The James Patterson Middle School series came to the big screen in October and we had a chance to catch it before it left theaters.
The Worst Years of My Life focuses on a 7th grader, Rafe, who is starting at a new middle school with a strict principal. High school is supposed to be the best years of your life but it would be hard if you had to survive Rafe’s new school.
The principal has a series of rules he expects his students to follow as he prepares them for the standardized testing known as the B.L.A.A.R. Once he and Rafe cross paths, chaos ensues.
Most of the movie is what you would expect.
We see young teens completing pranks which seem impossible to complete. There is the one cool teacher who sides with the kids and we get to see the main character begin to fall for his first love.
The real star of the movie is the strict principal. The actor does a solid job of portraying him to the point where you actually begin to dislike him. It is hard to keep a smile off your face when you see him get the better end of it.
Aside from the standard fare, we are thrown a curve ball while gaining some major insight into Rafe. I have to say, this was a shocker and something that made the story stronger.
Side note for any one who was a teenager in the 80’s. A handful of the scenes were reminiscence of the drawing scenes from Better Off Dead with John Cusack.
In terms of movie adaptations based on books, Goosebumps did a better job but this is almost right there.
Overall the movie would be worth your while to watch it when you see it on the television.
