AGW Entertainment reporter Lynn B. saw a new teen-friendly adventure film...

THE LIZZIE McGUIRE MOVIE

Walt Disney Pictures

Hilary Duff certainly looks older than a recent Junior High graduate but tons of teen and tween girls want to be her. In her film, Lizzie graduates and finally gets to be popular ….as an Italian pop star!

In the movie, Lizzie and some of her TV-series classmates, Gordo (Adam Lamberg), snooty Kate (Ashlie Brillault) and clueless skateboarder Ethan (Clayton Snyder) graduate from junior high and go on a class trip to Rome where they're supervised by chunky, wisecracking Miss Ungermeyer ( Mad T.V.'s Alex Borstein).

In Rome, a hot Italian pop-star named Paolo (Yani Gellman) is attracted to Lizzie and mistakes her for his sultry singing partner Isabella who is supposed to be pouting on some island after a disagreement with him. Lizzie starts sneaking out of her hotel to tour Rome with Paolo while love-sick Gordo covers for her. Paolo also talks her into substituting for Isabella on a big TV special. When Kate, who turns out to be a little nicer than she is on t.v., finds out, she pouts to Lizzie, "How did you get my trip?"

Gordo gets in trouble for covering for Lizzie but she gets her big moment on stage and helps expose the pop duo's dark secret.

If you like the t.v. series, you'll love this expanded version. Lizzie and Gordo finally kiss and the cute cartoon Lizzie from the series pops in occasionally to voice her thoughts. Hilary wears some cute and very wild outfits. Everything Lizzie does in this film is set to pop music and then there is her singing, dancing Britney-style pop debut on stage. Lizzie does start out as her usual klutzy self, as she trips at graduation on stage and is ridiculed. She's a little gawky and spastic in Rome as well but she's suddenly mega-popular so that even Kate is jealous. We wonder how she'll go back home and pick up and a klutzy nerd again.

Alex Borstein, who you might know as Ms. Swan on "Mad T.V.", is hilarious as chaperone Ms. Ungermeyer and Lizzie fans will have fun watching Hilary do the pop singing and dancing. It's interesting to see Duff in a dual role as the Italian popster Isabella even if her accent does fade in and out. There is a good message here too. People aren't always what they seem on the surface so don't make snap judgments.

If you or your younger sis are into family friendly teen adventure, check it out.

Rated: PG

Official website