out there, that no real worms were harmed or ingested during the film. Just remember to tell your kids, not to try what they see on the television.
Also included on the DVD are a variety of special features, those that a well worth a watch are the deleted scenes, Gag Reel, and Worm Montage. You also have music videos, a trailer, commentary, and a Worm Cuisine to choose from.
This normally wouldn't be my first choice of film but all things considered it is one that I rather enjoyed watching. Overall the film has been done really well and kids will definitely enjoy it.
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