 | ON: Content is age-appropriate for kids this age. |
 | PAUSE: Know your child; some content may not be right for some kids. |
 | OFF: Not age-appropriate for kids this age. |
 | NOT FOR KIDS: Not appropriate for kids any age. |
What a Girl Wants
- Review Date: August 3, 2003
- PG
- Genre: Comedy
- 2003
Common Sense Media says
Overly cute, but great for its intended audience.
Parents say
QUALITY
Kids say
QUALITY
What parents need to know
Parents need to know that this movie has some brief strong language, including a reference to a dog that bit a man's testicle and an ugly insult (from a villain) about a character's mixed race heritage. The family issues, including the Parent Trap problem of having a child bring her estranged parents together, may be difficult for some children.
What's the story?
WHAT A GIRL WANTS stars Amanda Bynes as Daphne Reynolds, the spirited daughter of a wedding singer and single mom named Libby (Kelly Preston). Daphne has always dreamed of meeting her father, but her parents split up before he even knew she was going to be born, and he doesn't know anything about her. After she graduates from high school, she hops on a plane and shows up at his house. Except it isn't exactly a house -- it's a mansion. It turns out her father is Lord Henry Dashwood (Colin Firth), who has just given up his hereditary seat in the House of Lords to stand for office (they say "stand" instead of run in England) just like a commoner. He is engaged to a horrible social-climbing monster named Glynnis (Anna Chancellor) with a snooty teen-age daughter. Daphne is a breath of fresh air and both she and Henry learn a lot about themselves as they learn about each other.
Is it any good?
What a Girl Wants is not just a fairy tale -- it is a full-out fantasy straight from the heart of all young girls and former young girls who really really love their daddies. It may feel to other people like an adorableness overdose, but its intended audience will enjoy it very much. Bynes is a gifted comedienne, but she doesn't get a chance to show off what she does best in this movie. But she has a fresh and engaging presence and some able and charismatic support from classically trained stage actors Firth, Eileen Atkins, and Jonathan Pryce. The love interest, played by Ian Williams, should be high on the Teen Beat hearthrob list.
The movie feels too long because it is more like a string of unconnected sit-com episodes, each one signaling its conclusion the moment it starts. Each incident fails to build on or even be reflected in the one that comes next. It has a pre-packaged feel, leaving absolutely nothing to chance, not even the possibility that there might be some eight-year-old who has never seen a movie before and might not know that the bad guys are really bad unless they engage in the most idiotically outrageous (and self-defeating) behavior. The climactic, Cinderella-ish conclusion to the big coming-out ball makes Daphne seem inconsistent and immature. And the climactic decision by Henry makes him seem irresponsible and immature.
What families can talk about
Families can talk about the way Daphne tried to "fit in" and whether Henry was doing the same. What were the most important things Daphne and Henry learned from each other? They should also Henry's decision to change direction and what the impact is likely to be.
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AGE
This fun movie is great for girls 7 and up!
This movie is about a girl who wants to meet her dad, who she has been wishing to meet all her life. When she finally meets him, he turns out to be a very serious guy with a prissy step-daughter and wife. But when he sees her and her mom again, he realizes fame isn't worth giving up family.
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AGE
Not Colin's best movie, but.....
As they say, every cloud as a silver lining. Nice and cute flim for tweens and teens. Even adults mine enjoy it. (My parents did!)
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AGE
Fun,clean movie.
My son who is 9 loved this movie. I enjoyed it as well. It was a fun movie,and a funny one. My son wanted me to tape it so he could watch it again. It is a feel good fantasy movie.
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AGE
Ok for kids!
I thought this film was fine. At times I felt as if there was a tad too much chemistry between Colin Firth and Amanda though. Even though he is her father in the film, there were times it appeared to me like he wanted to kiss her. I would let my kids watch it (if I had kids). No sex or violence!
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Kid, 12 years old
July 22, 2010
AGE
Kinda funny and a good movie to watch. About a daughter wanting to find her father.
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AGE
watch the movie and them talk
the movie has the best parts that anyother movie would have about a father and daughter finding each other and it's cute what amanda does to win her fathers heart and also in the movie amanda has the most hottest and cuttest boyfriend. i just love the movie i brought it ever seens it was out i always watch it it's Beautiful and i thank the director of the movie and i always wish for part 2...... i'm hoping love you
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AGE
10 1/2+
its ok. well first of all theres a shot of a 30something british dude in tight leather pants. and mention of testicles (ew). other than that its pretty good
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AGE
for tweens and teens
this is like one of the best movies its hilarious but dont hav booys in the house because they like 2 mimike it
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| Studio: | Warner Bros. |
| Director: | Dennie Gordon |
| Cast: | Amanda Bynes, Colin Firth, Kelly Preston |
| Genre: | Comedy |
| Run time: | 100 minutes |
| Theatrical release date: | April 4, 2003 |
| DVD release date: | August 5, 2003 |
| MPAA rating: | PG |
| MPAA explanation: | mild language |
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