Don’t be fooled by the 40% rating on Rotten Tomatoes; “The Lizzie McGuire” is so much more than a “harmless piece of fluff that ought to satisfy fans of the TV show.” Based on the Disney Channel series, everything is a little bigger and better in the big screen adaptation. All the cast members get screen time, Gordo (Adam Lamberg) glows up, and Hillary Duff’s Lizzie McGuire is at her most lovable.
The underrated movie follows Lizzie and her classmates on a school-sponsored trip to Rome following their graduation. Even though she gets roomed with her arch nemesis and the trip is led by the formidable and ridiculously strict high school principal, Miss Ungermeyer (Alex Borstein), Lizzie is determined to make her time in Italy an unforgettable adventure (via Plugged In).
Shortly after arriving, she meets Paulo (Yani Gellman), a swoon-worthy Italian pop star who is shocked by Lizzie’s resemblance to his singing partner, Isabella. When she agrees to pose as Isabella at an upcoming performance, her average school trip turns into a teenager’s dream come true (via Hollywood Reporter). Over the course of three weeks, Lizzie gains confidence, finds love with an unlikely suspect, and learns a bunch of wholesome life lessons. With a killer soundtrack, funky fashion, and clever dialogue scattered throughout, this movie is a cult classic for a reason. Oh, and “What Dreams Are Made Of” will forever be a bop.
