Confessions of a Teenage Drama Queen

This article is about the film. For the novel, see Confessions of a Teenage Drama Queen (novel). For the soundtrack album, see Confessions of a Teenage Drama Queen (soundtrack).

Confessions of a Teenage Drama Queen
File:Confessionsofateenagedramaqueenmovie.jpg Theatrical release poster
Directed by	Sara Sugarman
Written by	Dyan Sheldon (book) Gail Parent
Produced by	Robert Shapiro Matthew Hart
Starring	Lindsay Lohan Adam Garcia Glenne Headly Alison Pill Eli Marienthal Carol Kane Megan Fox
Cinematography	Stephen H. Burum
Edited by	Anita Brandt-Burgoyne
Music by	Mark Mothersbaugh
Distributed by	Walt Disney Pictures
Release date	February 20, 2004
Running time	89 min.
Country	United States of America
Language	English
Budget	$15 million
Box office	$33,051,296

Confessions of a Teenage Drama Queen is a 2004 American comedy film based on the book by Dyan Sheldon. which was released on February 20, 2004, by Walt Disney Pictures. The film was directed by Sara Sugarman with screenplay penned by Dyan Sheldon and Gail Parent. The film was produced by Robert Shapiro and Matthew Hart. The film stars Lindsay Lohan, Alison Pill, and Adam Garcia.

It was filmed in various locations, primarily south-central Los Angeles. The film was release in late February 2004 opening with little positive feedback from critics, but reached number two in the United States box office behind Adam Sandler's 50 First Dates. It was released July 20, 2004 on VHS and DVD.

Plot

The film is about Mary "Lola" Step (Lindsay Lohan), a 15-year-old girl who grew up in New York City and wants desperately to be a famous Broadway actress. Lola narrates the story. When she moves with her family to the suburbs of Dellwood, New Jersey, much to her chagrin, she confidently tells the audience "A legend is about to be born. That legend would be me."

At school, Lola makes friends with an unpopular girl named Ella Gerard (Alison Pill), who shares her love for the band Sidarthur. Lola is infatuated with the band's lead singer Stu Wolf (Adam Garcia). Lola also meets Sam, a cute boy who takes a liking to her, and makes enemies with Carla Santini (Megan Fox), the most popular girl in school.

When Lola auditions for the school play, a modernized musical version of Pygmalion called "Eliza Rocks", she is chosen over Carla to play Eliza, and Carla promises to make her life miserable. Lola also beats Carla on a dancing video game at an arcade, where Carla reveals that she has tickets to Sidarthur's farewell concert, the band having recently decided to break up. Afraid of being one-upped by Carla, Lola falsely claims that she and Ella have tickets too. She loses her chance to buy tickets and new clothes when her mother takes away her allowance, and the concert is sold out by the time she convinces Ella to pay for the tickets. But Lola explains that they can buy tickets from a scalper, and she gets Sam to sneak Eliza's dress out of the costume room for her to wear at the concert.

On the night of the concert, Lola and Ella take a train to New York City, but Lola loses the money for the tickets and her plan to sneak into the concert doesn't work. Lola and Ella finally give up and walk through the city to Stu's after-show party. When they get there, Stu stumbles drunkenly out of the building and passes out in an alley. The two girls take him to a diner to sober him up, but he gets in trouble and they end up at a police station, where Lola gives her father's New York City address.

At this point, Lola's dishonesty becomes a problem. When she met Ella, she tried to impress her by telling her a dramatic story about her father dying years earlier. Ella highly values honesty, so she becomes infuriated when she discovers that Lola's story was a lie. After Lola's father arrives and they explain what happened, Stu gratefully takes them all back to the party, where Ella forgives Lola for lying and the two girls see Carla, who sees them as well and looks upset. Lola talks with Stu about his work, but is disappointed to discover that he is a drunk.

Back at school, Carla denies seeing Lola or Ella at the party, and none of the other students believe Lola's story about being arrested with Stu and leaving her necklace at his house. Carla convinces everyone that Lola is a liar, and she is humiliated.

Afterward, Lola goes home, depressed, and refuses to perform in the play, but she is spurred on by Ella's encouragement and arrives backstage just in time to prevent Carla from taking over her part. As she is about to go on stage, her mother wishes her good luck and finally calls her by her nickname "Lola". After a great performance, Lola and the rest of the cast go to an after-party at Carla's house, where Stu Wolf shows up to see Lola. Carla tries to save herself from humiliation by saying he is there to see her, but is proved wrong when Stu gives Lola her necklace in front of everyone. As Carla's lies become apparent, she backs away from the crowd on the verge of tears and falls into a fountain, greeted by everyone's laughter. In a conciliatory gesture, Lola helps her up, and Carla accepts defeat. After dancing with Stu, Lola dances with Sam and they eventually share a kiss, ending the film.

Cast

• Lindsay Lohan as Mary "Lola" Step
• Megan Fox as Carla Santini
• Alison Pill as Ella Gerard
• Eli Marienthal as Sam
• Glenne Headly as Karen Cep
• Adam Garcia as Stuart'Stu' Wolf
• Carol Kane as Miss Baggoli
• Sheila McCarthy as Mrs. Gerard
• Tom McCamus as Calum Cep
• Alison Sealy-Smith as Sgt. Rose
• Ashley Leggat as Marcia
• Barbara Mamabolo as Robin
• Maggie Oskam as Paige
• Rachael Oskam as Paula
• Ashley Leggat as Marcia

Filming locations

Most of the movie was filmed in Canada. Scenes at the high school were filmed at Birchmount Park Collegiate Institute, in Scarborough, Ontario, Canada. The scene in front of the concert venue was filmed at Toronto's Elgin Theatre on Yonge Street. As well Montreal was the filming locations for many of the scenes. Scenes were also filmed in King City Secondary School in King City, Ontario.

Reception

Reviews

Based on 87 reviews collected by Rotten Tomatoes, the film received an average 13% overall approval rating. Parent Previews gave the film an overall grade of C+. Dennis Harvey of Variety magazine commented in his review that "Based on Dyan Sheldon's popular youth fiction, Confessions of a Teenage Drama Queen emerges a strained showcase for up-and-comer Lindsay Lohan as a sophisticated Big Apple teen unhappily relocated to New Jersey. Minimally funny comedy feels like a Disney Channel pic that got boosted to theatrical after Lohan scored a hit opposite Jamie Lee Curtis in the "Freaky Friday" remake. Nonetheless, it should have a lock on the 7- to 12-year-old female demo for a couple weekends before finding longer tube/tape shelf life." Ultimate Disney reviewed the DVD saying that it "doesn't garner a recommendation as a film, and its DVD special features are as breezy and shallow as the movie itself. Lindsay Lohan fans and teenage girls are bound to be the most interested, and they might well enjoy it on the surface as light entertainment. But for others, one viewing may be more than enough."

Box office

Despite mostly negative critical reception, the film grossed a modest $9.3 million in its opening weekend (February 20-22, 2004), debuting at #2, right behind Adam Sandler's 50 First Dates. The film did fairly at the box office, grossing $29 million domestically and $30 million worldwide.

External links

• Confessions of a Teenage Drama Queen at IMDb
• Confessions of a Teenage Drama Queen at AllMovie
• Confessions of a Teenage Drama Queen Disney site, with suppressible music and voice.