Mary-Kate and Ashley are sure to go down in history as some of the world’s favorite twins, and I agree, they’re the best. Every MK&A movie, television show, makeup item and clothing line has always caught my eye. From seeing Full House for the first time as a child to currently drooling over their impeccable fashion line, I’ve been a Mary-Kate and Ashley fangirl my entire life. It’s nearly impossible to delve into every single Mary-Kate and Ashley movie at once so, without further ado, here is my “Hit or Skip” list of some Mary-Kate and Ashley movies.
Hit: Passport to Paris
Any true Mary-Kate and Ashley fan can confirm that this is the film that began their “getting boyfriends while traveling abroad” trend. Their parents sent them to stay with their ambassador grandfather in Paris for Spring Break because they’re concerned their daughters are becoming “pinheads.” At first the twins are disappointed when their itineraries consist of only museums and other places 13-year-old girls consider snoozefests, but things start looking up when cute French boys circle them on Vespas (ooh la la) and they befriend a supermodel. In the end, the chef’s disgusting creations (snails and 13-year-olds don’t mix) and missing out on the original Spring Break plans were totally worth it. Oh, to be 13 and have a French ambassador grandfather! Exploring Paris with the proud owners of Vespas and shopping with a supermodel is the dream for any young teen girl.
Skip: New York Minute
Let’s just cut to the chase: by this point, the twins were over-acting, and this movie shows that, to say at the least. In the film, Mary-Kate’s character is all punk rock, while Ashley’s is a type-A perfectionist, and they don’t see eye-to-eye. They end up spending the day together in NYC as a truancy officer and a criminal trail them, and (shocker!) the two get closer in the end. The fashion is exactly what you’d expect when you envision punk and perfectionist high school students, so it’s nothing extravagant compared to some of their other films.
Hit: Our Lips Are Sealed
This movie is prime Olsen twin humor and fashion. The twins play two blabbermouths who witness a museum robbery and are sent into a witness protection program. This is a disaster since they keep telling their story to anyone everyone and have to constantly relocate. When they’re transferred to Australia, they care entirely too much about running with the cool crowd – going so far as to even eat disgusting goo and crushing cans on their heads to impress the Aussies – but they really just want to hang with the “cute surfies” that don’t get along with the popular crew. Throughout all of this they have the stolen museum diamond and two dweebs are sent after it, which puts the girls in even more danger. Karma sucks though, and in the end, the mastermind Soprano-wannabe bad guy doesn’t get his happy ending.
Skip: Switching Goals
Switching Goals is, arguably, the most stereotypical Mary-Kate and Ashley movie to-date. Mary-Kate couldn’t be more of a tomboy (Sam) and Ashley couldn’t be more of a girly-girl (Emma). Their dad, a co-ed soccer coach, misses out on choosing Sam for the team so Emma doesn’t feel left out. The twins come up with the brilliant idea of The Great Sister Swap, so that Sam gets to win and Emma doesn’t have to worry about getting grass stains or breaking nails. Yes, the switching twins thing is fun to watch. But honestly? They do it all the time, making this a not-so-special, basic Mary-Kate and Ashley movie.
Hit: It Takes Two
Name a more iconic movie starring two nine-year-olds. I’ll wait. Although MK&A are still just kids, this is some of their best work. Mary-Kate plays Amanda, a tomboy orphan. Amanda wants to be adopted by her social worker, Diane, but is almost adopted by a heinous family instead. Ashley plays the wealthy child, Alyssa, whose father, Roger, is about to marry a gold digger (*gag*). Once Amanda goes to summer camp across from Alyssa’s house, they eventually discover each other. The twins trade places to make Diane and Roger fall in love, so Roger won’t marry the witch and Amanda won’t get stuck with the horrid family. Not a plot twist: they get exactly what they want.
Skip: Billboard Dad
You may ask yourself, “What could possibly be wrong with this movie?” The delightful concept contains the perfect combination of sweet, adorable, and talented kid acting. But it’s just so unrealistic– and I mean, more than most of their movies already are. MK&A play 12-year-olds who create a billboard advertising their widowed father in order to hook him up with a new lady. Ummm what?? How on earth do twelve-year-olds come up with this? Did they reach it and paint it all on their own? How does it not get taken down? Any chick that falls for a man put on a billboard by his daughters is out of her nutshell. It’s like Tinder, but billboard edition and set up by tweens. Then there’s the “rebellious” bleached blonde boy with the blue jean jacket that jumps into a pool wearing shoes…? It’s all just baffling.
It’s very sad that Mary-Kate and Ashley gave up their award-winning acting powers for good. But like it or not, they do have real talent in the fashion world and we have to respect that. Hopefully one day they will go back to acting, even if it is just one movie.
