Two things have always bothered me about this series, based on the popular kids' books by Jeff Kinney. First, the half-assed filmmaking; like the others, this third installment by David Bowers feels like third-tier TV. And second, Greg (Zachary Gordon), the wimp of the title, isn't so much a wimp as a self-centered, manipulative little shit. Here he wants to spend the summer vacation "dog days" playing video games and pining after a cute girl from school (Peyton List). In retrospect, that might have been more entertaining than what actually happens: he lies about his job, sneaks into the country club, and does some time in a scout camp. Even less funny are the odd segues — like a locker-room shower scene that makes hardcore prison films look Disneyesque. Maybe the Kid is going through a rough adolescent patch — but he was no great shakes to begin with.
