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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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34 %
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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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Reviews
Tomatometer Critic Review Category
splat
1/5

Click to read the article

Full Review Source: | comment Comment | Dec., 30 2006 06:18 AM

Empire Magazine

N/R

Click to read the article

Full Review Source: | comment Comment | Jan., 26 2006 03:16 AM

Time Out

N/R

Click to read the article

Full Review Source: | comment Comment | Aug., 19 2003 05:17 PM

Guardian [UK]

splat
2/5

Annette Dasey

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: | comment Comment | Aug., 15 2003 01:13 AM

Teletext

tomato
3/5

Matthew Turner

Click to read the article

Full Review Source: | comment Comment | Jul., 30 2003 05:17 PM

ViewLondon

splat
2/5

Click to read the article

Full Review Source: | comment Comment | Jul., 22 2003 05:25 PM

BBC

N/R

Rich Cline

Click to read the article

Full Review Source: | comment Comment | Apr., 24 2003 05:26 PM

Shadows on the Wall

N/R

Felix Vasquez Jr.

Click to read the article

Full Review Source: | comment Comment | Apr., 29 2009 03:15 AM

Cinema Crazed

N/R

Urban Cinefile Critics

Click to read the article

Full Review Source: | comment Comment | Oct., 18 2008 05:27 AM

Urban Cinefile

splat
2/5

Mark Halverson

Click to read the article

Full Review Source: | comment Comment | Aug., 07 2008 03:16 AM

Sacramento News & Review

tomato
3/5

Click to read the article

Full Review Source: | comment Comment | Dec., 06 2005 07:57 PM

Film Threat

splat
2/5

Scott Weinberg

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

Full Review Source: | comment Comment | May., 12 2004 02:55 AM

eFilmCritic.com

splat
2/4

Scott Nash

The capable cast is wasted in this fluff piece.

Full Review Source: | comment Comment | Dec., 30 2003 01:32 PM

Three Movie Buffs

tomato
B-

Shawn Bowers

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

Full Review Source: | comment Comment | Aug., 29 2003 10:10 PM

Kansas City Star

splat
1/5

Brian Mckay

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: | comment Comment | Aug., 10 2003 01:25 PM

eFilmCritic.com

splat
1.5/5

Garth Franklin

Click to read the article

Full Review Source: | comment Comment | Jun., 15 2003 08:19 AM

Dark Horizons

tomato
3/4

Tyler Hanley

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

Full Review Source: | comment Comment | May., 20 2003 05:22 PM

Palo Alto Weekly

splat
C-

Bruce Bennett

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

Full Review Source: | comment Comment | May., 07 2003 09:19 PM

Spectrum (St. George, Utah)

splat
2/4

David N. Butterworth

A pleasant diversion, but not much more than that.

Full Review Source: | comment Comment | Apr., 29 2003 12:03 PM

Movie Boeuf

N/R

Click to read the article

Full Review Source: | comment Comment | Apr., 27 2003 08:16 AM

Atlanta Journal-Constitution

 
 
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April 06, 2005: Director Snagged for Amanda Bynes' Shakespeare Modernization
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