gracie: you go, girl!

It may not be a swashbuckling three-quel or superstar ogre-fest, but trust me, you want to see Gracie (in theaters now!). No, it's not just another cheesy girls-can-do-it-too sports movie. Gracie's a movie about a girl who's a true fighter, and not afraid to go up against the boys who try to push her down (literally!)— including her dad!

I had the chance to catch an early screening a few months ago. I admit I only went because I was curious to see that obnoxious little girl from Lizzie McGuire (I'm not ashamed- I love Lizzie!) step into a starring role. But boy was I in for an emotional surprise. From the start, Carly Schroeder played Gracie so realistically that you forgot you were watching a movie. The gritty realness made it almost seem like a documentary about this teen's ability to stand up against any and every kind of situation thrown at her and use her own determination to fight through it.

Okay, so maybe I do sound like a Lifetime movie-of-the-week right now, but I promise you it's not. And I promise you, you do need Kleenex. And I also promise you that you'll know what I mean when you see it. So, do me a favor and check out Gracie this weekend and tell me what you think!

Plus, I had the chance to chat with Carly about the role (it'll be on our exclusive CosmoGIRL! Web Celeb Q&A page later this week). Just a little sneak preview: I started out the interview by saying, "Wow, what an amazingly empowering woman you play." Her response? "What a great way to start an interview!" Ha! And the chatty teen didn't hold back- she spilled about everything from training with pro soccer player to kissing boys! Juicy stuff, so check it out!

Can't wait to hear from you!
Rachel
Entertainment Editor