PREMIERE.COM'S REVIEW (posted 10/8/04)


Preteen girls everywhere obsessed with the reigning tween queen Hilary Duff should pocket their hard earned babysitting cash and allowances instead of shelling out the money to see this flick which will likely leave them feeling short-changed.

Duff stars as Terri, an aspiring singer who desperately wants to get into a summer program at Bristol-Hillman Conservatory in Los Angeles. Her unrealistically supportive brother Paul (Jason Ritter) secretly tapes her performing and sends it to the school. Afterwards, they sneak out of the house together to go see rock band Three Days Grace, but on the way home their car is hit by a drunk driver and Paul doesn't survive.

Thrown into a fit of depression due to Paul's sudden death, Terri refuses to sing and crumples up her Hillman acceptance letter. Her mother (Rita Wilson) encourages her to go, because that's what Paul would want, but her stubborn father (David Keith) won't even entertain the idea of his 16-year-old daughter going to the big city alone. So Terri's mischievous aunt Nina (Rebecca De Mornay)—who is the only person in her family who actually looks like her, mostly because they seem to share a wardrobe—covers for her.

Once in the big city, her life turns into a light modern version of Fame as the teen tries to adjust to some diva-like competition in her vocal classes and on the dating scene. It takes at least a half an hour for this film to actually go somewhere, but then it becomes utterly predictable. Duff looks cute and adorable, but her pouty lips can't hide the fact that she's warbling her way through the tougher stuff.

—Angel Cohn