"HEY now, hey now, this is what dreams are made of..."

So sings daydreamer Lizzie McGuire in this enjoyable and undemanding wish fulfilment fantasy based on the popular Disney television series, which has made Hilary Duff a well-known name to savvy teenagers.

Like its small screen counterpart, The Lizzie McGuire Movie is a light-hearted romp about a young girl finding her way in the world.

The plucky heroine's inner thoughts and conscience are represented by a pint-sized animated Lizzie, a cute narrative device which accounts for many of the film's gentle laughs.

Following a disastrous graduation ceremony, during which she accidentally destroyed the presentation stage, Lizzie (Duff) packs her bags for a class trip to Rome with classmates Gordo (Adam Lamberg), Kate (Ashlie Brillault) and Ethan (Clayton Snyder).

Lizzie's parents think the holiday will do her good, if their daughter can survive the onslaught of educational excursions organised by new headmistress Miss Ungermeyer (Alex Borstein).

On her very first day in Rome, Lizzie is mistaken for Italian pop sensation Isabella, the girlfriend-come-singing partner to dreamboat Paolo (Yani Gellman). On a whim, Lizzie agrees to pose as Isabella and accompany Paolo to a high profile awards show, where she falls under the spell of her dashing partner.

Meanwhile, Gordo struggles with his burgeoning attraction to Lizzie and his jealousy that she is spending so much time with Paolo.

The Lizzie McGuire Movie retains the same cast as the television series and an identical mix of comedy and drama.

Duff sparkles in her twin roles as Lizzie and Isabella, who meet face to face with the help of some seamless computer trickery. Lamberg is an endearing fall guy and Borstein scene-steals mercilessly as the teacher who believes that learning is fun, fun, fun!

The plot is flimsy at best, setting up a lack-lustre grandstand finale in which Lizzie is transformed into an international pop star.

Fans of the television show, predominantly the film's target audience of teenage girls, will no doubt thrill as their hapless heroine triumphs in the face of adversity. Lizzie will have a much harder time hitting the right notes with older viewers.

See it at UCI, Odeon