Max Keeble's Big Move (2001)

Director:

Tim Hill

Writers (WGA):

David L. Watts (story) and
Jonathan Bernstein (story) ...

Release Date:

5 October 2001 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy | Family

Tagline:

His World. His Rules.

Plot:

Max Keeble, the victim of his 7th grade class, plots revenge when he learns he's moving; it backfires when he doesn't move after all.

Plot Keywords:

Moving | School | Revenge | Principal | Bully

Awards:

1 win & 1 nomination

Cast

Alex D. Linz	...	Max Keeble
Larry Miller	...	Principal Elliot T. Jindraike
Jamie Kennedy	...	Evil Ice Cream Man
Zena Grey	...	Megan
Josh Peck	...	Robe
Nora Dunn	...	Lily Keeble
Robert Carradine	...	Don Keeble
Clifton Davis	...	Supt. Bobby 'Crazy Legs' Knebworth
Amy Hill	...	Mrs. Rangoon
Noel Fisher	...	Troy McGinty
Orlando Brown	...	Dobbs
Amber Valletta	...	Ms. Dingman
Justin Berfield	...	Caption Writer
Veronica Alicino	...	Mrs. Talia
Brooke Anne Smith	...	Jenna

Also Known As:

7th Grade Heart Attack (USA) (working title)

MPAA:

Rated PG for some bullying and crude humor.

Runtime:

86 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color | Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

DTS | Dolby Digital | SDDS

Certification:

Iceland:L | Finland:K-7 | Netherlands:AL | Norway:7 (DVD rating) | Argentina:Atp | Canada:G | Germany:6 | UK:PG | USA:PG | Australia:PG

Filming Locations:

Los Angeles Center for Enriched Studies - 5931 W. 18th Street, Los Angeles, California, USA

Company:

Walt Disney Pictures

Trivia:

Originally, Alex D. Linz wanted to make the swirly scene seem more severe than it was intended to be.

Goofs:

Audio/visual unsynchronized: When Max says "What are we doing?" his mouth don't match the words.

Quotes:

Principal Jindraike: This is completely without precedent, not only that, but it's never happened before!

Movie Connections:

Featured in "Troldspejlet: (#29.6)" (2003)

Soundtrack:

I'm Free

Amusing for Adults

Amusing for adults, a blast and a half for pre-puberty members of the family, Max Keeble is just good junior high fun.

Resiliently taking it all in stride, Max (and friends) absorb typical 6th grader abuse: the school yard bully, the angry principal, retaliatory ice cream man, and a looming move out of state. Each of these "villains" play rather cartoony. Larry Miller as always nails the dimwitted, egocentric, greedy, fumbling principal. (He's also very good in Princess Diaries.) Noel Fisher covers the leather jacket, wallet-chain-wearing bully role well too.

The triangle of friends, in contrast to the buffoony bad guys, hang closer to the kinds of kids we know (or used to be).

So when Max learns that his family will suddenly be moving to Chicago, he decides to return a few transgressions inflicted on himself and his friends. Ah, the sweet tingles of revenge ("Home Alone" style). "I don't just have a plan ... I have a planetarium!!!"

And so begins a three-day extravaganza for which the bumbling bad guys are just not ready. Eventually, Max gets more than his original bargain and finds himself teetering precariously on the brink of a friendless abyss.

"Any kid can make a mess. It takes man to clean it up."

Some somewhat stereotypical themes are peppered tastefully with carefully shot fun, good acting, and a strong sound track that accentuates the folly.

I simply love the scene where the school's sexy science teacher strolls across the classroom setting each Bunsen burner a light as she passes, simply because she is perceived to be the "hottest" teacher in the school.

Coincidentally, Alex D. Linz and Zena Grey (Max Keeble and best friend Megan) enjoyed my particular screening from the front row.As the credits rolled, they stood up and boogied to the soundtrack. A good time, take the kids.