What a Girl Wants (2003)
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A seventeen-year-old girl travels to the United Kingdom to seek out the father she never knew.
The story
Seventeen-year-old Daphne Reynolds lives in Manhattan with her single mother, Libby. After learning of her father's identity, Daphne runs off to London to meet him, Henry Dashwood, the Earl of Wycombe. Henry is currently running for election to the House of Commons and is engaged to Glynnis Payne. While in London, Daphne meets Ian Wallace, a local boy who works at a hostel, and they begin dating. Upon meeting Henry, he is stunned to discover his daughter, and she is welcomed into his aristocratic life, where she must navigate the complexities of high society and the hostility of Henry's social circle.
Full plot (contains spoilers)
Daphne Reynolds, a seventeen-year-old from New York, travels to England to meet her father, Henry Dashwood, the Earl of Wycombe. Henry, who believes his former lover Libby had left him for another man, is shocked by Daphne's arrival but is supported by his mother, Jocelyne. While in London, Daphne befriends Ian Wallace and begins dating him. Daphne struggles to fit into the aristocratic world, facing hostility from Henry's fiancée, Glynnis, and her daughter, Clarissa. Despite her flamboyant behavior initially hurting Henry's political campaign, Daphne eventually helps him improve his polling numbers by adopting a more dignified manner. However, this change causes a rift with Ian. During a Debutante party, Daphne discovers that Henry's advisor, Alistair Payne, manipulated her mother's past. After a confrontation, Henry discovers Alistair's deceit, punches him, and breaks off his engagement to Glynnis. Henry eventually reunites with Daphne and Libby, reconciling with both. The film ends with Henry and Libby legally marrying in a Bedouin ceremony, Daphne being accepted into the University of Oxford, and Daphne continuing her relationship with Ian.
- First release year
- 2003
- Runtime (minutes)
- 105
- Production countries
- United States
- Original languages
- English
- Directors
- Dennie Gordon
- Writers
- Jenny Bicks · writer; Elizabeth Chandler · writer
- Cast and characters
- Amanda Bynes · Daphne Reynolds; Colin Firth · Henry Dashwood; Kelly Preston · Libby Reynolds; Eileen Atkins · Jocelyne Dashwood; Anna Chancellor · Glynnis Payne; Jonathan Pryce · Alistair Payne; Oliver James · Ian Wallace; Christina Cole · Clarissa Payne
- Genres
- teen comedy; teen romance; coming-of-age comedy; romantic comedy
- Themes
- father-daughter relationships; identity; social class; reconciliation
- Tone and mood
- romantic; comedic; sentimental
- Premise and plot tags
- coming-of-age; romance; comedy; aristocracy
- Source material / true-story basis
- The Reluctant Debutante by William Douglas-Home
- Reception
- The film received mixed reviews from critics, with some describing it as syrupy and predictable, while it earned an 'A' grade from CinemaScore audiences.
- Reported review scores
- Rotten Tomatoes · score: 35% · review count: 110; Metacritic · score: 41 · scale: 100 · review count: 27
- Production trivia
- Print advertisements were altered to remove a peace sign from the poster to avoid political statements during the 2003 invasion of Iraq.; The film is the second adaptation for the screen of the play The Reluctant Debutante.; The film grossed $51 million worldwide against a $25 million budget.
Film metadata comes from the open sources listed in Credits & Contact. Catalogue details may be incomplete.
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