How To Eat Fried Worms (2006)

"...smart and sweet...  Elizabeth Weitzman, New York Daily News
"...surefire entertainment...  Jim Slotek, Jam! Movies
"Fried worms is a Hoot...  Roger Moore, Orlando Sentinel

Editor's Note Thomas Rockwell's classic children's novel is adapted to the big screen in this delightful, touching adventure. Billy (charming newcomer Luke Benward, BECAUSE OF WINN-DIXIE) has just moved with his parents and little brother, Woody (Ty Panitz) to a new town, and the first day of school does not go well for him. He gets on the wrong side of school bully Joe (Adam Hicks), and when he fights back--something none of the other kids have ever had the courage to do--he ends up accepting a dare to eat 10 worms in the course of one day. As Joe and his gang strive to cook up ever more revolting recipes, Billy gradually wins the respect of his peers, and gains courage in his own abilities too. He befriends Erika (Hallie Kate Eisenberg) and becomes the champion of the underdog, dispelling the myth of Joe's power and unexpectedly having a blast along the way. The film is spot-on in its depiction of a kid's universe, complete with peer pressure, the mild threat of adult intervention, and the occasional flight of fancy, such as the "witch" the boys encounter by the river. Billy's relationship with his pesky little brother is hilarious and something almost any kid can relate to, and his dad (Thomas Cavanagh, SCRUBS) provides an entertaining subplot that shows how some things don't change, no matter what age you are.

	Adam Hicks
	Austin Rogers
	Hallie Kate Eisenberg
	Luke Benward
	Bob Dolman - Director
	Bob Dolman - Writer
	Janice Hampton, et. al. - Editor
	Mark Johnson, et. al. - Producer
	Mark Mothersbaugh, et. al. - Original Music By
	Richard Rutkowski - Cinematographer
	Thomas Rockwell - Based On Book By

Entertainment Weekly
"FRIED WORMS' appeal is right there in its title....WORMS goes light on the gore and the goo..." 09/01/2006 p.53

New York Times
"Nicely directed, the film version proves refreshingly free of the customary blights that affect most modern children's movies." 08/25/2006 p.E1

Box Office
"[T]he kids in HOW TO EAT FRIED WORMS have a natural charm that director Bob Dolman allows to flourish..." 10/01/2006 p.44

eFilmCritic.com 7 of 10
This is a movie that promises kids that they'll see some pretty disgusting stuff, and kids know just how much fun disgusting stuff can be. (Heck, there's even a scene of the boys studying the disgusting parts of worm anatomy, learning the joys of the word "sphincter." How very true.) With "Fried Worms," we get a wide assortment of the icky and the yucky, and hey, as long as it's funny, and as long as they manage to sneak in that Important Message without tripping over it too much, it works for me. - David Cornelius

IndependentCritics.com 7 of 10
How to Eat Fried Worms predictably contains lessons about friendship, bullying, family and the events in our lives that shape who we are. Blessed with across the board strong performances from both its youthful and adult performers, How to Eat Fried Worms is the kind of film that families should see together. It can, and should, lead to discussions about topics that face virtually every child these days. - Richard Propes