Review: 'Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Dog Days' movie

It’s rare when a movie is as good as the book. But what about when it’s better?

“Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Dog Days,” which opens Aug. 3, is better than the beloved Jeff Kinney book, ramping up some of the funniest moments from the book and creating new ones. I will not ruin the pot roast scene, but I cannot say who among the two of us at the screening — my 8-year-old son or me — cackled louder or more often. Let’s just say some of the content of this PG movie is gross. Enjoying a little potty humor is part of the joy of being a little boy, as any mother ought to know.

But the movie also has heart. When wimpy Greg Heffley (played by Zachary Gordon, middle) tells his father, “I can’t stop making you mad at me,” the words touched me as I remembered the times Harrison has said the same thing to me in moments of frustration.

In these dog days of summer, definitely take the kids to see how Greg spends his. You won’t be disappointed.