What a Girl Wants
American Daphne Reynolds heads to Europe in search of the father she's never met. But instead of finding a British version of her boho mother, she learns the love of her mom's life is an uptight politician. The only problem now is that her long-lost father is engaged to a fiercely territorial social climber with a daughter who makes Daphne's life miserable.
Critics Sentiment
Henry catches Daphne at his estate and learns he has a daughter
Daphne tells Henry she is returning to the United States
The film drops significantly from Daphne winning over the aristocracy (7.1) to her character transformation for politics (5.3), marking where reviewers felt the story lost its charm and momentum.
What a Girl Wants starts promisingly with reviewers praising Amanda Bynes' refreshing characterization and Colin Firth's performance, building to a peak when father and daughter first meet. The film falters significantly in its middle act as critics felt the character transformations and romantic subplot became forced and unsatisfying. While it recovers somewhat for a conventionally sweet ending, most reviewers saw it as a predictable but harmless family film elevated primarily by its leads' charm.
Full cast
Showing 20 of 36
Amanda Bynes
Daphne Reynolds
Colin Firth
Henry Dashwood
Kelly Preston
Libby Reynolds
Eileen Atkins
Jocelyn Dashwood
Anna Chancellor
Glynnis Payne
Jonathan Pryce
Alistair Payne
Oliver James
Ian Wallace
Christina Cole
Clarissa Payne
James Greene
Percy
Ben Scholfield
Armistead Stuart
Sylvia Syms
Princess Charlotte
Tara Summers
Noelle
Peter Hugo
Prince Charles
Jonah Russell
Policeman
Stanley Townsend
Bride's Father
Roger Ashton-Griffiths
Lord Orwood
Judy Collins
Dancer
Victoria Wicks
Henry's Secretary
David Gyasi
Ian's Band Member
Soleil McGhee
Young Daphne
Crew
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