The Lizzy McGuire Movie - Cheap Thoughts

When I was a kid, Lizzy McGuire seemed to be the only show on Disney channel that was targeted towards girls but it was okay for boys to watch, and because i had an older sister, this is what was most likely on television, and when the movie came out, you can imagine i was made to watch it a hundred times (not that i minded). But even back then i knew there was nothing special about it, so what are my thoughts on it as an adult? The Lizzy McGuire movie takes place inbetween seasons 3 & 4 and follows Lizzy going on a school trip to Italy where she meets a handsome Italian popstar Paolo, as it turns out, Lizzy looks exactly like Paolo's old singing partner Isabella, so he convinces her to join him onstage, pretending to be her. Thus Lizzy gets to experience her dream vacation in Italy with the boy of her dreams.

So the plot itself is paper thin, it's a Disney movie based on the TV show, in fact the only thing that makes it feel like a movie is that they actually shot on location in Rome. But apart from that, the film is quite basic, nothing special in terms of story, acting or comedy, but that being said that doesn't make it bad, just servicable, and there is still plenty to be enjoyed. The teacher for example Ms Ungermeyer is insanely enjoyable, as well as simple-minded Ethan who seems to be interested in nothing more than eating spaghetti (Admittedly this is my favourite recurring joke in the film). Also the hotel manager with the over the top accent is very funny (Disney seems to like comedic hotel managers) The movie is clearly set in this unrealistic fantasy where an average girl can meet a hunky popstar and then end up seeing live infront of millions in front of a colosseum. I say this is ridiculous because Lizzie is clearly written as the everygirl, she's quirky, makes mistakes but has a good heart, she's an enjoyable character who young girls can relate to but also idolize at her sucess. And no, they never actually acknowledge anything that happened in the film in the show, despite the fact that an average girl ending up singing in front of millions of people would probably end up being talked about. Also i don't like how Lizzie's best friend Miranda is shoved aside in the film, they also did that to her in the series finale which is weird, why don't they like Miranda? I mean i don't think she's a great character or anything but still, she's a major supporting character. And if you're not a fan of early 2000's Disney cliches then be afraid, be very afraid, you could make a drinking game out of the soundtrack alone for how much it screams 2000's pop music.

But that doesn't change the fact that i do very much enjoy the movie, yes it's incredibly goofy, but it's also fairly innocent and a little bit nostalgic, Lizzie McGuire is a likeable character (Though Hilary Duff's Italian accent is really bad), her best friend Gordo is sympathetic and kind. The finale, as cheesy as it is, i still sing along too (yeah i said it, come at me bro). The film has decent comedy and comedic characters, if you never watched the show then i say stay away from this film, but then again you might find some enjoyment how stupid it is, if you were a fan of the show then i highly recommend it, and if you were a fan of both as a kid, then i'd say it's worth rewatching. But something worth praising is Lizzie McGuire as a character and her actress Hilary Duff, she's supposed to be the relatable everyday girl for people to relate to and whenever Disney has tried this, they fail hard, but they handle it really well with Lizzie, she's got a lot of good qualities but is still a screw up, she's attractive but she's not "Hollywood attractive" and let's face it, Duff is one of the few Disney pop stars to not become a washed-up meglomaniac (Lookin' at you Hannah Montana). I give The Lizzy McGuire movie a 7/10.

-Danny