CONFESSIONS OF A TEENAGE DRAMA QUEEN
A likable heroine makes a weak comedy better suited for home.
Should You Watch It?
This is a small, energetic comedy built around Lindsay Lohan’s appealing performance. Lola’s imagination and confidence make her easy to root for, and the story eventually shows that her lies hurt the people who matter most to her.
But the movie does not give those lies enough weight. Lola deceives her parents, encourages a friend to lie, steals a dress, and lies to her school, yet the consequences feel limited. The result may confuse very young viewers, who see a likable heroine with serious flaws but little convincing evidence that she has changed.
The family-friendly choice is to watch this one at home, where you can discuss Lola’s choices and their consequences.
The Story
NO SPOILERS — WE KEEP THE SURPRISESMary “Lola” Cep considers herself a teenage drama queen and dreams of becoming a star. When her mother moves the family from New York City to suburban New Jersey, Lola must start over at a new high school.
She clashes with the current drama queen, Carla Santini, while bonding with shy Ella over their favorite rock band. When Lola wins the lead in the school production of Pygmalion, rivalries and ambitions grow—and Lola’s dramatic imagination begins spilling into her real life.
Is It Any Good?
Two stars means this film has some appeal but falls short of its potential. Lindsay Lohan is energetic and appealing, helping viewers empathize with Lola even when the script makes her irresponsible and deceitful.
The movie opens with the hype and potential of a Broadway show, but its dramatic antics are not enough to sustain the story. It feels more like a 90-minute sitcom episode, with Lola landing in comedic predicaments and recovering with minimal backlash. The film’s central flaw is not that Lola is dramatic, but that her supposed growth never feels fully convincing.
The Worldview
The film presents a strongly romantic worldview. Lola is wrapped up in idealism and often judges right and wrong by her emotions. Her imagination and individuality are celebrated, but those qualities become excuses for lying, deception, and rebellion.
The movie does include moral and redemptive elements, especially when Lola’s dishonesty is eventually shown to be hurtful and damaging. Forgiveness is also present. Still, the consequences arrive very late and are minimized, so the film never fully establishes that Lola has changed.
The story also includes false religion when Lola meditates to imitate Gandhi’s hunger strike. Environmentalist concerns appear through her free-spirited mother, who “doesn’t believe in microwaves.” The movie’s better lesson is that creativity cannot make dishonesty harmless. Scripture says, “Therefore, having put away falsehood, let each one of you speak the truth with his neighbor” (Ephesians 4:25).
The Content Guide
The specifics — spoilers included by nature — so you can judge for your own family.
Content Summary
Strong romantic worldview in which the heroine is wrapped up in idealism and judges right and wrong by her emotions, with some moral, redemptive elements such as forgiveness, false religion depicted when girl meditates to imitate Ghandi’s hunger strike, and environmentalist concerns as free-spirited mother “doesn’t believe in microwaves”; no foul language; no violence; no sex; upper male nudity as rock star is shirtless on poster; alcohol abuse shown, mocked, and rebuked; and, extreme lying, deception, and rebellion, which are eventually rebuked, though very late. GENRE: Comedy
Talk About It
Questions for the drive home, the dinner table, or the youth group.
Lola tells stories and lies to make her life sound more interesting. Why can dishonesty seem attractive in the moment, and what does it cost others?
Proverbs 12:22 · Ephesians 4:25Lola’s lies are eventually exposed, but their consequences are minimized. What should real repentance include beyond simply being sorry?
2 Corinthians 7:10 · Luke 3:8Lola wants to be admired and treated as special. Where should our identity and worth come from?
Psalm 139:13–14 · Galatians 2:20Lola hurts the people who matter most to her. How can forgiveness rebuild trust, and what responsibilities remain after forgiveness?
Colossians 3:13 · Luke 17:3–4The Final Word
Lindsay Lohan brings energy and appeal to a comedy that never makes Lola’s dishonesty feel as serious as it should. Because the film is thin and its moral consequences are weak, WAIT FOR HOME is the better choice for your family. For a stronger family movie night, see.
