Confessions of a Teenage Drama Queen is a 2004 Disney musical comedy film, based on the novel by Dylan Sheldon.
Mary Elizabeth "Lola" Steppe (Lindsay Lohan) is an ambitious teen girl who aspires to be a famous stage actress, but her dreams of performing on Broadway suffer a setback when her family moves from New York City to suburban New Jersey. Determined to make the best of it, however, Lola embarks on a mission to become the most popular girl at her high school, a goal that sets her on a collision course with the catty Carla Santini (Megan Fox), in particular over their shared love of the band Sidarthur and its lead singer Stu Wolff (Adam Garcia). Alison Pill, Eli Marienthal and Carol Kane play supporting roles.
Contains Examples Of:
- Alpha Bitch: Carla, played by none other than Megan Fox.
- …And That Little Girl Was Me: The song "Drama Queen (That Girl)" provides such a strong example, it names this trope almost word-for-word.That girl was a wild child dreamer but she'll find herself
'Cause she believes in nothin' else
And you'll look back and you won't believe
That girl was me - Bait-and-Switch: When the official casting sheet for Eliza Rocks is revealed, after Lola and Carla race to the bulletin board to find it, Carla checks it first, and smugly remarks that she got the role she wanted. Clearly nervous, Lola reminds herself that "there are no small parts, only small actors", checks the casting sheet... And proudly announces she has been cast as Eliza, while Carla got the part of Mrs. Higgins.
- Blonde, Brunette, Redhead: Lola is the "redhead" (technically more of a strawberry blonde) to Ella's blonde and Carla's brunette.
- Bratty Teenage Daughter: Lola, especially to her mother.
- Broken Pedestal: Lola greatly admires Stu Wolff as a songwriter, calling him "the greatest poet since Shakespeare". After meeting him in person, she's disgusted to learn he's an alcoholic whose own "poetry" is completely lost on. Fortunately, Lola's disappointment in him is a wake-up call that Stu takes to get sober, allowing for Lola's Rebuilt Pedestal.
- Cannot Tell a Lie: Straight-laced Ella bursts into tears at the idea of lying to her parents about going to New York City to see Sidarthur's final concert.
- Crying Wolf: Lola finally tells the truth about being at the after party for Sidarthur's final concert, but Carla lies and says she wasn't there. As the truth conflicts with the lies Lola has told before, no one believes her.
- Character Signature Song: Carla's is Lumidee's "Never Leave You (Uh Oooh, Uh Oooh)".
- Complexity Addiction: Lola plots to fool her and Ella's parents and make a daring escape to see Sidarthur's concert, but doesn't come close until she's forced to ask the parents for permission. They fortunately agree.
- Do Not Call Me "Paul": As part of a new identity for her new town, Mary starts calling herself the more exotic name "Lola".
- Drama Queen: Lola, obviously. It's right there in the title.
- Embarrassing First Name: Mary Elizabeth. She insists that everyone call her "Lola".
- Fangirl: Lola and Ella are huge fans of the band Sidarthur; Lola specifically is obsessed with the band's lead singer, Stu Wolff.
- From New York to Nowhere: Lola and her family moves to a quiet suburbs. Lola, a New Yorker, is naturally dismayed that the suburbs is in New Jersey.
- Gaslighting: Carla sees Lola and Ella at Stu Wolff's party, despite not believing she'd be there...not that she'll cop to it in front of anyone. Getting everyone else to believe that is helped in no small part by Lola's lies for attention.
- Girl Posse: Carla, Marcia and Robin
- Hair of Gold, Heart of Gold: Ella is very sweet.
- Heterosexual Life-Partners: According to Lola, Ella is 'the sister of [her] soul'.
- I Just Want to Be Special: Lola, who dreams of being a famous Broadway actress and is constantly making up stories about her life to make it sound more impressive than it actually is.
- Imagine Spot: Quite a few, courtesy of Lola.
- Is That a Threat?Carla: I'll show you what it's like to be in my school.
Lola: Is that a threat?
Carla: Absolutely.
- Liar Revealed: All of the lies Lola tells to get attention eventually blow up in her face, including being on a hunger strike, her name being Lola, and her father's supposed death.
- Manic Pixie Dream Girl: Lola tries to be this for her new school (at least in the book).
- Only Known by Their Nickname: Lola’s real name is Mary Elizabeth, but she refuses to be called that... Not that it stops her parents from doing so either way.
- Ordinary High-School Student: Pretty much the main cast. Although, Lola doesn't want to be one.
- The Rival: Carla is already the star of the school, making her this to would-be star Lola.
- School Play: One of the major plots in the movie.
- Show Within a Show: The School Play Eliza Rocks, which is essentially George Bernard Shaw's Pygmalion being given a Setting Update and turned into a Jukebox Musical.
- Snowball Lie: Beginning with insisting her name is Lola and cumulating with the lie about the death of her father, all in the name of drama.
- There's No Place Like Home: Lola really doesn't want to be in New Jersey.
