Confessions of a Teenage Drama Queen (2004)

13% of critics liked it
(89 reviews)
48% of users liked it
(376,885 ratings)

British actress/director Sara Sugarman makes her U.S. feature debut with the Disney-produced comedy Confessions of a Teenage Drama Queen, based on the young-adult novel by Dyan Sheldon and adapted for the screen by Gail Parent. The story concerns a popular urban teenager named Mary Elizabeth Cep… More British actress/director Sara Sugarman makes her U.S. feature debut with the Disney-produced comedy Confessions of a Teenage Drama Queen, based on the young-adult novel by Dyan Sheldon and adapted for the screen by Gail Parent. The story concerns a popular urban teenager named Mary Elizabeth Cep (Lindsay Lohan), who is convinced her real name is Lola. Unfortunately, her family moves from fashionable New York City to a small suburb in New Jersey. Disturbed by her environment, Lola is quick to wage war against the popular Carla Santini (Megan Fox). She's also pursued by high school hunk Stu Wolff (Adam Garcia), but chooses to focus her attention on winning back her title of Most Popular Girl in School. With the help of a frumpy drama teacher (Carol Kane) and shy new friend Ella (Alison Pill), Lola creates a dramatic performance to earn her coveted high status. ~ Andrea LeVasseur, Rovi

Rating, Runtime: PG, 1 hr. 29 min.
Directed By: Sara Sugarman
Written By: Gail Parent
Genres: Comedy

In Theaters: Feb 20, 2004 Wide
On DVD: Jul 20, 2004
Studio: Touchstone Pictures

Critic Reviews

Robert K. Elder, Chicago Tribune
A star vehicle with three flat tires and sugar in the gas tank.
Lisa Schwarzbaum, Entertainment Weekly
Dear Diary: The truth is that there's nothing much to confess in the made-for-tweens comedy Confessions of a Teenage Drama Queen.
Anya Kamenetz, Village Voice
Smug, sanitized fantasy, in which the hysterical blonde attention-seeker, in a succession of sparkly outfits, is uprooted from New York to the boring suburbs and learns boring suburban values like telling the truth.
Desson Thomson, Washington Post
A movie that -- even by Disney's formulaic standards -- is about as cut and dried as the phone book.
Michael O'Sullivan, Washington Post
The superficial sweetness masks something rotten.
Nell Minow, Common Sense Media
Enjoyable movie about the trials of being a teen.
Lisa Ann Cockrel, Christianity Today
Only the 13-and-under set will buy into the Confessions vision of teen-hood. Most actual teens have already noted the lack of opportunities for air-guitar montages.
Michael Szymanski, International Press Academy
A confession is that I didn't hate this as much as I thought...
Nick Schager, Lessons of Darkness
Mind-numbingly juvenile.
Gerry Shamray, Sun Newspapers of Cleveland
[My wife] explained my snooze to Drama Queen as a male reaction to a film strictly meant for ladies.
Sarah Chauncey, Reel.com
Despite being ostracized, Lola is comfortable with being different; she celebrates it. That alone sets Drama Queen apart from the rest of the [teen] films.
John J. Puccio, Movie Metropolis
It may be perfect for thirteen-year-old girls whiling away a dead afternoon, but for the rest of us it may be a long haul getting through.
John J. Puccio, Movie Metropolis
...a perfectly bland, homogenized, milquetoast piece of inconsequential would-be comedy fluff.

Read all 13 critic reviews

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Featured Audience Ratings

Alexander D

CONFESSIONS OF A TEENAGE DRAMA QUEEN, like many Disney flicks, is teenage Hollywood fluff. Nothing special (or good) at all.
Cassie H

Such a sweet & adorable movie that definitely begs the question, What the hell happened to Lindsay Lohan. I mean this movie was just fabulous with Lohan as the star Lola Cep, who is just a teenager looking for stardom. Even though all of us know that Lohan will probably never come… More
Such a sweet & adorable movie that definitely begs the question, What the hell happened to Lindsay Lohan. I mean this movie was just fabulous with Lohan as the star Lola Cep, who is just a teenager looking for stardom. Even though all of us know that Lohan will probably never come back from her drug & alcohol addiction, we should all remember that she was once a great child star.
Bethany M

Another average chick flick. Wasn't awful, but it wasn't great. Another guilty pleasure. One of those films that you might watch now and again if you're bored.
erika b

really good film but it was lacking some stuff
Dead A

This was the worst role of Lindsay Lohan. Her acting isn't that great but this made her looked more bad. And the story was stupid. I watched this right after the movie "Freaky Friday" so imagine how disappointed I am (on Lindsay Lohan). And look at… More
This was the worst role of Lindsay Lohan. Her acting isn't that great but this made her looked more bad. And the story was stupid. I watched this right after the movie "Freaky Friday" so imagine how disappointed I am (on Lindsay Lohan). And look at her clothes. WHO WAS THE DESIGNER FOR THOSE UGLY OUTFITS? The most unfashionable dresses I've ever seen in my life I tell you. Now I wouldn't say I was bored because surprisingly, I wasn't. But the first word that came out my mind after watching this was pointless. So yeah, ignore this if you can. You won't regret unless you're a big fan of Lindsay Lohan or Megan Fox (I know some fans who'll digest the crap for their favorite celebrity, pathetic in my opinion).
Richard C

this movie sucked so much. I hate it. they need to burn all the copies of the movie in the world so this can never be seen again. F
Conner R

For a really corny girl-centric disney movie, I love it. How can you not find something incredibly interesting about seeing two powerhouses like Lindsay Lohan and Megan Fox bicker and challenge each other to countless duels of wit. I think it's got some really incredibly bizarre… More
For a really corny girl-centric disney movie, I love it. How can you not find something incredibly interesting about seeing two powerhouses like Lindsay Lohan and Megan Fox bicker and challenge each other to countless duels of wit. I think it's got some really incredibly bizarre moments that really set it home for being a classic must see disney movie.
Sophie B

Quite funny and different but it's not my sort of thing.
Jennifer X

complete waste of time.
Rachel F

It blew.
Dean M

Fine family comedy with Lindsay Lohan, some are hilarious.
Leigh R

It was alright.
Morgan S

seen it waaay tomany times
Jackson W

Terrible pointless film
Yinalí R

Didn't like so much.
Daniel P

Very average Lindsay Lohan vehicle - she's ok in this, but her character is rather conceited and annoying. The film also doesn't have the comedy or pathos of Freaky Friday nor the spirit or bite of Mean Girls. The best part of the film… More
Very average Lindsay Lohan vehicle - she's ok in this, but her character is rather conceited and annoying. The film also doesn't have the comedy or pathos of Freaky Friday nor the spirit or bite of Mean Girls. The best part of the film is also what it's structured around, to the effect that what comes before is build-up (of a sort) and what happens after is uninteresting: Lola (Lohan) gets to met her idol, lead singer of pop-group Sidarthur, Stu (a bizarre Adam Garcia), only to have her romantic ideals of him ("He's the greatest writer since Shakespeare!") shattered when she discovers he's a drunk loser. There's a good film trying to get out of this mediocre effort, but the leaden writing, grating supporting performances from the adults and bland direction (the insertion of 'pop-up book' style sequences is soon abandoned in favour of made for TV production values) stop it from being anything but blah-ish. Admittedly I'm not exactly the target demographic for this kind of stuff; pre-teen and young teenage girls may very well love it.
Jason S

Another Lohan vehicle, and while Mean Girls was bitingly top entertainment, here is a lifeless, stale teen drama that only appeals to the smallest niche of audiences. Its not bad, but its not that good either.
Andrew F

Why did I watch this twice? Terrible!
Sunil J

It's likeable but nothing special. Maybe skip it and watch Mean Girls again.
Marcus W

Rich girl goes to small town and has to adjust. She also lies a lot. There's no plot, instead she tries to go to a concert, then there's a school play, Megan Fox turns up and plays bitch. She then realises that she was alright and everything she had was right here or… More
Rich girl goes to small town and has to adjust. She also lies a lot. There's no plot, instead she tries to go to a concert, then there's a school play, Megan Fox turns up and plays bitch. She then realises that she was alright and everything she had was right here or something. There were some great costumes though.