How to Eat Fried Worms [WS/P&S]

Director: Bob Dolman Bob Dolman

Overview

The new kid at school faces up to the school bully by taking on a challenge no one has the guts to try in this family-oriented comedy. Billy (Luke Benward) is an 11-year-old boy whose folks have just moved to a new town and is facing the terror of his first day at a new school. It doesn't take long for Billy to run afoul of Joe (Adam Hicks), the school bully, who finds the live bait Billy brought with him and throws it in his face, asking Billy if he eats worms for lunch. Billy tries to gross out Joe by saying yes, he eats worms on a regular basis, and Joe calls his bluff by challenging him to eat ten worms in front of the student body. Billy takes the bet, and suddenly becomes something of a celebrity at school as the first kid to stand up to Joe. Billy also discovers he's caught the eye of Erika (Hallie Kate Eisenberg), a cute girl in his class, but can he actually eat the worms without losing his lunch? With the help of a handful of new friends, Billy preps for the big contest by learning how to eat as much gross stuff as he can, and he gains an unexpected ally in hot-headed Principal Burdock (James Rebhorn). Based on the popular children's book by Thomas Rockwell, How to Eat Fried Worms also features Tom Cavanagh, Kimberly Williams-Paisley, and Clint Howard.

Product Details

Release Date:	12/05/2006
UPC:	0794043105531
Original Release:	2006
Rating:	PG
Source:	New Line Home Video
Region Code:	1
Presentation:	[Wide Screen]
Sound:	[Dolby Digital Stereo, Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround]
Language:	English
Time:	1:24:00
Sales rank:	39,771

Special Features

Worm Cuisine: watch a master chef cook up tasty worm dishes!; Blooper reel: get ready to crack up!; Movie-making made fun: experience the fun behind the scenes!; Deleted scenes: see scenes you've never seen before!; Commentary: director Bob Dolman and the kids from the cast; The rockin' worms: "Worm Guts" music video; Widescreen and fullscreen versions of the film

Cast & Crew

Performance Credits

Luke Benward	Billy
Hallie Kate Eisenberg	Erika
Adam Hicks	Joe
Austin Rogers	Adam
Alexander Gould	Twitch
Ryan Malgarini	Benjy
Philip Daniel Bolden	Bradley,Actor
Clint Howard	Uncle Ed
Ty Panitz	Woody
James Rebhorn	Boiler Head
Tom Cavanagh	Dad
Kimberly Williams-Paisley	Mom
Andrew Gillingham	Techno Mouth
Blake Garrett	Plug
Alexander Agate	Donny
Andrea Martin	Mrs. Bommley
David Bewley	Rob Simon
Simone White	Woody's Teacher
Nick Krause	Nigel
Jo Ann Farabee	Bait Shop Lady
Karen Wacker	Rob Simon's Wife
Tom Brainard	Security Guard
Tim Mateer	Convenience Store Clerk
Timothy Patrick Cavanaugh	Actor
Kimberly Williams	Actor
Mark Mothersbaugh	Composer,Composer
Robert Mothersbaugh	Composer

Technical Credits

Bob Dolman

Bob Dolman	Director,Screenwriter
Toby Emmerich	Executive Producer
Mark Johnson	Producer
Philip Steuer	Producer
Stephanie Corsalini	Casting
Beth Sepko	Casting
Ethan Andrus	Sound/Sound Designer

Editorial Reviews

The gags in How to Eat Fried Worms are more culinary than comical -- you do not want to see this movie either directly before or after eating. Thomas Rockwell's enduring 1973 book is given the Fear Factor treatment as new kid Billy (Luke Benward) makes a stomach-churning bet with the school bully, Joe (Adam Hicks) and his cowed lackeys. Billy accepts Joe's challenge to eat 10 worms in one day (it was 15 worms in 15 days in the book), served up in increasingly nauseating recipes with such exotic names as the Greasy Brown Toad Bloater Special, Peanut Butter & Worm Jam Sandwich, Worm à la Mud, and "Barfmellow." Kids should definitely not try this at home (particularly the worm-in-the-microwave entree). "Boys are so weird," observes Erika (Hallie Kate), a too-tall girl who befriends Billy. As the day unfolds, Billy earns the respect of his tormentors, who, one by one, switch allegiances and cheer him on. Some things are best left to the imagination, but in between courses, How to Eat Fried Worms serves up digestible lessons about friendship, fitting in, and adjustment. Our compliments to the chef, director Bob Dolman: The performances and dialogue feel natural; the sense of Saturday afternoon mischief is infectious; and gratuitous profanity is off the menu.