Themes: Out For Revenge, Underdogs, Mischievous Children
Main Cast: Alex D. Linz, Larry Miller, Jamie Kennedy, Zena Grey, Josh Peck
Release Year: 2001
Country: US
Run Time: 86 minutes
MPAA Rating: PG
Plot
After having been outmatched in the live-action family film department by rival Nickelodeon in recent years, Disney jumps back into the kid-friendly fray with this comedy about a seventh grader (Alex D. Linz) who's mercilessly picked on by his school's bullies and by his principal (Larry Miller). When his parents (Nora Dunn and Robert Carradine) inform Max that they're moving at the end of the week, he takes the opportunity to exact several forms of creative revenge on his many tormenters. When it subsequently turns out that the Keebles aren't leaving town after all, little Max is left to the mercy of those he's just humiliated. Max Keeble's Big Move is the second feature film from Tim Hill, the nephew of famed director George Roy Hill (The Sting). ~ Karl Williams, All Movie Guide
Tim Hill - Director, Guy Riedel - Executive Producer, Michael Wandmacher - Composer (Music Score), Mike Karz - Producer, Mark Blackwell - Screen Story, James Greer - Screen Story, David Watts - Screen Story, Jonathan Bernstein - Screen Story, Mark Blackwell - Screenwriter, James Greer - Screenwriter, Jonathan Bernstein - Screenwriter, Jeannette Browning - ADR Recordist, K.C. Fox - Set Decorator
Max Keeble (Alex D. Linz) is a junior-high school boy who delivers newspapers. Max has a big crush on Jenna, the daughter of one of his paper recipients. He has two friends, Robe and Megan, and all three are constantly bullied. When Max finds out he's moving to Chicago after his dad got a promotion, he plots revenge on the bullies. Once his quest is completed, however, his dad announces that he quit his job, meaning that Max will not move to Chicago. Max then freaks out, but then sees that no matter who you are, you can always stand up tall.
Despite outstanding reviews from child viewers, Max Keeble's Big Move was met with negative to mixed feedback from adult critics and watchers. Rotten Tomatoes currently gives the film a 26% "rotten" rating on its site. The consensus stating "fun for kids, but bland and unoriginal for adults."
Cultural references
Megan played a bit of Twisted Sister's "We're Not Gonna Take It" on her clarinet to call the band to stand up to the bullies, then the whole band played the song.
