The Lizzie McGuire Movie

Rating:
Summary: Lizzie McGuire drags Hillary Duff to Rome, Italy
Review: I had never seen the television version of "Lizzie McGuire" and all I really know about Hillary Duff is that her mom does not like Lindsay Lohan (I bought a copy of Duff's CD for my daughter for Christmas and completely spaced that out). But it did not take long to pick up on who is who in "The Lizzie McGuire Movie." Hillary Duff is Lizzie McGuire, who is having trouble being a teenager, mainly because her pesky younger brother Matt (Jake Thomas) is videotaping her worst moments for posterity and/or blackmailing purposes while mom (Jo McGuire) and dad (Robert Carradine) are supportive but essentially clueless. Her best friend Gordo (Adam Lamberg) is obviously smitten with Lizzie, but all she sees is her best friend Gordo. Kate (Ashlie Brillault) is the snobby girl who makes Hillary feel inferior and Ethan (Clayton Snyder) is the resident space cadet. So getting up to speed is not a problem. That comes when we get to the plot.

Having graduated junior high, which was a disaster in and of itself, Lizzie and her classmates immediately head for Rome as part of some strange program at their new high school that sends freshmen on a trip to Europe so they can get some appropriate degree of culture that will allow them to do well. Their chaperone is their principal, Miss Ungermeyer (Alex Borstein), because she has nothing better to do in the summer but indoctrinate incoming freshman while in a foreign land.

Once they get into Rome things get complicated. Lizzie runs into Paolo Valisari (Yani Gallman), an Italian pop idol who says she looks exactly like his singing partner, Isabella, except Lizzie is a blond. It seems Isabella is mad at Paolo and they are going to get sued if they do not show up to present an award at an award show at Coliseum. So, of course, Lizzie should take Isabella's place. But it turns out to be a lot more complicated than that, which is just a way of setting up the big finale involving Lizzie McGuire singing a new hit song by Hillary Duff (that was probably on that aforementioned Hillary Duff album).

Now, this is all completely standard teenage movie fare, where the movie is not over until the same actress playing two different characters shows up. But in the finale of this one, once it is explained what is really going on with Paolo's plan, it turns out to be really stupid (if the plan worked it would not have worked, take my word for it). Still, it is all just an excuse for a big production at the number, so what is really the problem here?

"The Lizzie McGuire Movie" has several things going for it. First, Duff can turn the world on with her smile and she gets to do that a lot. Second, the supporting cast from the show are all comfortable in their roles and I really liked Gordo from the moment he woke up on the plan and realized that Lizzie was sleeping nestled against him; the look on his face told the whole story. Third, most of the film is set in Rome and they take full advantage of the spectacularly beautiful sites to convince you this is where you want to plan your next trip. As long as Lizzie is riding around on the back of Paolo's scooter at least nothing stupid can happen with the plot. The bottom line is that I probably enjoyed this movie more than it deserved. I was going to give it a 3.5, but I at the end I was humming the song from the finale, so I rounded up. But watch it. Next time I might not grade on a curve.

Rating:
Summary: I love this movie because..
Review: Everyone always tells me I look just like Hilary Duff, in fact when I went on vacation to Los angeles last Summer, on Hollywood Blvd. tourists asked for my autograph. but thats not the only reason I like Hialry and this movie, it's a very romantic and charming film, fun, and perfect for teens and the whole family. Hilary is a perfect influence for any teen.

Rating:
Summary: Enough of Duff!!!
Review: Two words: Bad Movie.

It was what I expect from a Hilary Duff movie, and let me tell you, I wasn't expecting much. The movie was bad. Not terrible, but bad.

The whole movie was about a girl who goes to Rome(?) for a some school trip or something, and winds up meeting some famous Italian boy singer who's partner left him. But amazingly, Lizzie McGuire looks exactly like her, so the boy wants her to be his partner. She accepts and then has to fake her way through doing the work she should be doing for school (Naughty girl!!) to secretly meet with that guy.

I recommend these movies instead....

What A Girl Wants (Amanda Bynes) PG.....Way better!!! A great girl-power story!

Agent Cody Banks (Frankie Muniz) PG.....Not a girl story, but still awesome! Hilary Duff is in this one, but not as a main character.

Miss Congeniality (Sandra Bullock) PG-13.....One of my favorites! About a tom-girl cop who investigates the Miss America Pageant by going undercover as contestant. Hilarious!

Rating:
Summary: A Somewhat Good Film... Again...
Review: I have to say, I am a HUGE fan of Hilary Duff. She is a perfect role model: beauty, fashion sense, an aspiring actress, a beautiful voice, a rising career, and smarts, while still keeping her cool and not embarrassing herself. Except, I would have to say, for movies. While not always making the right choice in characters, Hilary always does a great job in playing them, as she did in the Lizzie McGuire Movie. However, it was the plot I was concerned about. Not only was the mix-up between Lizzie and Isabella too unrealistic to be put in to words, so was the concert scene and Isabella's fake Italian accent and wig. Since Hilary's natural hair color is brown, couldn't they have died it that color? Also, how much longer could we have been waiting for the Lizzie and Gordo plot to conclude! Though I have to say it was a good way to end it, why couldn't we see more? Hopefully, the Lizzie McGuire show will continue on and we will see what happens after the big moment in the movie.

Rating:
Summary: for you who couldn't find the altarnate endindg
Review: the altarnate ending IS on the dvd! atleest on that you can buy in norway.. go to "bonus materials", then to "of the cutting floor", and then choose "lizzie and gordo kiss".

if you can't find it, and still want to know about the ending, let me know, and i tell it to you.. ;)

my review, nyt he way:
I haven't actually bean an lizzie mcguire fan a long time, but got hooked a little while ago.. there's not long ago the movie came to norway, and it came out on dvd a couple of weaks ago.. i bought it a couple of days ago.. i've watched it three times since i bought it, and i'm not tired of it, i actually think i'm going to watch it now.. =)

Rating:
Summary: What Dreams Are Made Of.
Review: The summer of 2003 will be memorable for a number of reasons, but one event will stand out in my mind. 2004 was the summer in which negotiations between Disney and Hilary Duff broke down. The bottom line was that Hilary Duff would no longer assume the mantle of Lizzie McGuire. The working title for this film had been, "Ciao Lizzie!" and we see only too late that indeed this film was our goodbye to Lizzie. Knowing that this is our last glimpse into the life of this blossoming heroine infuses The Lizzie McGuire Movie with a certain elegiac resonance. Watching this movie is like a final parting with an intimate childhood friend who moves away before falling out of touch.

The movie, though, is a fitting climax to an entertaining and warm show. The movie faithfully concentrates and expands upon the major themes of the television program. Lizzie, an awkward and klutzy middle school student, must respond to such character-defining challenges as remaining loyalty to friends and family, fulfilling responsibility to others, confronting her fears of not being accepted by her peers, and the general awkwardness of being a teenager. Part of the charm of the movie is its sensitive portrait of Lizzie herself. Lizzie must act decisively and conscientiously despite her self-doubt and clouded self-image. What the film captures ever so subtly is Lizzie's quiet growth and the emergence of her inner strength. We see her emerge from the battlefield of her adolescent war perhaps not unscathed but all the stronger for having survived. At times she is lured astray by such her own vanity or the promise of indulging short terms aspirations such as being popular. She does not always honor the right people and she blindly misplaces her affections at a whim. But even so, in the end she has the courage to act upon her convictions, and despite the disingenuous designs manipulating her, her heart remains pure.

As others have noted, many of the show's central characters are conspicuously missing. Most noticeable is the absence of Lalaine who played Lizzie's best friend, Miranda Sanchez. The dynamic feels stilted and incomplete without Miranda to round out Gordo's neuroticisms and Lizzie's naïveté. Also M.I.A. are such recurring characters as Larry Tudgeman, Veruca, Kate's cousin Amy (played by Hilary's big sister Haylie), Lanny, Claire, Parker, and David. Even if they were minor characters, it still would have been a nice touch to see some of them touring Rome with Lizzie.

The DVD features are on the whole attention-grabbing. Most interesting are the "Why Not?" music video, the behind the scenes documentary, and the deleted scenes with an alternate ending. I love the video for "Why Not?" because the lyrics personify perfectly the sheer optimism and cheerfulness that were the cardinal traits of Lizzie herself. The documentary isn't terribly insightful, but helps to flesh out what it took to make the film and how the cast and crew approached the project. The deleted scenes are a treat, but won't really change how you interpret the movie. The alternate ending isn't revolutionary (i.e. Lizzie's crudely drawn alter ego doesn't come to life and kill everyone) but it is fun to imagine having it in place of the actual ending.

What is perhaps most rewarding about the film is appreciating how much Lizzie has matured. In the early episodes, she still looks very much like a little girl. By the time she performs for a sold-out audience in the Coliseum during the film's climax, one comes to a slow realization that Lizzie is no longer a child but has become a young woman. Though the curtains are drawn on the window into Lizzie's life and we are forced to part, we are grateful that we were privy to the formative years of this extraordinary and beloved individual, Lizzie McGuire. Ciao, Lizzie!

Rating:
Summary: Lizzie
Review: The Lizzie McGuire Movie, is full of something I didnt expect. I expected a really awesome movie that was going to turn out my fave movie, but no. It wasnt. It is an OK movie thats fun and squeaky clean, but not what I expected. The plot is a bit cheesy, but it sure is great how it turned out. The acting is fantastic and its pretty funny too. Overall this movie is a 4/5 and a 91% and an A-. A great movie that all "Lizzie" fans should own!!.
The special features are awesome too!
It features Hilary's hit single video for "Why Not?"
A sneek preview into Hilary making her album [Metamorphosis] Which is allready released
A behind the scenes look of the actual movie with interviews
A random other video
and interactive menus
I say any fan should get this! It is a good movie!

Rating:
Summary: brill
Review: i thought this movie was one of the best films i have ever seen and i liked it when lizzie and gordo kiss at the end.

by Ally Davey

Rating:
Summary: You Don't Have to Be a Lizzie Fan
Review: What's so great about this movie is that you don't have to be a Lizzie McGuire fan to see it. You'll enjoy it if you've never seen the show. Granted, if you have seen the show, you'll already know the background of the characters and have more emotional investment in them as well.

So in the movie, Lizzie, best friend Gordo, and some school friends go on a trip to Rome. Their new principal is their tour guide and while she shows them around beautiful Italy, she's also trying to whip them into shape for high school, which is really funny and one of the reasons the movie is so enjoyable to watch. Lizzie gets involved with an Italian pop singer, who wants her to pose as his ex-partner Isabella that Lizzie (coincidence?) looks exactly like.

The plot may be unrealistic and fluffy, but that's this movie's charm. It wouldn't be Lizzie McGuire if it weren't a bit cheesy, but in a good way. Hilary Duff gives a fun performance as usual and after this movie, girls will no doubt try to be exactly like her because that's the kind of star quality Hilary carries.

I recommend this movie to anyone who's looking to smile and laugh and go "awwww" in the end. It's the kind of movie that is perfect for curling up on the couch in your PJ's. So see this movie, whether you like Lizzie or not. Give this one a chance!

Rating:
Summary: How sad......
Review: Ick. I've seen a few episodes of Lizzie McGuire and I found it to be a cute show, but this movie was horrendous! My friend dragged me off to see it with her little sister, becuz they're both hopelessly obsessed and their excuse for me to see it with them was "well you're from Italy, right? Hilary Duff goes to Rome in this movie!!" Oh, joy. I love shows where something really crazy but brilliant happens to a normal person, but this was out of proportion.

The Lizzie McGuire Movie is about how the infamous Hilary's character Lizzie (who seems to act the same way as all the characters she ever ever acts in anything, ever) goes off to Rome with her class to celebrate their graduation. The people in the movie seemed to act differently from in the TV series, they lack the characteristics that actually made them PEOPLE. Not to mention that her bestest fwiend in the whole wide wowld, Miranda, was missing. Which is further proof of the fact that this movie was just a publicity stunt...

But anyway, when they arrive and are touring around, she is mistaken to be an Italian pop star by the star's parter or whatever. This is when it gets absolutely rediculous. I mean, come on, how does Lizzie, who is supposedly portrayed to be an average American girl, who's makeup comes from Wal-Mart, is mistaken for an insanely rich and famous Italian pop star, who has a gazillion makeup artists waiting on her hand and foot?! I mean, come on...this isn't fantasy, it's just stupid.

The Paolo kid takes Lizzie off on his moped, and the plot goes on and on and spirals into more chaotic fluff that only all the brainwashed preteen girls around us can possibly enjoy. I also noticed that they didn't portray Italy well at all. Honestly, how does she go to Rome and everyone speaks English???? Well apparantly in Hilary's world, EVERYONE does!! It's horribly closed-minded. Not to mention Hilary seems to even lack acting skills. She seems to be reciting her lines rather than just thinking about them on the spot, and her movements seems rather constrictive and robotic. It's so sad. I thought the Disney Channel was trying to help us kids...until I saw this movie. Thank you, Hilary Duff.