How to Eat Fried Worms (2006)

Classic for tweens... and their parents, too!

I bought this movie for my kids (7 - 12 y/o). They loved the entire movie, and I can't put enough emphasis on their facial expressions at watching the main character eat worms as part of a dare. I fear for the worms in our own yard! Highly recommended as a clean, family movie. April 7, 2008

Entertaining enough, after a slow beginning

Billy and his family have just moved to a new town and Billy is forced to attend a new school where he doesn't fit in. Following a run in with the school bully, Billy accepts a dare to eat ten worms in a single day. The rest of the film is simply low-grade gross-out humour that would appeal immensely to 7 year olds, and those suffering from arrested development.

The first half hour (up until the worm eating begins) is slow and not all that funny, I could imagine many children losing interest (I almost gave up), but once the worm eating begins the film picks up a lot. Even though I am about 20 years older than the target audience for this film (I'm 27), I found myself sitting on the edge of my seat to see if Billy would eat all of the worms. Well, not really, but I was still interested in knowing what would happen next and how the film would end. The writer and director did manage to get as much suspense into the film as was possible and for that I applaud them.

My biggest problem with the film was the one token female character, Erika. The sole purpose of this character seems to be to act as a mother to the young male characters in the film and not to participate in any of the fun, simply because she is a girl. Speaking as a female, I was insulted and I don't think this is a good message to send to young girls or young boys. I don't think it would have bothered me if she had been excluded entirely from the film, I can accept that it is realistic that young boys might not want to play with girls, but if girls and boys are being shown playing together, I don't think it is a nice to send the message that girls aren't as fun as boys. You may be thinking that I'm saying this just because I'm an adult, but this was also how I felt when I was a child.

This film is not a bad way to spend a rainy afternoon, but you are probably better off renting it rather than buying it. Somehow, I don't think this film is going to become a children's classic.
March 25, 2008

look at those nasty worms slither around

How To Eat Fried Worms I believe is based off the popular book about a child who had to eat 10 worms. It was a popular book my library teacher in 5th grade used to read to me all the time, along with my reading teachers. The class loved it as well.

The movie takes everything we loved about the book and makes it just as gross and disgusting as the story! In the movie, a little boy eats worms in very creative ways. He fries them, and throughout the story, the little boy (who is forced to eat 10 worms by a school bully) learns to accept them. At first, the boy is naturally unwilling to eat them, because they're WORMS and that would be extremely gross! But he eventually comes around and finds they aren't quite as bad as he originally thought. The school bully was, of course, just as mean as you'd expect someone of that age to be.

It was a very funny and original story, I thought. If you ask me, the movie did exactly what the book did, and made it memorable for everyone of all ages. December 24, 2007

GREAT BOOK OK MOVIE

I READ "HOW TO EAT FRIED WORMS" IN 7TH GRADE. IT TURNED INTO ONE OF MY FAVORITE BOOKS. WHEN I HEARD IT WAS GOING TO BE A MOVIE I WAS EXCITED. I JUST RENTED IT ABOUT A WEEK AGO AND I HAVE TO SAY THAT IM SLIGHTLY DISAPPOINTED. THE MOVIE WAS ONLY SOMEWHAT LIKE THE BOOK AND DIDNT REALLY EXPLAIN THE MAIN CHARACTERS TOO WELL. "HOW TO EAT FRIED WORMS" IS RATED PG. I SUGGEST THE PARENTAL GUIDANCE. THERES SOME CRUDE HUMOR AND BULLYING AND IT MAY NOT GO OVER WELL WITH SOME PARENTS. RENT IT BEFORE BUYING IT. October 13, 2007

Life Lessons About Bullies

My 4-year old granddaughter just loves this movie. From the slimey worms to the mean bully, she was fascinated with the story. Great kid fun and great lessons to be learned. I can't tell you how many times we have watched it together but it never gets boring. October 6, 2007

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