What a Girl Wants

Plots: 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. Loosely based on The Reluctant Debutante (1958) starring Sandra Dee, this family-friendly comedy features popular Nickelodeon teen star Amanda Bynes in her first feature-starring performance after her debut in Big Fat Liar (2002). She plays teenager Daphne Reynolds, who lives in New York City with her musician mother, Libby Reynolds (Kelly Preston). After she turns seventeen, 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 Wallace (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 Payne (Anna Chancellor), and her bratty daughter, Clarissa Payne (Christina Cole), are threatened by Daphne’s presence, thinking that she will hurt Henry’s political aspirations by causing a scandal. However, family matriarch, Jocelyn Dashwood (Dame 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 coming-out party. Daphne Reynolds (Amanda Bynes) lives an comfortable but unsatisfying life as a seventeen-year-old American teenager, who has never met her father, but has heard some about him. She lives with her single mother Libby Reynolds (Kelly Preston) above a Chinese Restaurant in New York City. Daphne decides it’s time for her to meet her father, so she boards a flight to England. She sees her father, and he is not who she thought he is, he’s Lord Henry Dashwood (Colin Firth). So she tries to fit in, also while people are doubting her, an maintain her love life, and trying to make a good impression on everyone, all while she’s trying to get to know her father better so they can have a great relationship.