Before I start this review, I want the world to know that the only reason I went to see this film was because I had my seven-year-old nephew with me and he really wanted to see it.  That said...here is the review:

 

      You might remember Alex D. Linz as the precious, yet mischievous little scamp from "Home Alone 3", a film about as satisfying as a high-colonic.  He has returned to the family genre with "Max Keeble's Big Move", a PG-rated kids flick about a kid named Max Keeble who is just starting his first year in Junior High.  Max soon discovers that being a 7th grader in Junior High isn't so easy (bullies, girls, and mean teachers).  When Max learns his family will suddenly be moving to Chicago, he decides to begin doing things he would normally not do-- but, since he is moving, he doesn't have to worry about the consequences.  Max tells off the school bully, confesses his love for a girl, etc., only to discover he is not moving to Chicago after all.

 

      This film was directed by Tim Hill, who also directed the unbelievably lame "Muppets In Space".  I can now officially say he has no talent as a director.  This film is huge in production, but miniature in appeal.  I don't think many kids will find it amusing.  The film is too advanced for a younger audience and too corny for an older audience and the kids in between are just going to be confused as to what the heck is happening.  Bluntly stated--the film is a big mess from beginning to end.  Sometimes Larry Miller is funny as an outlandish character, like the ones he portrayed in "The Nutty Professor" and "Best In Show", but in "Max Keeble"..., he is too over the top for the role and gives a really bad image of school principals in general.

      Robert Carradine stars as Max's dad (you know any film with a Carradine spells 'success') and he is so nerdy and so terrible a parent, he doesn't really seem to know or care about the goings on in his son's all too unusual and screwed up life.  Every single adult in this film is viewed as either a mean and uncaring ogre or a sweet and carefree slacker with no rules and zero cares.  There is no middle ground in this type of Disney disaster.

    

      There is so much more that is terrible about this tragic, tragic film, but I don't think you feel like reading it all, so I will boil it down to one sentence--"This is crap".  Don't go to see it, whatever you do--anything less would be uncivilized.