Python Hyena What a Girl Wants (2003): Dir: Dennie Gordon / Cast: Amanda Bynes, Colin Firth, Kelly Preston, Jonathan Pryce, Oliver James: Recycled teen family film about the importance of good adult role models. Amanda Bynes stars as a girl who longs to see her father who has been absent for seventeen years. She works as a caterer at a banquet her mother sings at. She tells of how her father got into British politics and how she was secretly sent away by his officials. What follows is pure formula as Bynes shows up to meet her father. He is bewildered and overwhelmed while his current fiancé and stepdaughter would prefer that she left. The main joke is that her lifestyle clashes with their culture. An improvement for director Dennie Gordon after making the pathetic The Adventures of Joe Dirt but it is not much of one. Bynes is an absolute delight and holds strong despite predictable developments. Colin Firth as her father is given a good back story before being subdued with standard material that concludes with him learning the truth. Flat supporting roles by Kelly Preston as Bynes's mother, and Jonathan Pryce as one of the corrupt officials. Oliver James plays her romantic interest and he has less personality than a plastic Ken doll. What a girls wants is what everyone needs, and in this case it would be to star in a film of much higher potential than this paper thin charade. Score: 3 ½ / 10

lunalover15 Film Review: What a Girl Wants In 2003 Amanda Bynes played one of her most infamous roles in What a Girl Want directed by Dennie Gordon. The film is filled with lively and emotional music that enhances the film storyline. While also filled with a rambunctious cast of all ages which brings a great sense of character to the movie. What a Girl Wants redefines the classic teenage romantic comedy putting a new reliability to the audience. Bynes character is an outgoing American teenager who is in search for her long lost father who is a wealthy British politician that is running for office. The movie shows the up and downs of Daphne's characters journey to build a relationship with her father and how she may have to change her wild ways to be accepted by her father and his lifestyle. Gordon does a great job of integrating upbeat music to the light heart scene and uses it as the glue that binds the movie together. What a Girl Wants is a light hearted film that shows the journeys both parents and teens take as they begin to mature. The film's soundtrack enhances the scenes in the movie and helps set the mood for the audience. From start to end the music creates the ambiance in each scene. The film's opening is an emotional father daughter dance scene which Daphne observes as she waitresses the wedding, the song played in the background foreshadows the upcoming story plot to the film. Music transitions the film very well by being intertwined to keep it up beat. Though some may say the songs can be corny and very teen oriented, the lyrics and beat can be masked, by the charm of their singer Ian Wallace (Oliver James), Daphne's love interest in the film. In addition, to that Gordon adds in classic songs such as 'What a Wonderful World', and 'Have I told you lately.' Making this film appealing to all ages and not just teens since Gordon mixes classics and modern day songs throughout the film which make this film the perfect family night movie. Amanda Bynes, Oliver James, Colin Firth, Kelly Preston, and Eileen Atkins this film is filled with a variety of talent characters of all ages. Each bringing a different personality to the screen and making the movie humorous, sentimental, and emotional. Bynes character brings a youthful feel to the movie and keeps it upbeat from her crazy dancing scenes, her messy love triangle, to bickering with her soon to be stepsister, she brings the light heartiness to a film that everyone enjoys watching. James plays Daphne's bad boy love interest who character is essential to any good teen film because teens need something to admire, and his charming personality defiantly wraps in the ladies. Firth's and Preston's characters relates to many parents as the film shows their struggle through parenting a teen and the wild emotions that go through them every time they walk out the door. While Atkins character bring wisdom and humor to the film with her witty British comments while being a source of reason to both Daphne and her son. Her character is truly the Virgil of the film. The plethora of characters is what makes this film appealing to all viewers and makes it a film that enjoyable to many. What a Girl Wants is a film that may be underestimated and looked at as another teen romantic comedy but with Gordon's directing, soundtrack, and cast this film is a top notch romantic comedy. Where the viewer's goes through a roller coaster of emotions and are constantly moving to the beat of the catchy soundtrack. The plot of the movie also has endless turn with character of Pryce (Firth's adviser who wants to get rid of Daphne), and Cole (who is Bynes soon to be step sister and is constantly trying to sabotage her); their characters keep the film interesting. What a Girl wants is a warm hearted film just about girl trying to finally have a father in her life. Though both go through their struggles of trying to adapt to their new lifestyle the core of the movie is the bond a parent and child have. This is why this movie is perfect for the family to gather around with a bowl of popcorn on weekend night and watch together because it truly shows the bond of family.

MovieReviews101 I was prepared to hate this movie because of Amanda Bynes and her awful Nickelodeon show. However, I gave it a watch and I actually liked it. Colin Firth did an excellent job as the English Politician. It's not as bad as people say it is, they probably hate it because they think it will be like the Amanda show which it is not. I think teens can probably relate to how Daphne (Bynes) feels when she does not have her dad. I felt like it was a bit like the Princess Diaries. I would not say i loved it but it is one good movie. I recommend it to teens because they will appreciate this sort of movie more. Overall, not bad some parts were very sad and some very funny. A good movie.

theliquorstore What does a girl want? You might recall some things like fame and fortune, but according to this movie it's a father. A simple, yet fun, chick-flick directed by Dennie Gordon stars Amanda Bynes as Daphne Reynolds, a wild funny girl next-door trying to find her missing father. And Primetime Emmy Nominee, Colin Firth as Henry Dashwood, a well educated wealthy British politician.The movie starts out a scene with Daphne as a child, asking her mother the story on how she and her father met. The film then forwards to a 17 year old Daphne being a waitress at a wedding, feeling sad as she could not attend another father-daughter. She then decided to find her father in England. The fun starts then as she is unable to cope with her surroundings.Amanda Bynes plays another funny-fun teenager, in a comedy movie. It is not very likely to see her in a serious movie and that makes me wonder, is she not confident enough in her acting skills to take up another challenge? Or is she just smart enough to keep focusing on her current fan-base? Colin Firth on the other hand is definitely one of the up points of the movie. You might recall some of his amazing movies, "Love actually", "Nanny McPhee", "Bridgette Jones' Diary" and of course "Mamma Mia". And he has also shown another great performance on this movie.This movie is definitely worth watching. And even though it might be classified as a family movie, I don't think that even my little brother would be caught alive watching this movie.