What A Girl Wants Movie
Storyline
TAGLINES
Trying to fit in. Born to stand out.
Daphne, a seventeen-year-old girl from New York goes to England in search of her father, who does not know he had a child with an American girlfriend he met while working in Morocco, and whose aristocratic family did not approve of the woman.
| Amanda Bynes | Daphne Reynolds |
| Colin Firth | Henry Dashwood |
| Kelly Preston | Libby Reynolds |
| Eileen Atkins | Jocelyn Dashwood |
| Anna Chancellor | Glynnis Payne |
| Jonathan Pryce | Alistair Payne |
| Oliver James | Ian Wallace |
| Christina Cole | Clarissa Payne |
| Sylvia Syms | Princess Charlotte |
| Soleil McGhee | Young Daphne |
| Peter Reeves | Sir John Dashwood |
| James Greene | Percy |
| Steven Osborne | Staff Member |
| Tom Penn | Libby's Band Member |
| Dennie Gordon |
5.70 out of 10 (6285 votes)
Visitor Reviews
Typical funny movie. Nothing more.
posted on 15 Aug 2009The story can be seen from miles away. A girl finds out her father lives in England and decides to go and meet him. There is the father and daughter awkward reunion, then the mother comes too, some laughs but that's it.I knew before she moved to England that she'd tear up the place and teach uptight people how to have fun. We have seen that already and this is just another addition without purpose, except to fill an empty evening with a few laughs.Colin Firth is excellent as always. 5/10 cause we have seen it before. We just don't remember where! :)
Sometimes charm is enough to carry the day
posted on 11 Aug 2009All movies are not masterpieces, nor were they meant to be. Light, escapist entertainment has its place, and sometimes it can be just what you need.In a week filled with war and destruction, an annoying head cold, college rejections, car dent repair, and an unexpected tax bill running to 5 digits (!), escapism was definitely something the doctor ordered. And that is just what What a Girl Wants provides, critics be damned.Yes it's predictable and corny, yes it's derivative and heavily influenced by The Princess Diaries, yes it strains credibility, yes its production values are suspect, and yes it must have have run out of money when it came to creating its opening titles, BUT sometimes charm is enough to carry the day, and charm it has up to its American and English ears.The lead actress Amanda Bynes plays cute and perky so effortlessly and naturally, you can't help but like and root for her, regardless of the lame things she might have to do and say. And there are not one but TWO Prince Charmings - newcomer heartthrob Oliver James as her boyfriend and the thinking woman's heartthrob Colin Firth as her long-lost dad.Oliver is just as cute as Bynes and as nice and sensible as a cool guy can be, and he can actually sing, too. If this role is a good indication of his charm and appeal, he has a pretty bright future ahead of him.Colin Firth plays his role with the depth, sincerity and integrity you've come to expect from all his performances. He actally succeeds in making you believe he really could be a man who finds the love child - of his one true love - that he never knew he had, and that he could change his life for them. In the hands of a lesser and less charming and attractive actor, the man would have been little more than a corny plot device. But Firth provides the heart and heft of the movie and makes his character someone you grow to like and really care about (and maybe fantasize about, too - as the fantasy father or husband, depending on your demographic).As the title makes clear, this is a film for girls, so everyone else beware, (unless you have an Amanda fixation). But it's also for girls of riper vintage - note the TWO Prince Charmings - who should be more than willing to succumb to their princely charms.Don't go to this movie expecting the wit of Clueless or the intelligence of Ever After. It's a lightweight modern-day fairy tale which sometimes misses its mark. But it provides a diverting ninety minutes of escapism, megawatt charm from its stars, and smiles, laughs, and awws aplenty for its targeted audience.
:-)
posted on 22 Jul 2009What a wonderful surprise! From the trailer, I did not expect anything like what I saw. It looks to be a simple, teeny-bopper type flick. However, I was quite astonished at the drama that balanced out the foretold comedy. Colin Firth and Amanda Bynes gave extraordinary performances within a limited field. Both actors were given an opportunity to display their talents by demonstrating a spectrum of emotions within their respective characters. A person watching the movie goes through a wide range of emotions. Yes, this storyline is a bit over used. But who doesn't want to find fulfillment and happiness in one's own family?
The rich are bad, the poor are good
posted on 22 Jul 2009I actually liked the beginning of this movie, but as it goes on, the bashing of the rich just turns embarrassing. The message is not cleverly introduced with stealth and guile - it is driven home with a sledgehammer in every single scene. All characters who are rich and comfortable with it are BAD. All characters who are poor, or who are rich but side with the poor, are GOOD. Example: Daphne and her mother, poor, good. The servants, poor, good. The love interest, poor, good - gives wise speeches about how wearing a long dress and not listening to trash is "betraying yourself". Henry Dashwood and his mother, rich but like the poor better, good. On the other hand: Anna who Henry is going to marry, rich and doesn't apologize for being so, bad. Anna's daughter, rich and doesn't apologize, bad. Anna's daughter's love interest, rich and doesn't apologize, bad and racist and ridiculously self-centered.When Daphne decides to stop being a child who makes a scene wherever she goes, a dark veil is pulled over her pretty features. From then on we see a collection of scenes with Daphne in fancy clothes and walking instead of running - naturally with no smile, sad, soulless. How terrible to wear a long dress and matching earrings! It sucks the soul out of you! Away, away upper-class ways! Only the bohemian is wise and human. High heels are hell heels.No, this is not a very good story. The propaganda takes center stage and never leaves, and from the moment Daphne meets her father - I guess I should call him "her old man" lest I sound too upper-class and therefore evil - you know exactly what is going to happen. It is light versus darkness. Warmth versus cold. Good versus evil. Poor versus rich. Slave morality all the way - and nothing else.
I could've written this!
posted on 12 Jul 2009A Cinderella-esque story of a girl trying to bond with her father that she has never met...give me a break! I admit that Bynes was cute at times, but most of the time she was incredibly bubbly and gooey. The occasional funny moments slipped into the film, but were quickly overrun by silliness and cliche. Firth is a great actor, but this film does not deserve him. All-in-all a typical teenage fun ride, with no real plot and less than adequate acting.
Wow, like lighten up
posted on 14 Jun 2009The folks banging this movie have to get real. It's about an average girl (Bynes) who gets to meet her dad, who's in the process of running for major political office in England. It's not about Yankee superiority over the Brits (sheesh!), it's a simple fantasy about the effect a teenage girl has on her once-stuffy dad in stuffy society. If you're politically offended by this movie, imagine Amanda as a carefree Portugese girl visiting her long-lost dad, a member of U.S. Congress from Massachusetts, and chill out.
That being said, Amanda Bynes is a cool and attractive leading lady/girl and plays very well with the other characters in this film. It's all been done millions of times before, and it's not Oscar material, but it was a pleasant diversion for me.
Too Perfect
posted on 04 Jun 2009The film with Amanda Bynes is a step up from her pathetic acting career on Nickelodoen's "All That," but it is still simplistic and run of the mill. it is a cinderella story that is all too perfect and it is a bad example for the young girls watching who will be able to think life works out that perfectly. As an emerging actress, Bynes has her moments, but for the most part the movie is amateur and lacks any real substance.
formulaic but funny
posted on 04 Jun 2009I enjoyed this movie. I'll admit it followed a formula-but it was a likable formula. In the movie, Daphne (Amanda Bynes) travels from New York City to England to meet her father, whom she had never known. Her father had impregnated her mother while on a fling. She had always wanted to meet him. Her mother was a singer who frequently sang at weddings, and Daphne always got upset whenever the father-daughter dance came up. While in England, she discovers that her father is a British politician who is engaged to another woman who along with her daughter is a bit on the snobbish side and fears that Daphne with ruin the father's bid for office. The bulk of the film follows Daphne's adventures and misadventures in England as she tries to instill life into the stuffy people who live and work with the father(including one hilarious scene at a ball), finds love, does her best to connect with her father, and does her best to have fun. Meanwhile, they try to transform Daphne into a proper lady. She does not like who she is becoming, however.Despite the formula, I found this to be a decent movie with several memorable and funny scenes. You might like it if you like Amanda Bynes, who in my opinion was perfect in the role of Daphne. The film was a good vehicle for Bynes.** 1/2 out of ****
Matter of The Heart
posted on 27 May 2009"What a Girl Wants" begins in New York with Daphne Reynolds (Amanda Bynes) and her mother Libby (Kelly Preston). Her mother had always told her the story about her father and on each of her birthdays' Daphne would wish for her dad to come find her. She desired to know him, so after she turns seventeen, Daphne goes to England in search of her father. While looking for her father, she met a teenage musician Ian (Oliver James), a love interest. She finds her father, Henry Dashwood (Colin Firth), and he is of royal descent, deep in politics and social customs. Henry says Daphne can stay for the summer, but the reunion is not without troubles, because of Henry's finance and her daughter. There are two ideas presented in this film: one being, that as people, our basic need is to be loved, especially by our parents. Daphne is yearning to have a relationship with her father, when she is looking longingly at the father and daughter dance. The film makes this clear and also makes the viewer want Daphne to find her father. The other idea is a person is a product of their environment because Daphne tried to live like a debutante. To live in her father's world was impossible because she needed to be herself. The film clearly showed this message of keeping our beliefs and being ourselves. The film made a distinction between New York and England. The scenes of London were great and the inside of the castles were elegant, showing how the British upper class lived. The music contributes by setting the mood to get the message across. The dialogue was funny in places, and some situations were amusing. The movie answers the question in the title by ending the way the viewer would want it to end.
Fun Flick
posted on 25 May 2009I just watched this movie, and i think it's a pretty cool feel-good movie.I'd recommend it if you just wanna have a relaxing time and be entertained, with a simple but sweet plot.
If you want to be pretentious and do some all-high-and-mighty analyzing, then don't watch What a Girl Wants.
Must see for Colin Firth fans
posted on 11 May 2009I saw this film two nights ago with my 15 year old daughter. We both walked out with a big smile on our faces. Cute film! If you like Colin Firth, this is a must see! He stole the film, (as well as my heart). Can't wait until it comes to DVD so I can watch Colin in his leather pants dancing around. Say no more.
Surprisingly Charming
posted on 19 Apr 2009So I curled up with my 13 year old to watch this movie expecting a "typical chick flick". I was mightily disappointed. The script was the typical pattern. Girl meets boy, they have a fight, they get back together and live happily ever after. What charmed me were Amanda Bynes and the myriad of expressions that flicked over her face, almost faster than you could name them. I was charmed, amused and involved in the characters. After all what girl be she 13 or 33 not want her Cinderella story to happen to her. Reminded me of all the John Hughes feel good, be happy, everything will work out OK films tossed in together with a good soundtrack, pretty faces and a universal message. Well worth the watch.
A Cinderella and Old-Fashioned Love Story
posted on 15 Apr 2009I have to say from all the movies that I have watched in the last few weeks with Colin Firth since I recently became enamored of his talent in the A&E production of "Pride and Prejudice," this movie is perhaps the best one that I have seen.It has all the elements of a good movie and Firth at his best. I love the characters and relationships and how they interact with each other. Daphne (Amanda Bynes) is perfect as the teenage daughter searching for the other half of her being and life and finding her father. Her cute little smile and perky American approach no matter what is happening to her portrays her "can do" attitude and determination in being herself.And I just have to say that this is Colin Firth in his element! He is fantastic as the Henry Dashwood character (hmmm . . . name seems Austen-ly familiar, don't it?) who suddenly finds out he is a father after 17 years. He is tender and sweet and unsure. Probably one of the best scenes ever in the film is during the "midnight snack" of Coco Pops in the kitchen where he learns that his wife didn't leave him for another man and had always been his even after all the years between. The emotions and thoughts rush over his face as if he is speaking them out loud and the viewer can see his internal struggle to remain calm with the overwhelming feeling of the bitterness he had experienced for all those years.There are so many perfect and good scenes in this movie with very little bloopers that it really can touch a viewer's heart. The areas especially with Henry and his daughter are extremely special.The last part of the film is symbolic when Henry Dashwood has a heart-to-heart with his mother, withdraws his candidacy, hits the man who had affected his life so extremely, and then walks into the bright sunlight with a deep breath. The viewer realizes that it is more than just being outside in the sunlight but that he finally came out of the dark after so many long years. He has finally found who he is and what he wants to do.Firth basically took my breath away. With the subsequent scene of him winning back his daughter and then his wife, the viewer has realized that this is one of those pictures that are forthrightly, just a deliciously good picture. This is one that makes you believe in old-fashioned love and fairy tales which seems to be so non-existent in today's film making industry.Firth has tremendous talent in saying something extremely vital by NOT saying something. Each scene where he was having discussions with Libby (Kelly Preston) either on the phone or in person, the viewer could read both characters thoughts and feelings and the amazing chemistry that existed after all that time apart.It was also better for the plot to have this international relationship struggle. If it had been in America – especially these days – the press would have made a big deal out of the girl's "native" upbringing but it probably would not have affected the father's political life.Everyone excelled in this movie and kudos to the director and screen writer for bringing such a sweet story to light.One last word is that no review of this movie can be complete without discussing the amazingly hilarious scene of Firth squeezing into his "old" black leather pants and t-shirt – and earring? – and dancing in front of a mirror. Each time that particular part plays, everyone bursts out laughing! He was just perfect! And lastly, Darcy was a gooder but Dashwood beat 'im hands down! Maybe it was because Dashwood can laugh at himself, sees the funny side of things, and chose to come into his own self-discovery of who and what he was and wanted to be.I still love Darcy but in this case, I'll take Dashwood!
My daughter and I cried.
posted on 01 Apr 2009For the most part, the story is formulaic and the characters seem pretty familiar, lovable American teen girl meets her stuffy royal British relatives. However, there are two reasons why this movie stands out; Colin Firth and Amanda Bynes. Bynes, the young star of the film is not only lovely to watch but brings a wholesome sincerity to her role that makes you root for her from the very beginning. Playing the lovable American teen girl is not that easy in today's cynical world but Bynes' performance seems to be stripped away of any pretentiousness or deep social commentary. She is simply a girl looking to find her father and to discover who she is. As for Colin Firth, he is simply one of England's finest living film actors and the producers of this film were extremely fortunate to have him. His character, the father who didn't know he had a daughter, could easily have been played with too much anger and lost all our sympathies, or been too much of a victim and left us wondering why anyone had ever fallen in love with him in the first place. Instead, Firth creates a multi-layered character trapped between what he aspires to be, a successful politician, and what he could be, a father. It is his character's choices that kept us interested in this film and in the end brought both my daughter and myself to tears. So, if you have a lovable teen daughter I would highly recommend this movie.
So bad it isn't even funny
posted on 08 Mar 2009This must be one of the worst movies I have ever seen. It is a shame that Colin Firth agreed to appear in it, although at least we came to see a lesser known part of him: that of the leather-clad arm-swinging Angus-Young-style-jumping former rock musician.Sorry, but Amanda Bynes can't act. This would not be so noticeable in your average teen flick; the problem here is that her "charm" supposedly makes her be the object of attraction for a whole bunch of lads - even a cranky old princess gets fond of her, although the lady seems to like no one else, apart from her lapdog. Mmm...I immediately distrust any movie in which the transformation of a character is shown not by virtue of the plot or acting skills, but simply by a change of wardrobe and hairstyle. Scene #1: Amanda Bynes in jeans and T-shirt - the "free, fun and relaxed" teenager. Scene #2: Amanda Bynes in long evening dress - the composed young miss with a circumspect expression on her face. She has changed! Has she? Mmm...This brings to mind a previous comment by another user: "why does Amanda Bynes insist on one of those crap 'dancing like a berk while trying on clothes' montage scenes in every film she's ever made?" Yes, in fact, why are these 'trying on clothes' scenes in so many teenage films? Probably it has to do with the 'transformation of character' I mentioned before: the theory of filmmakers is that, as a teenager, you express yourself through what you wear. And since teenagers are still building their personality, this is symbolized with rapid, successive changes of clothes. Convinced? OK, right, maybe it is just because you need 90 minutes of film and only have material for 80.Oh, and those awful "everything fits perfectly" parts of the plot: mom appears at the ball exactly when she has to, perfectly dressed for the occasion; sudden boyfriend Ian is ubiquitous and has 'chosen' to perform all kinds of low-profile jobs, although he attended the best schools and therefore (very convenient) has at least a piece of the necessary substratum to be rightfully considered a peer by "Britain's snobbish upper class"; etc.Better see something else.
The actors and actresses were chosen perfectly for the movie.
posted on 04 Mar 2009Libby Reynolds (Kelly Preston) and her daughter Daphne Reynolds (Amanda Bynes) live together in a five-floor walk-up in Chinatown, New York. Daphne's 17th birthday she works as a caterer at a wedding. This is where the journey really begins.Dapne takes off to London, UK. Where her father, Lord Henry Dashwood (Colin Firth) lives, whom she has never met before. There she meets Ian Wallace (Oliver James) a musician working in a hotel.After invading the Dashwoods manor Henry catches her. Daphne then tells him she is his daughter.She then learns how to behave like real royalty leaving Ian behind.At Daphne's coming out ball her mom flies over to accompany her. Once Daphne finds out her parents break-up was a evil scheme by Glynnis' father, Alistair Payne (Janathan Pryce) Daphne is locked in a room by Glynnis Payne (Anna Chancellor) Dapne misses her Father Daughter dance and her mother shows up and unlocks her. Clarissa took her spot at the dance. Daphne then realizes this is not what she wants. What she wants is to be herself, she then hands over the tiara given to her by Lady Jocelyn Dashwood, Henry's mother (Eileen Atkins).Dapne and Libby then go back home to Chinatown. While working at her catering job her father shows up. They then get their Father and Daughter dance, she then dances with Ian, who came with Henry.Henry then apologizes to Libby and the get remarried. Libby and Daphne then move to London and the lived happily ever after.My Rating: 5 Stars
A fun kid film
posted on 20 Feb 2009I was expecting a really bad, boring teen film like the Lizzie Mcguire movie, but this movie was entertaining. It's about a girl in America, Daphne, who goes to England to see her dad for the first time. He's a Lord, who is running for political elections, so of course, his handlers don't want any bad publicity. He takes a liking to her, but his finance and snooty soon-to-be stepdaughter don't like her. Daphne turns out to be a hit with the poparazi and has a lot of fun. After going to so many fancy parties, she starts to forget who she really is, but her new guy makes her realize where her true values lie. Along the way Lord Dashwood sees he's missing out on adventure and his true love, Daphne's mom. Will he give up the political dream to become an adventurer again? Watch to find out, but since this is a light-hearted film, you probably know the answer. There are some funny scenes throughout. And I liked the music.FINAL VERDICT: An entertaining clean, fun film that all ages can enjoy.
Enjoyable flick!
posted on 14 Feb 2009Am a huge Colin Firth fan, so had to see this one, and seemed like a good film to share with my kids - wasn't expecting much, billed as a teen movie, after all. But, I was pleasantly surprised at how much we all enjoyed it, me especially! The story was predictable, but the acting and pacing were perfect - in particular, the chemistry between Colin Firth and the teenage heroine, Amanda Bynes, was superb. In a world where bad news is the norm, this movie was a wonderful, fairy-tale escape.
Excellent movie
posted on 21 Aug 2009I loved this movie. the characters were great. Daphanie was great and beautiful and really you liked her when you saw her. Colin of course was great as he is with every movie but in this movie it was his eyes that really captivated me. You truly did believe that he loved his daughter. He pauses a lot before he speaks which really makes you believe he is thinking before he speaks and really sometimes doesn't know what the heck to do. It is truly what a girl wants, a father who really is a father. It is so rare to have a father like that. I know I fantasized about it as I grew up, and I am sure most people did. So this movie really is like a real live fantasy show that is full of surprises