It's the little dramas that are the meat of it, and Kinney's script is particularly brilliant when it comes to capturing the petulance and cruelty with which hurt children can lash out at their friends.

Incarnated in gently bulbous, digitally smooth form, our hero, Greg Heffley (voiced by Brady Noon), runs through a good-natured medley of misadventures over 56 episodic minutes.

While the wholesome-minded product feels a tad redundant, it establishes its own identity, improving upon its cinematic predecessor enough to make it a worthwhile watch.

Diary of a Wimpy Kid is a great family fun movie that, with roughly an hour-long run time, results in an easy watch.