Max Keeble's Big Move seems like a combination of several different films and none of them worth watching. To begin with, movie titles like this perplex me. Who is Max Keeble, why is he being introduced abruptly, and why is his "move" film worthy? It's always a hit or miss state when you get a movie named after a character you never heard of before. But not just a movie named after an unknown character, but with a film title like this you'd expect to have some acquaintance with the title character before. It's stating he is making a "big move," so you'd assume that with a prior introduction you'd have some essence to what that "big move" might be.
Upon seeing this advertised years ago I had a thought in the back of my mind that if the film would become very successful Max Keeble would be the next character to have his very own Television show. By watching the film, that almost appears that is what they were going for. It has a Disney Channel vibe to it that's difficult to explain. It's corny, awkward in places, uninspired, and appears to be colored in with a crayon.
But this isn't the film for me. While I grew up around the time of this film and tend to enjoy childhood nostalgia, take my review of Good Burger for example, I couldn't find much use for this. It's odd and out of place. It tells the journey of a tween named Max Keeble (Linz) who is entering the dreaded middle school with his friends Robe (Peck) and Megan (Grey).
Max learns that his favorite animal shelter he helps out at is closing, bullies at school only grow meaner when the grade gets higher, his corrupt Principal Jindrake (Miller) is up to no good, and the ice cream man won't stop harassing children.
Man, Max has a ton on his plate. And on top of that he may be moving to Chicago and he desperately wants to win the heart of a Freshman girl who is carelessly ripped from other better kids films.
This is another one of those teenage films where the lead character treats middle school like the depths of hell. While I hated middle school, and it frustrated me beyond belief, I should be grateful for the fact that I didn't go through the harassment and stress that Max did. For God's sakes they don't even show the amount of homework he must get too. Fifth grade to sixth is a big jump in terms of workload, and not obligatory, over-dramatic situations.
Will the target audience enjoy it? Probably so, fourth, fifth, and sixth grade to be exact. Will older kids like it? If they grew up with it, yes. Will adults like it? Pretty unlikely. Max Keeble's Big Move is truly harmless, but redundant, and at a mere eighty-six minutes it doesn't capture the "big move" too well as much as it captures ones chaotic, over-exaggerated journey through middle school.
One last thought; I always wondered if movie characters are aware of other films. If so, I'd recommend to Max Keeble to pull a "Ferris Bueller" some days. These kinds of middle school pressures deserve some days off.
Starring: Alex D. Linz, Josh Peck, Zena Grey, Larry Miller, and Jamie Kennedy. Directed by: Tim Hill.
Upon seeing this advertised years ago I had a thought in the back of my mind that if the film would become very successful Max Keeble would be the next character to have his very own Television show. By watching the film, that almost appears that is what they were going for. It has a Disney Channel vibe to it that's difficult to explain. It's corny, awkward in places, uninspired, and appears to be colored in with a crayon.
But this isn't the film for me. While I grew up around the time of this film and tend to enjoy childhood nostalgia, take my review of Good Burger for example, I couldn't find much use for this. It's odd and out of place. It tells the journey of a tween named Max Keeble (Linz) who is entering the dreaded middle school with his friends Robe (Peck) and Megan (Grey).
Max learns that his favorite animal shelter he helps out at is closing, bullies at school only grow meaner when the grade gets higher, his corrupt Principal Jindrake (Miller) is up to no good, and the ice cream man won't stop harassing children.
Man, Max has a ton on his plate. And on top of that he may be moving to Chicago and he desperately wants to win the heart of a Freshman girl who is carelessly ripped from other better kids films.
This is another one of those teenage films where the lead character treats middle school like the depths of hell. While I hated middle school, and it frustrated me beyond belief, I should be grateful for the fact that I didn't go through the harassment and stress that Max did. For God's sakes they don't even show the amount of homework he must get too. Fifth grade to sixth is a big jump in terms of workload, and not obligatory, over-dramatic situations.
Will the target audience enjoy it? Probably so, fourth, fifth, and sixth grade to be exact. Will older kids like it? If they grew up with it, yes. Will adults like it? Pretty unlikely. Max Keeble's Big Move is truly harmless, but redundant, and at a mere eighty-six minutes it doesn't capture the "big move" too well as much as it captures ones chaotic, over-exaggerated journey through middle school.
One last thought; I always wondered if movie characters are aware of other films. If so, I'd recommend to Max Keeble to pull a "Ferris Bueller" some days. These kinds of middle school pressures deserve some days off.
Starring: Alex D. Linz, Josh Peck, Zena Grey, Larry Miller, and Jamie Kennedy. Directed by: Tim Hill.