The Lizzie McGuire Movie

**The Lizzie McGuire Movie** is an American film that was released on May 2, 2003. It is based on the television series Lizzie McGuire.

The film was written by Susan Estelle Jansen, Ed Decter and John J. Strauss, and directed by Jim Fall.

## Plot

Lizzie McGuire prepares for her junior-high graduation with one of her two closest friends, David "Gordo" Gordon. Her other best friend, Miranda, has chosen to skip the graduation ceremony in favour of a trip to Mexico City to visit relatives. During the ceremony, Lizzie trips onstage and accidentally brings the curtain down on her fellow graduates; this causes her to be teased by her younger brother Matt and her ex-best friend Kate Sanders. After graduation, Lizzie and some of her class embark on a trip to Rome, Italy, chaperoned by their future high school principal, the rude and stern Angela Ungermeyer. To their dismay, Lizzie and Kate are assigned to the same hotel room.

Their class visits the Trevi Fountain, where Lizzie is approached by an Italian pop star named Paolo who mistakes her for his singing partner, Isabella. Paolo asks Lizzie to meet him at the fountain the next day and she feigns illness to sneak away. He explains that he and Isabella are booked for the Italian Music Awards, but she left Italy after their break-up. Paolo tells Lizzie that Isabella lip syncs and begs her to pose as Isabella for the concert. Lizzie reluctantly agrees but soon begins to enjoy the experience and to fall in love with Paolo.

Lizzie continues to fake being ill to prepare for the concert, but Kate quickly figures out her secret. To Lizzie's surprise, Kate agrees to help her and the two become friends again. Meanwhile, Ms. Ungermeyer interrogates the students to learn who has been sneaking out. Gordo takes the blame and is sent back home as punishment. Lizzie is shocked when Kate says that Gordo sacrificed himself to protect her. Back home, Matt browses the Internet and finds Italian gossip sites with pictures of Lizzie as Isabella. When he tells his parents, the family flies to Rome.

At the airport, Gordo meets Isabella, who is upset that someone is impersonating her. She and Gordo realise that Paolo is planning to have a nervous Lizzie unknowingly sing live at the concert (as Isabella actually does), creating the impression that Isabella is a fake, which would damage Isabella's career and embarrass Lizzie. Gordo and Isabella rush to the concert to stop him. When Lizzie's parents arrive in Rome, Ms. Ungermeyer learns that Lizzie is missing. Ethan reveals that she is performing at the Italian Music Awards, and Lizzie's family and the class also rush to the concert. Backstage, Gordo and Isabella find Lizzie preparing for the show and warn her about Paolo's scheme. Lizzie refuses to believe them at first, but Isabella convinces her that Paolo is using her. Ms. Ungermeyer gets the class (and Lizzie's family) into the concert by pushing her way through the bouncers.

During the performance, Isabella and Gordo expose Paolo (who is actually the one who lip syncs) by turning on his microphone, revealing his real voice. Embarrassed, Paolo runs off stage and is ambushed outside by paparazzi. Isabella introduces Lizzie to the crowd and the two of them sing "What Dreams Are Made Of". When Isabella leaves the stage, Lizzie finishes the song solo, displaying a newfound confidence. Later, they all celebrate at the hotel's after party, where Ms. Ungermeyer rescinds Gordo's punishment. Lizzie's parents tell her she is grounded for the summer, but they still are proud of her. Lizzie and Gordo sneak away from the party to go up to the roof, where they promise to never let things change between them. The two kiss and then rejoin the party before they get into more trouble. The film ends with fireworks spelling "The End" and the animated Lizzie, doing a parody of Tinker Bell, winking at the audience.

## Cast and Characters

* Hilary Duff as Lizzie McGuire and Isabella Parigi
	+ Haylie Duff as Isabella's Singing Voice
* Adam Lamberg as David Gordon
* Robert Carradine as Sam McGuire
* Hallie Todd as Jo McGuire
* Jake Thomas as Matt McGuire
* Yani Gellman as Paolo Valisari
* Alex Borstein as Ms. Angela Ungermeyer
* Clayton Snyder as Ethan Craft
* Ashlie Brillault as Katherine "Kate" Sanders
* Brendan Kelly as Sergei
* Carly Schroeder as Melina Bianco
* Daniel Escobar as Mr. Escobar
* Jody Raicot as Giorgio
* Terra MacLeod as Franca DiMontecatini
* Claude Knowlton as Stage Manager

## Music

See Also: The Lizzie McGuire Movie (Soundtrack)

## Possible Sequel

Following the film, there were plans to continue the Lizzie McGuire series, one of which included a planned sequel film. Nothing came to this due to creative difference with Duff and Disney. in August 2019 it was announced that Lizzie McGuire to be entering production for Disney+, with Duff reprising her role and Minsky returning as showrunner. Lamberg, Thomas, Todd and Carradine will also return to the series in their original roles. The series will be produced in association with Disney Channel.

## Production

The film, produced by Stan Rogow, was directed by Jim Fall from a screenplay by Susan Estelle Jansen, Ed Decter and John J. Strauss, was filmed on location in Rome, Italy in the fall of 2002. All the series characters reprised their roles except for Lalaine, who left the series late in the second season to film the Disney Channel original movie You Wish!. Her character was said to be on vacation with her family in Mexico City.

## Reception

### Critical Response

On Rotten Tomatoes the film has an approval 41% based on reviews from 99 critics. The site's consensus stated it was a "harmless piece of fluff that ought to satisfy fans of the TV show". On Metacritic the film has a score of 56 out of 100 based on reviews from 28 critics, indicating "mixed or average reviews". Audiences surveyed by CinemaScore gave the film a grade B on scale of A to F.

Scott Brown of Entertainment Weekly gave the film a B+, "Let's face it: Lizzie McGuire is just too darn polished to be a junior-high underdog, even by the standards of her 'luxe suburban environs'. But that hasn't tarnished her comeback-kid cred among the six-and-ups who faithfully follow her Disney Channel show and it doesn't make The Lizzie McGuire Movie, a clever, agreeably weightless theatrical outing, any less enjoyable." Roger Ebert gave the film two stars out of four, but praised Borstein's performance, calling her work "the only really delightful element in the movie; everything else is simply slick and professional."

### Box Office

In its opening weekend the film grossed $17.3 million in 2,825 theatres in the United States and Canada, ranking second behind X2: X-Men United. The Lizzie McGuire Movie grossed $42.7 million domestically and $12.8 million internationally for a worldwide total of $55.5 million.

## Home Media

The film was released on VHS and DVD on August 12, 2003

As of November 12, 2019, the film, along with the series, is available to stream on Disney+

## Awards and Nominations

 Movie Comedy, Movie Comedy Actress
 2004

**Films:** **The Lizzie McGuire Movie**
**Seasons:** Season 1 | Season 2
**Episodes:** List of Lizzie McGuire Episodes
**Other Media:** Lizzie McGuire Books | Lizzie McGuire Videography
**Music:** Lizzie McGuire (Soundtrack) | The Lizzie McGuire Movie (Soundtrack) | Lizzie McGuire: Total Party!