When in Rome [VHS]

Description

Riding on the success of Mary-Kate and Ashley's popular formula from previous films showcasing London and Paris, this one takes them to Rome as sophisticated working girls. The Olsen twins play fictional sisters Charli and Leila, summer interns at a global fashion and entertainment company. They join four other international students ostensibly to gain business experience, though the job seems more of a cover for their perennial pursuits of shopping, sightseeing, and sizzling romance. They encounter workplace challenges, including a tyrannical boss and derisive coworker, which serve as a backdrop for numerous costume changes for our fashion-forward stars. In the end, teamwork prevails as the interns devise a clever scheme to expose a company criminal. Kudos to the film for depicting Charli and Leila's characters as strong and self-assured young women (too bad they come across excessively materialistic). Despite the seemingly endless self-promotion of Mary-Kate and Ashley, this G-rated film is all in good fun, though there is certainly more fizz than flavor. (Ages 4 to 10) --Lynn Gibson