Ok, I admit it, when the networks fail to provide you with originality you go to cable programming. While it may be on the head and didactic at times it is funny and at times more honest than network dramas, barring 'Everwood,' of course. Being a fan and knowing that Disney has a track record of ruining great things I had my doubts.
The first half of the film is seriously flawed in that the filmmakers didn't know whether or not this was a "long episode" or a "feature film." Detracting from the beginning are, in shopping list fashion so as not to be belligerent: 1) Ms. Ungermayer; 2) Miranda (Lalaine) getting written out of another story;
3) inconsistent cutting between storylines, inconsistent character behavior with the show (The MaGuires); 4)Disney's own marketing machine overplays its hand by pointing out that Paolo's accent is hammy and not authentic in their "Movie Surfer" segments;
5) There are also bad canned music choices and remixes;
6)The cartoon is back. 7) And other little idiosyncrasies that annoy the avid viewer (ie geek).
I gave this laundry list to point out that the second half of this film gets much better. It seems like the filmmakers finally figured out where the episode format could come into play, even though they forfeited the first act, unforgivably. The Dogme style of cinematography employed by Jerzy Zielinski added a dreamlike and surrealistic quality to many of the scenes that needed it, and it was a welcome choice unlike the changing of director from either the usual Savage Steve Holland or Steve de Jarnatt. The fuzzy images the Danish have given to the world work beautifully and of course shooting in Rome helps it almost have a surrealistic quality.
Stumbly direction aside the actors all eventually give their usual performances and some their all, Clayton Snyder (Ethan) is hilarious as ever playing his irreverent goof and Ashlie Brillaut (Kate) both foil and oppose the characters they were placed with (Gordo and Lizzie, respectively).
The filmmakers had an advantage when making this film. The subtext was in place. Everyone who watches the show knows these characters inside and out. So like Star Wars geeks we eagerly anticipate what we know is going to happen and hope it happens in an exciting and different way than expected. The first half of the film is stilted and awkward for a number of reasons perhaps due to the fact that the way the story was being constructed, the average viewer may need 2h30m to get into it. However, this is a niche film - not a blockbuster- so it should've been character all the way. And that's what it was in the second half. The new characters were set and the 'tried and true' felt comfortable again.
The latter portion of the 2nd act is pure Lizzie Maguire.
The 3rd act is pure visceral-cinema, in my mind that's the best kind.
So despite all its faults I give this film a 7 of 10.
The first half of the film is seriously flawed in that the filmmakers didn't know whether or not this was a "long episode" or a "feature film." Detracting from the beginning are, in shopping list fashion so as not to be belligerent: 1) Ms. Ungermayer; 2) Miranda (Lalaine) getting written out of another story;
3) inconsistent cutting between storylines, inconsistent character behavior with the show (The MaGuires); 4)Disney's own marketing machine overplays its hand by pointing out that Paolo's accent is hammy and not authentic in their "Movie Surfer" segments;
5) There are also bad canned music choices and remixes;
6)The cartoon is back. 7) And other little idiosyncrasies that annoy the avid viewer (ie geek).
I gave this laundry list to point out that the second half of this film gets much better. It seems like the filmmakers finally figured out where the episode format could come into play, even though they forfeited the first act, unforgivably. The Dogme style of cinematography employed by Jerzy Zielinski added a dreamlike and surrealistic quality to many of the scenes that needed it, and it was a welcome choice unlike the changing of director from either the usual Savage Steve Holland or Steve de Jarnatt. The fuzzy images the Danish have given to the world work beautifully and of course shooting in Rome helps it almost have a surrealistic quality.
Stumbly direction aside the actors all eventually give their usual performances and some their all, Clayton Snyder (Ethan) is hilarious as ever playing his irreverent goof and Ashlie Brillaut (Kate) both foil and oppose the characters they were placed with (Gordo and Lizzie, respectively).
The filmmakers had an advantage when making this film. The subtext was in place. Everyone who watches the show knows these characters inside and out. So like Star Wars geeks we eagerly anticipate what we know is going to happen and hope it happens in an exciting and different way than expected. The first half of the film is stilted and awkward for a number of reasons perhaps due to the fact that the way the story was being constructed, the average viewer may need 2h30m to get into it. However, this is a niche film - not a blockbuster- so it should've been character all the way. And that's what it was in the second half. The new characters were set and the 'tried and true' felt comfortable again.
The latter portion of the 2nd act is pure Lizzie Maguire.
The 3rd act is pure visceral-cinema, in my mind that's the best kind.
So despite all its faults I give this film a 7 of 10.