WHEN IN ROME (2003)

Cast

Plot

The Olsen twins are making movies, it seems, as the Beatles used to. They say where they want to go and soon enough they're in a movie about it. This time they're in Rome playing Leila and Charli who have been hired as summer interns in the Rome-based fashion offices of an international corporation. Now, here's the part where I beatify the Olsen twins. Compared to the rest of the cast the girls look like mini Streeps and the well-seasoned actresses have carved out some interesting characters and situations for themselves in this story. Charli, an aspiring fashion designer, quickly hooks up with a hunky local, but she won't stand for him nobly taking the blame for her mistakes. The boss' nephew gets a crush on Leila but she's simply not interested. She helps to get him working with other people while continuing to spurn his advances, keeping him in his place. Of course, the girls keep getting fired but eventually uncover some unsavoury corruption to save the day. None of that really matters though because beneath the blonde, cute, fluffy plot exteriors, as they conquer the media with much-needed images of girls that are confident, intelligent, modest, and passionate, the Olsens are becoming stronger and stronger role models for their target demographic.