DVD Review
by Kevin Carr
| MOVIE: *** (out of 5 stars)
DVD EXPERIENCE: *** (out of 5 stars) STARRING Hilary Duff as LIZZIE MCGUIRE Lalaine as MIRANDA Adam Lamberg as GORDO Jake Thomas as MATT Hallie Todd as MRS. MCGUIRE Robert Carradine as MR. MCGUIRE TV-G Studio: Disney Created by: Terri Minsky Back to DVD Review Home |
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I’ve gotta admit. “Lizzie McGuire” was actually a pretty good show. Sure, it was your standard junior high school angst-and-bubble-gum show, but it really had a lot of heart. Thinking back to what it was like at that age, I can see where this show caught on with the viewers.
It’s too bad Hilary Duff got too big for her britches and had to bring the thing to a screeching halt. And if you don’t believe that Hilary Duff doesn’t consider herself out of the Lizzie McGuire league, then you should take note of the fact that she doesn’t even return to the sound booth to record a commentary track or two. Heck, the rest of the cast did. (Although I do realize that none of these other cast members have much of a career outside of this show.)
If you’re used to seeing Hilary Duff at the Video Music Awards, your jaw will drop when you get a gander at how she looks in this first season of “Lizzie McGuire.” These were shot back when she was still an honest-to-god kid, and even includes an episode where she and Miranda (Lalaine) buy their first bras.
Now that the television show and spin-off movie have come and gone, it’s nice to sit down and watch the episodes unimpeded by the non-commercial commercial breaks on the Disney Channel. There’s a certain magic to these early episodes. After all, they were filmed before Duff became a star and before anyone even knew the show would take off.
The production value is pretty low. Although comparable for a kids cable dramady, it is clear that this show never had a whopping budget. Still, the show had heart, and it seemed to have a family atmosphere. Fortunately because the show was still in its infancy, there were few forced guest spots, save an annoying appearance by Aaron Carter.
“Lizzie McGuire” is a good family show that kids of all ages (and genders) can enjoy. This four-disc set contains all 22 episodes of the first season. There are three optional commentary tracks with cast members Lalaine (Miranda), Ashlie Brillault (Kate), Clayton Snyder (Ethan) and Jake Thomas (Matt). These cast members also get together for a short gab session to talk about how the show impacted - and still affects - their lives.
Because Hilary Duff is noticeably absent from any special features, Ashlie Brillault (who played the “queen of mean” Kate on the show) takes the audience through the fashion and make-up of “Lizzie McGuire.” In fact, Brillault takes a daring step by showing up with no make-up at all and letting all of her imperfections hang out. This is a very bold and gutsy move for an actress, and she is to be commended for it. It’s also a nice gesture to the young girls who watch the show to see that the beautiful people they see on television have imperfections too.
Specifications: Dolby Digital Surround Sound. Full frame (1.33:1). English language subtitles for the hearing impaired.
