What a Girl Wants (2003)

User Rating:

5.7/10   

Director:

Dennie Gordon

Writers (WGA):

William Douglas-Home (play)
William Douglas-Home (1958 screenplay)

Release Date:

4 April 2003 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy | Romance

Tagline:

Trying to fit in. Born to stand out.

Plot:

An American teenager learns that her father is a wealthy British politician running for office. Although she is eager to find him, she realizes it could cause a scandal and cost him the election.

Plot Keywords:

American | England | Scandal | Teenager | Morocco

Awards:

1 win

Cast

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
Mike Toller	...	Libby's Band Member
Tom Penn	...	Libby's Band Member

Also Known As:

American Girl (USA) (working title)
London Calling (USA) (working title)

MPAA:

Rated PG for mild language.

Runtime:

105 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

DTS | Dolby Digital | SDDS

Certification:

Iceland:L | South Korea:All | Ireland:PG | Argentina:Atp | Australia:G | Brazil:Livre | Canada:G | Germany:o.Al. | New Zealand:G | Norway:A | Peru:PT | Philippines:G | Singapore:PG | Sweden:Btl | Switzerland:7 (canton of Geneva) | Switzerland:7 (canton of Vaud) | UK:PG | USA:PG

Filming Locations:

Battersea Park, Battersea, London, England, UK

Company:

DiNovi Pictures

Trivia:

When Henry calls Libby to tell her Daphne has been out all day with a boy in a band (Ian), Libby says, Lemme guess, he's a drummer? In reality, 'Oliver James', who plays Ian, is a drummer.

Goofs:

Factual errors: When Daphine is riding in the number 8 bus in London it says "Trafalger Square" in the front. The actual number 8 bus does not stop at or near Trafalgar Square.

Quotes:

Glynnis Payne: Darling, darling, all I'm saying is before we let this hypothetical daughter blow your political career out of the water, we might at least consider doing some checking up on her.
Henry Dashwood: Now, checking up for what?
Glynnis Payne: I don't know... criminal record, blood type, triple sixes on her skull.
Henry Dashwood: Glynnis, she has a birth certificate, she has my photograph and she has my eyes.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "The Office: Beach Games (#3.22)" (2007)

Soundtrack:

Heaven Is a Place on Earth

It's ALL about Colin :)

I have read several reviews of this film, and I have to say that men just aren't going to "get" this one. Our local paper's reviewer said he just didn't get the "stars in the eyes" of the women leaving the theater. His review didn't even MENTION Colin Firth. Well, I will! Colin is what is going to attract women to this film, and he does not disappoint. He is the best thing about the movie. Amanda Bynes is cute, and I enjoyed her too. The rest of the cast is quite good too...Anna Chancellor (Caroline Bingley, for those Pride and Prejudice fans...), and Eileen Atkins, particularly. I found the storyline about the daughter longing for her father and the father who just discovered her quite sweet and moving. Yes, the script was a bit sloppy and the humor often falls flat, but overall, Colin Firth's performance made it worth seeing for me. This is definitely a chick flick, though :)