The Lizzie McGuire Movie on DVD

The Lizzie McGuire movie, not surprisingly, is based on the popular TV show.

We’ve never seen the show, but the movie is actually better than we’d expected. Then again, we didn't expect much...

Lizzie takes part in a school trip to Rome, where she meets a handsome Italian pop star who mistakes her for his ex-girlfriend/partner.

So we have the old “mistaken identity” schtick, but that isn’t necessarily a bad thing.

Paolo (the pop star) asks her to appear with him at an awards show, since he isn’t getting along with the woman he’d normally be expected to take.

The rest, as they say, is history. Lizzie suddenly shoots to stardom and has to deal with its effects.

In the end, this movie turns out to be a kid-friendly lesson in the importance of friendship and of family. And not nearly as heavy handed as we expected.

The Lizzie McGuire Movie seems to have all the elements for a decent time in the home theater, but it’s really best viewed by teens - which is not necessarily that surprising. Still, we like it when a movie transcends its genre or target audience and provides entertainment for a wider audience.

So to old folks like us (well, old compared to the target demographic!), the DVD comes off like Crossroads - though, thankfully, not nearly as bad.

Hilary Duff does a good job; she has good screen presence and we wouldn’t be surprised if she ends up having a long career if she doesn’t burn out.

Teens apparently drool over the Lizzie McGuire character in a way similar to how we older people drool over James Bond. If this is true, they’ll undoubtedly love what’s on tap with The Lizzie McGuire Movie.

Disney has turned the movie into a fine DVD. It’s presented in both 2.35:1 anamorphic widescreen (16x9 TV compatible) and Pan&Scan versions in one package. This is the way it should be if you must offer a P&S version.

The video quality is very good, with no grain or edge enhancement effects, though there’s some softness in places. Still overall, the details are excellent. Audio is Dolby Digital 5.1 surround and is also very good, though your surround speakers won’t get much of a workout until later in the movie.

Extras include a peek at the creation of Hilary Duff's solo album, deleted scenes (which, while indeed superfluous, would still have worked in the film). You also get a behind-the-scenes tour hosted by Hilary Duff herself, "Roamin' Volare" (in which Lizzie and Paolo rock through Rome - music video style, unfortunately, though the kids will probably like it), and Hilary's own "Why Not" music video.

The Lizzie McGuire Movie, from Walt Disney Home Entertainment,
94 min, anamorphic widescreen (2.35:1, 16x9 TV Compatible)/Pan&Scan, Dolby Digital 5.1 surround
Starring Hilary Duff, Adam Lamberg, Robert Carradine, Hallie Todd, Jake Thomas
Written by Susan Estelle Jansen and Ed Decter & John J. Strauss, Directed by Jim Fall

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