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Tween fave and Nickelodeon veteran Amanda Bynes comes of age in her first starring role as Daphne, a free-spirited force of nature. Upon her 17th birthday, Daphne departs from her home in New York -- and her single mom (Kelly Preston), who works as a wedding singer -- and ventures to London to track down the father she has never known. Pride and Prejudice and Bridget Jones's Diary heartthrob Colin Firth costars as the buttoned-up Sir Henry Dashwood, a politician unaware of his daughter's existence (thanks to his scheming adviser, portrayed by Jonathan Pryce). Dashwood is understandably taken aback by the unpredictable and endearingly klutzy Daphne, but he soon begins to question his aspirations for higher office once he falls under the influence of his rock-the-house, Coco Puffs-scarfing daughter. This does not sit well with his adviser, nor with his social-climbing fiancée and her snotty daughter, whose schemes to humiliate Daphne backfire. "Get over yourself," Daphne informs her, "I'm staying." Making this wish-fulfillment fantasy complete is Oliver James as Ian, the nicest boyfriend in the world, who counsels Daphne to be herself. "Why are you trying so hard to fit in," he asks, "when you were born to stand out?" And Bynes is a standout -- funny, charming, and sympathetic -- in a film that fans of the makeover comedy The Princess Diaries will want for command performances at home. Donald Liebenson

All Movie Guide

Loosely based on the 1958 comedy The Reluctant Debutante starring Sandra Dee, the family-friendly comedy What a Girl Wants features popular Nickelodeon teen star Amanda Bynes in her first feature-starring performance after her debut in Big Fat Liar. She plays teenager Daphne Reynolds, who lives in New York City with her musician mother, Libby (Kelly Preston). After she turns 17, Daphne is undecided about her future, so she takes off by herself to London in search of her father. She immediately meets cute musician Ian (Oliver James) before sneaking in to her father's estate to surprise him. He turns out to be Lord Henry Dashwood (Colin Firth), a fabulously wealthy aristocrat who doesn't even know that she exists. He had met her mother in Morocco and the two were married in a tribal ceremony. Upon their return to England, she left him and went back to the U.S. without ever revealing that she was pregnant. The uptight Henry is already flustered by his campaign for election, advised by doting aide Alistair Payne (Jonathan Pryce). His no-nonsense fiancée, Glynnis (Anna Chancellor), and her bratty daughter, Clarissa (Christina Cole), are threatened by Daphne's presence, thinking that she will hurt Henry's political aspirations by causing a scandal. However, the family matriarch (Eileen Atkins) takes a liking to her and she soon finds herself trying to liven things up at several stuffy aristocratic parties. Meanwhile, the evil Glynnis and Clarissa conspire against her by trying to sabotage her appearance, leading up to the conclusion at Daphne's very own coming-out party. Andrea LeVasseur

Product Details

• UPC: 085392466528
• Source: WARNER HOME VIDEO
• Region Code: 1
• Presentation: Pan & Scan
• Sound: Dolby Digital
• Editions: Subtitled
• Time: 1:45:00

This DVD is also available as part of a box set:

• Slumber Party Pack
• What a Girl Wants / New York Minute
• What a Girl Wants / Chasing Liberty

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