Parents' Guide to

When in Rome

By Barbara Shulgasser-Parker, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 7+

The Olsens find fun, fashion, and romance in Italy.

Movie G 2002 94 minutes
When in Rome Poster Image

A Lot or a Little?

What you will—and won't—find in this movie.

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age 7+

Based on 1 parent review

Sparks1011
Sparks1011 Adult
April 13, 2020
age 7+

When in rome rating

I think this is a very kid friendly movie. IT IS ALSO A VERY GOOD FAMILY SIT DOWN MOVIE!!!

This title has:

Great role models
See all 1 parent 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?

Our review:
Parents say: (1):
Kids say: Not yet rated

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

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