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Movies / On DVD / What a Girl Wants
What a Girl Wants

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What a Girl Wants (2003)

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Reviews Counted:103

Fresh:35

Rotten:68

Average Rating:4.7/10

Consensus: Little girls will definitely enjoy it, but it's too syrupy and predictable for adults.

Runtime: 1 hr 45 mins

Genre: Comedies

Synopsis: Daphne Reynolds (AMANDA BYNES) has what every girl wants – or so it seems. This spirited young American girl has a unique style all her own, an unconventional but loving relationship with her... Daphne Reynolds (AMANDA BYNES) has what every girl wants – or so it seems. This spirited young American girl has a unique style all her own, an unconventional but loving relationship with her bohemian mother Libby (KELLY PRESTON) and a future full of possibilities – but despite her remarkable promise, Daphne feels incomplete. She dreams of one day meeting the father she’s never known, the man Libby shared a whirlwind romance with seventeen years ago, but ultimately left behind because his aristocratic family found her unsuitable.

Determined to live out her fantasy of forging a storybook relationship with her long-absent dad, Daphne impulsively hops a flight to London, where she quickly discovers that her father is high profile politician Lord Henry Dashwood (COLIN FIRTH).

When Henry opens his life and his social calendar to the daughter he never knew existed, Daphne’s appearance in high society creates an uproar that threatens to undermine his political career. Not wanting to jeopardize his campaign for an upcoming election, Daphne stifles her naturally vibrant personality, refashions herself as a proper debutante and plunges into a whirlwind of stuffy British social events. But even with Henry’s support, she’s not getting any help from his conniving fiancée (ANNA CHANCELLOR) or her jealous daughter (CHRISTINA COLE), who are bent on ruining Daphne at every turn.

With the aid of Ian, a charming and society-savvy local musician (OLIVER JAMES), Daphne attempts to prove that love – and proper etiquette – can conquer all. But Daphne soon realizes she doesn’t like the person she’s becoming in the process. As much as she wants to be her father’s daughter, it’s not worth it if she can’t be herself.

After all, as Ian asks her, Why fit in when you were born to stand out?

Warner Bros. Pictures presents, in Association with Gaylord Films, a Di Novi Pictures/Gerber Pictures Production, What A Girl Wants, starring AMANDA BYNES, COLIN FIRTH, KELLY PRESTON, EILEEN ATKINS, ANNA CHANCELLOR and JONATHAN PRYCE. Directed by DENNIE GORDON, the producers are DENISE DI NOVI, BILL GERBER and HUNT LOWRY. The screenplay is by JENNY BICKS and ELIZABETH CHANDLER. E.K. GAYLORD II, ALISON GREENSPAN and CASEY LA SCALA are the executive producers. ANDREW DUNN, B.S.C. is the director of photography; MICHAEL CARLIN is the production designer; CHARLES McCLELLAND is the editor; music is by RUPERT GREGSON-WILLIAMS.

What A Girl Wants will be released on April 4, 2003 by Warner Bros. Pictures, an AOL Time Warner Company.

What A Girl Wants has been rated PG by the MPAA for “mild language.” [More]

Starring: Amanda Bynes, Colin Firth, Kelly Preston, Jonathan Pryce

Starring: Amanda Bynes, Colin Firth, Kelly Preston, Jonathan Pryce, Eileen Atkins, Anna Chancellor, Christina Cole, Oliver James

Director: Dennie Gordon

Director: Dennie Gordon
Screenwriter: Elizabeth Chandler, Jenny Bicks
Producer: Denise Di Novi, Bill Gerber, Hunt Lowry
Composer: Rupert Gregson-Williams
Studio: Warner Bros.

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Reviews for What a Girl Wants

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1 - 20 (sorted by date; UK critics are listed first)
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Full Review Source: Empire Magazine | comment Comment
12/30/06
Empire Magazine
Top Critic Icon Top Critic
N/R

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Full Review Source: Time Out | comment Comment
01/26/06
Time Out
Top Critic Icon Top Critic
N/R

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Full Review Source: Guardian [UK] | comment Comment
08/19/03
Guardian [UK]
Top Critic Icon Top Critic

The mum, played by Kelly Preston, tells Daphne, “Getting to know yourself is the answer." And we thought this was supposed to be good family fun.

Full Review Source: Teletext | comment Comment
08/15/03
Annette Dasey
Annette Dasey
Teletext

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Full Review Source: ViewLondon | comment Comment
07/30/03
Matthew Turner
Matthew Turner
ViewLondon

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Full Review Source: BBC | comment Comment
07/22/03
BBC
Top Critic Icon Top Critic
N/R

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Full Review Source: Shadows on the Wall | comment Comment
04/24/03
Rich Cline
Rich Cline
Shadows on the Wall
N/R

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Full Review Source: Cinema Crazed | comment Comment
04/29/09
Felix Vasquez Jr.
Felix Vasquez Jr.
Cinema Crazed
N/R

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Full Review Source: Urban Cinefile | comment Comment
10/18/08
Urban Cinefile Critics
Urban Cinefile Critics
Urban Cinefile

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Full Review Source: Sacramento News & Review | comment Comment
08/07/08
Mark Halverson
Mark Halverson
Sacramento News & Review

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Full Review Source: Film Threat | comment Comment
12/06/05
Film Threat
Top Critic Icon Top Critic

Another piece of teen-girl wish-fulfillment fluff of the most forgettable sort.

Full Review Source: eFilmCritic.com | comment Comment
05/12/04
Scott Weinberg
Scott Weinberg
eFilmCritic.com

The capable cast is wasted in this fluff piece.

Full Review Source: Three Movie Buffs | comment Comment
12/30/03
Scott Nash
Scott Nash
Three Movie Buffs

Despite her obnoxious Nickelodeon pedigree, Bynes proves that, given the right project, she isn't half bad.

Full Review Source: Kansas City Star | comment Comment
08/29/03
Shawn Bowers
Shawn Bowers
Kansas City Star

There's very little about it that isn't utterly predictable, and naturally all major setbacks are quickly and easily overcome after a minute and a half music montage, before the final happy ending pancake platter is doused in syrupy overkill

Full Review Source: eFilmCritic.com | comment Comment
08/10/03
Brian Mckay
Brian Mckay
eFilmCritic.com

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Full Review Source: Dark Horizons | comment Comment
06/15/03
Garth Franklin
Garth Franklin
Dark Horizons

Amanda Bynes lights up the screen with innocent charm and a sweet-girl smile.

Full Review Source: Palo Alto Weekly | comment Comment
05/20/03
Tyler Hanley
Tyler Hanley
Palo Alto Weekly

A complete rip-off without one original twist of any kind—a film devoid of any unique concept.

Full Review Source: Spectrum (St. George, Utah) | comment Comment
05/07/03
Bruce Bennett
Bruce Bennett
Spectrum (St. George, Utah)

A pleasant diversion, but not much more than that.

Full Review Source: Movie Boeuf | comment Comment
04/29/03
David N. Butterworth
David N. Butterworth
Movie Boeuf
N/R

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Full Review Source: Atlanta Journal-Constitution | comment Comment
04/27/03
Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Top Critic Icon Top Critic
 
 
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