When in Rome
By Barbara Shulgasser-Parker,
Common Sense Media Reviewer
Common Sense Media Reviewers
The Olsens find fun, fashion, and romance in Italy.

A Lot or a Little?
What you will—and won't—find in this movie.
Where to Watch
Videos and Photos
When in Rome
Community Reviews
Based on 1 parent review
When in rome rating
Report this review
What's the Story?
Charli (Mary-Kate Olsen) and Leila (Ashley Olsen) take summer internships in Rome at Derek Hammond's (Julian Stone) fashion company. Charli falls for fellow intern Paolo (Michelangelo Tommaso), whose real passion is cooking, and Leila helps integrate Hammond's slacker nephew into the workplace. Corporate sabotage upends an important fashion shoot, but Leila's photography hobby captures the perpetrator in the act, and Charli's fashion-design hobby allows the interns to save the day and win the boss's respect and admiration.
Is It Any Good?
WHEN IN ROME is fun but requires a bit of suspension of disbelief. Hammond's company is supposedly a global corporation, so the level of interaction between the high executives and a bunch of largely incompetent summer interns borders on magical realism. For example, Hammond takes the time to advise his interns to succeed by demonstrating qualities that all start with the letter C, including creativity and conscientiousness. Setting that aside, the cast surrounding the twins is a cut above earlier Olsen movies, perhaps because the Olsens themselves served as executive producers here. Parents watching with their kids may appreciate the romantic subplot involving the boss and his long-time designer, affording a refreshing respite from the all-teen-all-the-time plots that can sometimes dominate Olsen movies. Make sure to watch the cute outtakes that run during the closing credits.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about the importance of handling work duties responsibly. What are the consequences of goofing off on the job?
If you could get any type of internship you wanted, which would you choose? Why?
Cleverness, creativity, conscientiousness, and calmness help one perform well at a job. What are some other qualities that help you succeed?
How do you say "no" when someone wants to kiss you but you don't want to?
Movie Details
- In theaters: May 21, 2002
- On DVD or streaming: April 20, 2004
- Cast: Mary-Kate Olsen, Ashley Olsen, Julian Stone, Michelangelo Tommaso
- Director: Steve Purcell
- Studio: Dualstar Productions
- Genre: Family and Kids
- Run time: 94 minutes
- MPAA rating: G
- Last updated: December 1, 2022
Did we miss something on diversity?
Research shows a connection between kids' healthy self-esteem and positive portrayals in media. That's why we've added a new "Diverse Representations" section to our reviews that will be rolling out on an ongoing basis. You can help us help kids by suggesting a diversity update.
Suggest an Update
Where to Watch
Our Editors Recommend
Common Sense Media's unbiased ratings are created by expert reviewers and aren't influenced by the product's creators or by any of our funders, affiliates, or partners.
See how we rate