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The Lizzie McGuire Movie
- Review Date: September 17, 2003
- PG
- Genre: Comedy
- 2003
Common Sense Media says
The target audience will absolutely adore it.
Parents say
QUALITY
Kids say
QUALITY
What parents need to know
Parents need to know that this movie has some mildly crude language. Lizzie's brother and his best friend conspire to blackmail Lizzie and to sell embarrassing pictures of her. Lizzie and her friends lie so that she can spend time with Paulo. There is a very sweet kiss between people who care very much for each other. Lizzie wears a navel-baring outfit.
What's the story?
Hilary Duff stars as her TV series character Lizzie McGuire in this feature-length adventure. Lizzie's middle school graduation turns humiliating when she's called on as a last minute substitute speaker and trips, causing the backdrop to fall on top of the entire graduating class. But she is looking forward to a trip to Rome with her friends, even though it is led by her new high school principal, Miss Ungermeyer (Alex Borstein), who seems more like a drill sergeant. Lizzie's spirits remain high even when she finds out that her nemesis, popular girl Kate (Ashlie Brillault), will be coming along. In Rome, Lizzie meets Paulo (Yani Gellman), a dreamy Italian teen pop idol who is mesmerized by her uncanny resemblance to his singing partner. She pretends to be sick so she can sneak out to tour Rome on the back of his Vespa, and he persuades her to pretend to be his partner on a live award broadcast. She feels like Cinderella. But she ends up learning some new things about old friends, and some old lessons about her new one.
Is it any good?
Fans of Lizzie McGuire are certain to love this guaranteed girl-pleaser in which Lizzie is admired by a handsome international pop star, gets a makeover and tries on a lot of wild clothes, triumphs over the snarky popular girl, and gets to be a superstar with all her friends and family in the audience. If you or someone you love is between the ages of 7-14, and especially of the female variety, resistance is futile.
It's not really a movie. It's just a 90-minute episode of the popular Disney channel television show, partly filmed in Rome. But we can be grateful that it is a nice, wholesome story created for an age group usually neglected by Hollywood. Duff has a warm, sweet presence, and the use of a little animated Lizzie to comment on the action adds liveliness to her adventures. I liked Lizzie's relationship with best pal-who-just-might-be-more David Gordon (Adam Lamberg). And I liked the way that Lizzie's friend-turned nemesis, Kate showed a little class and more than a little humility without getting sugary.
What families can talk about
Families can talk about whether people really do make their own luck, and how wishes can help. They should talk about the lies Lizzie, Kate, and Gordo told -- which are worse? Should Lizzie have been suspicious when Paulo wanted her to deceive the audience? How did Lizzie decide whom she could trust? Paulo says everyone has trouble feeling confident -- do you agree? Why do Miss Ungermeyer and Sergei speak of themselves in the third person? Do you agree that girls who act like they know everything are a "turn-off?"
- Show:
- All members
- Parents
- Teens & kids
AGE
Overall....
Cute; some flirting for older kids (8+) and some inappropriate outfits and Lizzy lies about being sick
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An okay move
This movie is ok. Can be pretty frustrating. Almost the entire movie is wasted on Lizzie liking a guy who turned out to be using her the entire time. Plot at times can be slow to get to the point. Still enjoable, but not enjoyable to the fact i'd watch it again and again. The kiss between Gordo and Lizzie was pointless, they were just friends and this didn't show any romance between them, plus it was straight after Lizzie had a crush on somebody else, this frustrated me. Generally an ok movie. Enjoyabe at times, frustrating other times.
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AGE
great
My 7 year old loved the movie and still watches it over and over
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AGE
Nice!
nice movie great sweet espically Hilary Duff this is a great movie for the whole family to enjoy trust me!
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AGE
Surprisingly not that bad...
I've never seen the show, but I've seen the movie and I actually used to like it. At least it's better than the newer Disney movies...
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AGE
awesome movie
my rating is PG for 2 scenes where alcohol is shown skimpy outfits and a teen kiss and bad role models
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Why PG?
This is awesome I loved watching it when I was like 7 but why is it PG? There is nothing inappropriate in it except for one kiss!!!
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Um...
This film has the worst plot ever. I only saw this film because of Hillary Duff, whi is a great singer.
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Farfetch'd, cheesy, and has nothing to do with the show
Lizzie McGuire was a sitcom about a 7th grade girl and her wacky adventures with her friends and family, relying mostly on silly slapstick for its humor, but still being a fairly enjoyable show. The Lizzie McGuire Movie, however, is completely different. Lizzie (Hilary Duff) is graduating middle school and the entire eighth grade is going to Rome (aren't these kinds of things for seniors in high school?). She is quickly spotted out in Italy by singer Paalo (Yani Gellman) as a look-a-like for his singing partner Isabella (also played by Duff). Isabella has left the music world, so Paalo says. Paalo asks Lizzie to pose as her so that he can make a comeback. She agrees while friends Kate (Ashlie Brillault) and Gordo (Adam Lamberg) cover for her to avoid Lizzie getting in trouble with trip leader and soon-to-be-her-principal Ms. Ungermeyer (Alex Borstein) for skipping tours of the city. This is a PG movie and thus fairly predictable, so I think it's safe to say that Lizzie fulfills her dreams of being a singer - which strangely, were never mentioned on the show - without getting in too much trouble.
Generally, this would be a pretty nice idea for a kids' movie. The problem is - this has little to do with the actual show. The show relied on wacky situations to advance its nearly nonexistent storyline. Because of this nonexistent storyline, anything was pretty much possible for the movie. But seriously, having a girl look exactly like you then posing to be her while on a class field trip in Rome so that you can be the world's next big celebrity? Wow, Disney. Just wow.
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| Topics: | friendship |
| Studio: | Walt Disney Pictures |
| Director: | Jim Fall |
| Cast: | Adam Lamberg, Hilary Duff, Robert Carradine |
| Genre: | Comedy |
| Run time: | 90 minutes |
| Theatrical release date: | May 2, 2003 |
| DVD release date: | August 12, 2003 |
| MPAA rating: | PG |
| MPAA explanation: | mild thematic elements |
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