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Thor Freudenthal’s film adaptation of Jeff Kinney’s bestselling novel, Diary of a Wimpy Kid, hit theaters Friday, March 19th. Kinney’s book series managed to capture the hearts of many Americans, as this movie successfully retained much of the series’ original charm, as well as adding some originality of its own.

Zachary Gordon stars as Greg Heffley, a rather “wimpy” 11-year-old boy who is just about to start middle school. Greg, who has decided that he is cut out for nothing short of fame, greatness, and success in the future, is determined to receive a spot in the school’s yearbook as one of the “class favorites.” Although Greg seems to have his life figured out, he’s a bit worried about his best friend Rowley. While Greg seems cool, calm, and collected, Rowley is not exactly “in the loop;” he doesn’t dress right or act properly. Greg is faced with a great conflict, as he wonders if Rowley might not be “best friend material” for the future most popular kid in school. However, instead of giving up on his poor friend, Greg takes a shot at fixing Rowley for the better.

In all, This movie has a few very important lessons to teach kids of every age: those heading into middle school, those already there, and even some people who are already beyond that stage of life. Among these lessons, the most important is the need for students to acknowledge that their position on the “social scale” (as numbered by Greg from 1 to 200) is not as important as the choices they make, the friends they keep, and the way they treat everyone. It seems hard to grasp the concept that our social positions will not matter later on in life, but in truth, the only thing that counts is whether or not others think of us as genuinely good people.

Diary of a Wimpy Kid knows exactly what it deals with when it comes to middle school students. The movie seems to offer accurate advice about school and life, as it perfectly captures the awkwardness of the transition from child to teen that everyone must someday make. Overall, this movie is sure to have an audience of any age constantly laughing at the awkward and amusing situations it presents, while still teaching important lessons to some younger crowds. In all, this movie is the perfect film for everyone to enjoy.