Material Girls, Hillary Duff good material

written August 19, 2006

Hillary Duff is one of the stars in this movie which I thoroughly enjoyed.

She co-stars with her sister Haylie.  Youngsters will even find themselves laughing along with adults at times.

The Duff sisters star as the Marchetta Sisters, Ava (Haylie) and Tanzie (Hilary). They're rich little rich girls, daughters of the late and still-beloved founder of a major cosmetics company.

They lead a lifestyle of the rich and famous, with an enormous house, a fancy car and a casual sense of entitlement. They may be a bit clueless, but they are never mean.

In a flash, it's all over. When their father's company suddenly crashes around them, they go, as they say, from Tiffany's to Target overnight. Now rich little poor girls, they have to understand how the other 99 percent lives, plus they determine to discover what happened at the company and restore their father's honor.

In the hands of director Martha Coolidge, the tone is fast-paced, bright and fun - Coolidge has successfully recovered the touch that made "Valley Girl" a hit. The movie has a touch of slapstick (the funniest scene, actually) and a hint or two of romance. The mystery may be a trifle trifling, but it does allow Anjelica Huston to be deliciously witchy and Brent Spiner to be oily.

Obba Babatundé also has some witty scenes as a distracted lawyer, and much of the dialogue is sharp, as in this exchange prompted by wearing slightly old clothes: "I feel so last year." "Calm down, retro's really in right now."

Perhaps most impressive are the Duffs, who obviously play sisters very well, though Ava's sudden mood changes seem forced. The two have our sympathy throughout, even when they suffer from having too much wealth and fame, conditions with which the actresses may be personally familiar.

The movie's quality can only come as a relief to Hilary Duff, who lately has been in a string of bombs. That's why they call her Materiel Girl.

This is one good movie you won't want to miss.

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