The Lizzie McGuire Movie

I got trapped on a bus in Mexico watching this trash. I could shut my eyes but could not shut out the sound. What's wrong with the Lizzie McGuire movie? The awful title, the songs completely unmemorable except for the lousy lyrics, annoying performances by American actors badly feigning foreign accents, a script as predictable and unbelievable as a cure-all medicine label, a star drowning in CUTE. Disney spent a lot of money on this hokum and they deserved to be laughed off the planet. I realize that this film was not made for people in my age bracket, but if 14-year-old kids really liked it, I despair for the aesthetic future of the human race.

Why is the rating for this movie only 4.8/10? Yeah, it's not exactly first-class entertainment, but it definitely deserves at least a 7/10. It's good, clean fun, and very entertaining for children and adults alike. It's Lizzie McGuire (probably the only decent programme on the Disney Channel - oh why did they stop it?) and her pals having an adventure in Italy! But whilst this is just an ordinary Roman history trip for everyone else, Lizzie gets whisked away to stardom when she meets Italian popstar, Paolo Valisari. Full of friendship problems, other catastrophes, Matt and Melina's usual (international) shenanigans and a little bit of (clean) romance, the Lizzie McGuire movie fails not to entertain. It's the perfect film to watch on a rainy day (or whilst driving through hot, remote areas of Turkey in a coach - that's how I watched it).

As a parent, it's important to me that my daughter sees only wholesome movies and TV shows. Hilary Duff and her movies fulfill that need, and this movie is very entertaining for the whole family. Hilary Duff, if she gets intelligent representation, could easily be the Annette Funicello of her generation. This movie gets four stars for its content and entertainment value. Hilary's singing is on a par with the best of today's young singers, and her sweetness seems to show in all of her acting works. She is so very much the sweet girl whom you wish your son would bring home; the antithesis of the singer known as Pink.

Lizzie McGuire(Hilary Duff) has finally graduated from middle school and now her class is taking a two week trip to Rome along with her best friend Gordo(Adam Lamberg), the snobby and popular Kate Sanders(Ashlie Brillault) and the airheaded but hilarious Ethan Craft(Clayton Snyder). Once Lizzie arrives in Rome, she meets Paolo(Yani Gellman)who is a famous pop singer and he mistakes Lizzie for Isabella, who is part of his pop duo and looks identical to Lizzie. Now Lizzie starts sneaking out of the hotel where her class is staying just to see Paolo and spend time with him. Paolo convinces her to pretend to be Isabella so that they can perform together at a big music show. But Paolo is not as perfect as Lizzie thinks and he might just not be the right guy for her. In the meantime, Gordo starts falling for Lizzie and tries to warn her about Paolo. I thought this was a very sweet and harmless movie. I didn't think that I would enjoy it as much as I did. I am a big fan of the Lizzie McGuire show and I was also not disappointed with the movie. Sure, it's made for young teenage girls so obviously not everybody will enjoy it. I thought it was a very fun movie, it also had a lot of funny moments, especially thanks to Alex Borstein who played Lizzie's teacher. Hilary Duff is so beautiful, I couldn't keep my eyes away from her. Anyways, I really enjoyed The Lizzie McGuire Movie and I would give it 8/10.

After graduating from high school, Lizzie is allowed to be part of a group of students that goes to Italy on a tour of historical monuments with the iron willed Ungermeyer. Out on one of their tours a famous singer mistakes Lizzie for his singing partner Isabella. Explaining how Isabella needs help and how Lizzie can help by pretending to be her, Paolo gets her to go along with the mistaken identity (for the resemblance is uncanny). However she begins to fall for him but he may not be all he seems. To make matters worse Lizzie's brother finds out via the web and begins to stir trouble.

I have never seen the TV or even heard of it (or the girl involved) but I was on a 9 hour flight to Atlanta and this was the movie that they were showing to help me pass my time (damn you economy class!) so I gave it a reluctant go. The film sets it's stall out straight away with a lively musical number and the cliché of teenage girl and nosy little brother etc. The animated add ins are not nearly as funny as they think they are but they are all part of the charm and energy that made this film watchable.

While it is clearly aimed at girls younger than McGuire herself, it is quite sassy and energetic. The plot is utter nonsense from start to finish but it bussles along just about well enough to get by. Duff herself is quite nice in the role – she is quite bubbly plus she isn't exactly hard on the eye! Borstein as Ungermeyer is worth a laugh or two but the majority of the teenage cast are average – esp Gellman who is given very little to do outside of talking 'ina da stereotyped Aitalian's accento!'.

Overall I stress that I have no intention of ever actually watching this movie again, but can't pretend that it's sassy, bubbly and energetic style helped me forget my flight for 90 minutes and also just about manage to find the find the fun hidden within the absurd plot.