When you think of movies for kids, they tend to go one of two ways: films for the elementary school age and younger crowd, and films for the teens. There isn’t a lot out there for our middle school kids. Sure, they may find complete happiness and enjoyment in a standard PG animation, but on some level they know the movie isn’t truly for them. They are simply biding their time until they can cross the threshold into the land of PG-13.
That's why it’s awesome when a movie like Middle School: The Worst Years of My Life is released. This is a film that has a very specific target audience, and yet it still finds a way to connect with kids in younger grades and with an older generation (with oh, so many memories). Based on a 2011 novel with the same name, Middle School is this generation’s Big with a dash of You Can’t Do That on Television and a wink to Ferris Bueller’s Day Off.
What the film is about:
Rafe Khatchadorian (played by Griffin Gluck) is a new student at Hills Village Middle School and immediately finds himself at odds with Principal Dwight and his rather large rule book. After Principal Dwight crosses a line with Rafe, the middle schooler joins forces with fellow student Leo and the two set out to break every rule in the book.
Any sex/nudity: No, but Rafe’s mom (Lauren Graham) has a boyfriend (played by Rob Riggle) and that yields some comically “icky” assumptions from Rafe and his little sister (Alexa Nisenson). Rafe also develops a sweet crush on a smart and socially aware girl.
Language: One of the things I truly loved about this film was how the filmmakers walked right up to the line of “language.” This was such a great nod to the kids they made the film for. No swear words were ever said, but there were a few moments and scenes where it was implied, as in: “We know a swear word, and we know YOU know the word we are talking about, but we aren’t going to say it, because, remember, it’s a swear word.” Older kids in the audience were guffawing over this and yet the real punch line of the joke was tame enough that my seven year old was oblivious.
Violence: Rafe and Leo pull a lot of pranks at the school, but none are aimed at hurting anyone. The most damaging involves hair dye.
Fear factor: Rafe is a skilled artist and throughout the film many of his drawings come to life. Some of the drawings represent moments where he is afraid of something, but they have a comical element to them.
The take-away lesson: I loved watching a film with my son where the clear message was, “Sometimes you need to question the rules.” Our kids live within so much structure and have so many rules enforced upon them during their day -- we’d like to think every single rule is for the greater good, but what happens when rules get out of hand? A story like Middle School cleverly and humorously illustrates what it looks like when someone becomes power hungry. It clearly points out ways to seek help and reminds our kids they are not alone in any battles.
What does my son say? “Kissing is gross!” Um... yes, ok, clearly there will be issues for some seven year olds in the film. Anything else? “It made me want to draw more.”
By the way, there is a twist in this movie that was very touching and unexpected. Have a tissue tucked away just in case.
Dresden Shumaker is a writer, advocate and appreciator of (butterless) movie popcorn. She chronicles her adventures in single parenting on CreatingMotherhood.
