First Reviews of "Gracie" Praise Carly Schroeder's Performance

by Michael D. Sellersfor MovieBank and Quantum Entertainment Following are the first reviews for Carly Schroeder’s Gracie! From Hollywood Reporter. (click for full review)Whether striding onto the field past a gaggle of cheerleaders or flirting her way past a bouncer, Schroeder (“Lizzie McGuire”) is a natural as Gracie, whose athleticism and self-respect are inseparable facets of extraordinary inner resources.From LA Citybeat (click for full review)The great revelation here, however, is Schroeder, who comes on like a fireball and never lets up.From Compuserve Reviews. (click for full review)Where did Carly Schroeder come from? ….. The sixteen-year-old Indiana-born beauty who could pass for a young Blythe Danner or Elizabeth Shue does her own stunts in David Guggenheim’s family-friendly inspirational movie “Gracie.” She can do a lot more chins and push-ups than I could (even when I was sixteen), can take more beatings and bloody noses than a lot of men would be willing to accommodate, can kick the ball farther, run faster, and do all of that without even flicking her long blonde hair from in front of her eyes. ..the vivacious Ms. Schroeder, pouting, smiling, laughing, seductive, frightened, insecure, combative, displaying the range of emotions typical of women her age, makes watching the film quite worthwhile whatever your age.From CHUD.com. (click for full review)Carly Schroeder is Gracie, and she makes the film. She’s unusually beautiful – her hair is so blonde as to be almost white, and her skin seems translucent. She has a stronger jaw and a wider nose than you might expect from a teen starlet, but it works for her. Her face is distinctive, not like the cookie cutter girls who roll off of sitcoms and tween films, and I hope that she never goes under the knife to tweak that nose into a tiny button. It’s her eyes that sell the character, though, especially since Gracie is so often sullen. Schroeder’s a terrific young actress…..From Reelviews. (click for full review)Carly Schroeder, hitherto known primarily for a recurring role on TV’s Lizzie McGuire (she was also in Mean Creek, where she first caught my attention), shows that, given the spotlight, she possesses the intensity to hold it. She invests Gracie with heart, beauty, and determination. Schroeder took this role seriously, training to make the experience real for the character, and it works. No one threatens to steal scenes from Schroeder.From Grouchoreviews. (click for full review)Carly Schroeder gives a fierce performance as Gracie, whose family suffers a communal depression after a tragic accident. The emotional beats of Gracie’s acting out and her father’s inability to embrace and capitalize on the present are believable and surprisingly nuanced.From Clarion Ledger (click for full review)Schroeder (cable’s Lizzie McGuire) is absolutely terrific as a young teen spinning out of control. You don’t know whether to hug her or give her a swift kick.