Material Girls (2006)

4% of critics liked it
(52 reviews)
57% of users liked it
(220,820 ratings)

Stripped of their wealth and forced to fend for themselves when the multi-million-dollar cosmetics company inherited from their father suffers due to controversy, two sisters who have never known the simple life must finally find out how the other half lives in a high-fashion comedy about hard times… More Stripped of their wealth and forced to fend for themselves when the multi-million-dollar cosmetics company inherited from their father suffers due to controversy, two sisters who have never known the simple life must finally find out how the other half lives in a high-fashion comedy about hard times starring Hilary and Haylie Duff. Ava (Haylie) and Tanza (Hilary) are teen heiresses whose charmed lives consist of little more than showing up at all the hottest celebrity parties and putting in the occasional cameo at their company's board meetings while letting the responsible adults in charge handle all of the complicated details. All of that changes, however, when an unforeseen scandal robs the privileged "celebutantes" of their car, their cash, and even their lavish home; but what's a poor little rich girl to do when everything she's ever known is suddenly made null and void? In the case of Ava and Tanza, the only answer is to use their substantial setback as a means of realizing their true potential, and put the wisdom imparted to them by their father to use in clearing the family name and proving that there's much more to life than the almighty dollar. ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi

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Rating, Runtime: PG, 1 hr. 38 min.
Directed By: Martha Coolidge
Written By: John Quaintance, Jessica O'Toole, Amy Rardin
Genres: Drama, Comedy

In Theaters: Aug 18, 2006 Wide
On DVD: Dec 12, 2006
Studio: MGM/UA

Critic Reviews

Jonathan Rosenbaum, Chicago Reader
Under the circumstances, Anjelica Huston and Lukas Haas manage not to embarrass themselves, but only because they're pretending to be in a different movie.
Gregory Kirschling, Entertainment Weekly
It's not Clueless, just clueless.
Manohla Dargis, New York Times
An incompetent spin on the poor-little-rich-girl story, the film involves a lot of wardrobe changes and product placements, and a smidgen of intrigue and some chaste romance.
Michael Hardy, Boston Globe
It succeeds on its own terms. These days, even pre teens live in a material world.
Frank Scheck, Hollywood Reporter
Even by the low standards of the genre it represents, this female teen comedy represents a new nadir.
Lou Lumenick, New York Post
It's sort of reassuring that although Madge has seemingly given up starring in bad movies, her company is still financing terrible scripts.
Jane Boursaw, Common Sense Media
A brain-numbing, fluffy flick for tweens.
Brooke Holgerson, Boston Phoenix
An insipid mess not worthy of the tweens who flock to such flicks.
Felix Vasquez Jr., Cinema Crazed
Sometimes I hate my job. I really hate it.
Brian Marder, Hollywood.com
Along the way, self-discovery bangs 'em over the head.
Jim Lane, Sacramento News & Review
The Duff sisters are pleasant personalities, but the vapid bimbosity of their characters quickly becomes grating.
Anton Bitel, Film4
Forced to endure such casually offensive nonsense, the viewer ends up slumming it far more than the duff protagonists.
Philip French, Observer [UK]
A Duff movie indeed.
Peter Bradshaw, Guardian [UK]
The film's sole purpose is to promote, with chilling lack of irony, Hilary Duff's own brand of perfume -- oh, and there's her single as well.
Matthew Turner, ViewLondon
Watchable enough and by no means as bad as The Perfect Man, although there's not much here that'll interest the over-12s.
Anna Smith, Time Out
Co-stars Anjelica Huston and Lukas Haas attempt to rise above it all, but you can almost feel them wincing at the confused tone and risible dialogue.
Anna Smith, Empire Magazine
Messy, patronising and tonally confused, this vanity project - timed to co-incide with Hilary Duff's perfume launch - quite frankly stinks.
Neil Smith, Total Film
"This thing is screwier than Courtney Love!" whimpers Hilary in her usual chihuahua-on-helium whine. Even she, however, manages to shine next to her aggravating older sister, saddled as she is with all the comic timing of a mortally wounded elephant.
Stella Papamichael, BBC
Haylie and sister Hilary Duff just don't have the comedy stylings to sell this half-baked story of heiress sisters battling to save their dad's cosmetics empire from ruin.
Kevin Carr, 7M Pictures
seems more of an ode to Paris and Nicky Hilton than a decent vehicle for these sisters

Read all 21 critic reviews

Critic ratings and reviews powered by RottenTomatoes.com

Fresh (60% or more critics rated the movie positively)

Rotten (59% or fewer critics rated the movie positively)

Featured Audience Ratings

Bethany M

I was a tween when I watched this, so I liked it more then than I realise I do now. I wouldn't say it was a disastourous film but it wasn't one of Hilary Duff's best. It's your average chick flick although does educate you on how money isn't everything and the… More
I was a tween when I watched this, so I liked it more then than I realise I do now. I wouldn't say it was a disastourous film but it wasn't one of Hilary Duff's best. It's your average chick flick although does educate you on how money isn't everything and the people in your life are much more important and worth more than money ever will be.
erika b

This film was weak all over. 1not a good plot 2 not good acting.
Richard C

D
Dead A

Nice.
Luke B

It has Hilary Duff in it, which is good. The rest of the film is just a cliched mess. The two rich girls experiencing poor life is ridiculous, as they act like aliens, being unable to communicate or function in the outside world. These acts of "humour" just get more and more… More
It has Hilary Duff in it, which is good. The rest of the film is just a cliched mess. The two rich girls experiencing poor life is ridiculous, as they act like aliens, being unable to communicate or function in the outside world. These acts of "humour" just get more and more ridiculous to the point of sighs and groans. There's also a lot of misjudged editing techniques, such as, some of the most pointless split-screen action around. It's bubbly, cute and probably fun for it's target audience, but it has a very short shelf life.
Arash X

I can't believe I watched this twice
Bobby H

Hilary and Haylie Duff might be two of the hottest girls thats ever lived. Thats the reason I watched this movie... Honestly though, it turned out to be better then just two hot girls. It had a great moral for the story, and a fun plot to follow a long. It was predictable, and had… More
Hilary and Haylie Duff might be two of the hottest girls thats ever lived. Thats the reason I watched this movie... Honestly though, it turned out to be better then just two hot girls. It had a great moral for the story, and a fun plot to follow a long. It was predictable, and had some parts that probably would never actually happen, but it's a family fun movie and it's well worth watching.
Leigh R

So-so... I expected better performances from the Duff girls. Especially Haylie.
Dean M

The Duff sisters are so funny what they do after their life were ruined and lost a fortune. (I'm disappointed to Hoyts Distribution Production that they don't use English subtitles in this DVD.)
Rico Z

STAY AWAY FROM THIS MOVIE! It was such a waste of time. Nothing redeeming about it whatsoever-- not even Anjelica Huston. What was SHE thinking? She must've been on crack. Seriously: I want my money back-- and I saw it for free!!!!!!!!!!!! The acting was atrocious, the script (or… More
STAY AWAY FROM THIS MOVIE! It was such a waste of time. Nothing redeeming about it whatsoever-- not even Anjelica Huston. What was SHE thinking? She must've been on crack. Seriously: I want my money back-- and I saw it for free!!!!!!!!!!!! The acting was atrocious, the script (or lack thereof) was pitiful at best and the cinematography (if you can call it that) was amateurish and cheesy at best. The Duff sisters need to dump their cute pair schtick (it didn't work for the Olsen twins-- and they're twins)...what makes them think it would work for them. Hilary also needs to dump her agent and get herself a pair of reading glasses for the the next script she reads.
Dannielle A

There were a lot of good moments. Good acting, too. I like how this movie's message is, "Don't be ignorant and materialistic. Educate yourself and care about people."
nefnie l

What can I say? I have a niece.
Brett W

BOTH Duff sisters!? Hold on a second... Mmmph... mmkay.
Donna D

Although one or two scenes were funny, the rest of the movie was so annoying, especially the stupidity of the two girls. Lame one. I needed something to help me sleep, and this one did it for me!
Marion R

I am ashamed I even watched this.
Janice :

Hahaha!! Material girls is the title... materialistic is the movie. Fans of HSM will delight in this Duff sisters festival. Woot for them.