Rafe Khatchadorian (Griffin Gluck) is a very creative middle school age boy. He loves to draw cartoons, aliens and spaceships and keeps them in a special art notebook. Though Rafe doesn’t have many friends, he is very close with his younger sister Georgia.  However, he and his family are dealing with a tremendous heartbreak. Rafe’s brother (who was also his best friend) had passed away a year before. His father left the family after their loss so his mom (Lauren Graham) is doing her best to raise the kids on her own, and with the help of her goofy boyfriend. Not only is Rafe trying to cope with his family drama he also has a hard time following rules. After getting kicked out of two schools he’s now in a new middle school. So when his rule driven principal takes his art notebook, Rafe retaliates by setting a goal to break every rule in the principal’s handbook…now the adventures and pranks begin. Middle School: The Worst Years Of My Life, is comedy based on James Paterson’s young adult novel, Middle School: The Worst Years Of My Life.

Rating: 4 out of 5 popcorn buckets
Release Date: January 3, 2017
MPAA Rating: PG
Best Age Group: 9+
Sexual Content: Mild
Violent/Disturbing Content: Moderate
Crude or Profane Language: Moderate
Drug and Alcohol Content: Mild
Will Kids/ Teens Like It? Yes

Talking Points:

• The film centers around a middle school boy who breaks the school rules. Rafe is questioning all the unnecessary school rules. The principal is more concerned with his rules and the students’ successful standardized test scores than the students’ well being.
• This is a fun and entertaining film though parents don’t want their kids getting any rule breaking ideas; to name a few:
  • Rafe sneaks out of his window at night and goes to school to vandalize. Some of Rafe’s pranks include covering the school with colored sticky notes with various drawings and messages. He also turns a trophy case into a fish bowl, draws graffiti on the exterior of the school, and puts neon dye in the principal’s hat.
  • Rafe steals his mom’s boyfriend’s credit card number and buys supplies for their vandalizing.
• Parents need to be aware of the mature subject matter of losing a loved family member.

Sexual Content: Mild

• We see a couple kiss.
• There’s discussion of “Expertly drawn boobs.
• A student says, “My mom is really hot,” and the principal agrees.

Violent/Disturbing Content: Moderate

• A  school bully threatens to kick Rafe and knocks his notebook out of his hands.
• We see animated characters fighting each other. We see a two-headed alien blowing his heads off with a laser.
• Georgia, Rafe’s younger sister who’s not old enough to drive, steals their mom’s boyfriend’s car and intentionally sideswipe’s the car wanting to damage it.

Crude or Profane Language: Moderate

• We hear “sh–,” “F your eye,” “p-ssed,” “sucks,” “butt wipe,” “frickin,’ ” “jerk,” and “stupid.”

Drug and Alcohol Content: Mild

• We see character’s drinking wine.

Will Kids/ Teens Like It?  Yes

Overall this is a fun and entertaining film. Having said that, parents need to be aware that the story revolves around a rebellious middle school boy who breaks a lot of school rules. Also, the mature subject matter of losing a loved one.