what a girl wants movie review

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Amanda Bynes , the star of "The Amanda Show," is well known to fans of the Nickelodeon channel, who are so numerous that she is to 'tweeners as Jack Nicholson is to the Academy. She was sort of wonderful in " Big Fat Liar ," a comedy about kids whose screenplay is stolen by a Hollywood professional, and now here she is in "What a Girl Wants," a comedy whose screenplay was stolen from " The Princess Diaries ." But I am unfair. What goes around comes around, and to assume this is a retread of "The Princess Diaries" is to overlook its own pedigree. It's based on the 1956 play and 1958 screenplay "The Reluctant Debutante" by William Douglas Home--who, by the way, was the brother of Sir Alec Douglas-Home, briefly the British prime minister in the 1960s.

The point, I suppose, is that few movies are truly original, and certainly not "What a Girl Wants" or "The Princess Diaries." Both are recycled from ancient fairy tales in which a humble child discovers a royal parent and is elevated from pauperdom to princehood, to coin a phrase.

I would not be surprised to learn that Jenny Bicks and Elizabeth Chandler , who adapted Home's screenplay, did homework of their own--because a key plot point in the movie mirrors Sir Alec's own decision, in 1963, to renounce his seat in the House of Lords in order to run for a seat in the Commons. He won, became prime minister after Harold Macmillan, and quickly lost the next election to Harold Wilson.

Do you need to know this? Perhaps not, but then do you need to know the plot of "What a Girl Wants"? The movie is clearly intended for girls between the ages of 9 and 15, and for the more civilized of their brothers, and isn't of much use to anyone else.

Bynes stars as Daphne Reynolds, who has been raised by her mother, Libby ( Kelly Preston ), in an apartment above a restaurant in Chinatown, for the excellent reason that we can therefore see shots of Daphne in Chinatown. As nearly as I can recall, no Chinese characters have speaking lines, although one helps to blow out the candles on her birthday cake.

Daphne is the love child of Sir Henry Dashwood ( Colin Firth ), a handsome British politician who has decided to renounce his seat in the House of Lords in order to run for the Commons (the movie dismisses such minutiae as that Tony Blair has already booted most of the Lords out onto the street). Sir Henry had a Meet Cute with Libby in Morocco 15 years ago and they were married by a Bedouin prince but never had a "real marriage" (a Bedouin prince not ranking as high in this system as a justice of the peace). Then Sir Henry's evil adviser ( Jonathan Pryce ) plotted to drive them apart, and she fled to Chinatown, believing Sir Henry did not love her and nobly saving him the embarrassment of a pregnant American commoner.

So great is the wealth of the Dashwoods that their country estate, surrounded by a vast expanse of green lawns and many a tree, is smack dab in the middle of London, so central that Daphne can hop off a bus bound for Trafalgar Square and press her pert little nose against its cold iron gates. The Dashwoods, in short, live on real estate worth more than Rhode Island.

Daphne jumps the wall at Dashwood House in order to meet her father, her lovable but eccentric grandmother ( Eileen Atkins ), her father's competitive fiancee ( Anna Chancellor ), her father's future stepdaughter ( Christina Cole ) and her father's adviser (Pryce), who frowns on the notion of introducing a love child on the eve of the election. Now that you know all that, you can easily jot down the rest of the plot for yourself.

There are moments of wit, as when the eccentric grandmother recoils from the American teenager ("No hugs, dear. I'm British. We only show affection to dogs and horses"). And an odd scene where Daphne is locked in a bedroom, released just as Queen Elizabeth II is arriving at a party, and flees in tears--causing her father to choose between chasing her and greeting the queen. My analysis of this scene: (1) He should choose to greet the queen, or 19 generations of breeding have been for nothing, and (2) Daphne won't get far before being returned, dead or alive, by the Scotland Yard security detail that accompanies the queen when she visits private homes.

I found it a little unlikely, by the way, that the guests at the party were all looking at Daphne and not the queen. Paul Theroux wrote of being at a dinner party for the queen and agonizing over what he should say when she entered the room. Suddenly seeing her famous profile, all he could think of was: "That reminds me! I need to buy postage stamps." So is this movie worth seeing? Well, everybody in it is either sweet and cute, or eccentric and hateful, and the movie asks the timeless question: Can a little girl from America find love and happiness as the daughter of a wealthy and titled English lord? If you are a fan of Bynes, you will probably enjoy finding out the answer for yourself. If not, not.

Roger Ebert

Roger Ebert was the film critic of the Chicago Sun-Times from 1967 until his death in 2013. In 1975, he won the Pulitzer Prize for distinguished criticism.

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What A Girl Wants (2003)

Rated PG For Mild Language

104 minutes

Amanda Bynes as Daphne Reynolds

Colin Firth as Henry Dashwood

Kelly Preston as Libby Reynolds

Anna Chancellor as Glynnis

Jonathan Pryce as Alastair Payne

Eileen Atkins as Lady Jocelyn

Christina Cole as Clarissa Payne

Directed by

• Dennie Gordon
• Jenny Bicks
• Elizabeth Chandler

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What a Girl Wants (2003) – A Contemporary Fairytale with Colin Firth

WHAT A GIRL WANTS (2003) REVIEW

Regardless of being part of the millennium era of filmmaking, some films earn their place as a “classic.” What a Girl Wants is one such film (for me). Though it’s been many years since it came out (it released in the middle of my teen years making any re-watch of this a trip down memory lane), What a Girl Wants has resolutely weathered the storm. Some of the movies I once loved I’ve since grown out of; this isn’t one of them. What a Girl Wants has a staying power akin to that of The Princess Diaries . Fortunately, that’s not the only similarities to be drawn between these two films.

RELATED | Top 16 Movies With Colin Firth As the Romantic Leading Man

What a Girl Wants introduces us to 17-year-old Daphne Reynolds (Amanda Bynes), a native New Yorker who grew up in Chinatown. Since she was born, it’s always been Daphne and her mom, Libby (Kelly Preston), a childhood Daphne has documented through a collection of photos. But that doesn’t mean Daphne has stopped dreaming of the day her father (growing up she repeatedly heard the romantic story of how her parents met) might find her. Daphne somehow believes that if she meets her father, she will finally know who she is.

This inspires her to travel to England where she finally meets her father, Lord Henry Dashwood (Colin Firth). An important member not only of a proud British family but also parliament. Henry is in the midst of a political campaign and planning a wedding when the daughter he never knew he had shows up. Further complicating the already awkward situation is Henry’s fiancée, Glynnis (Anna Chancellor), her daughter, Clarissa (Christina Cole), and Henry’s mother, Jocelyn Dashwood (Eileen Atkins).

Every once in a while, as a movie buff, I run across films that become something of a juxtaposed blend of equal parts emotionally affecting and comedic. It’s these that remain with the viewer the longest. Classic charm, a witty script, and a talented cast effortlessly endears What a Girl Wants . Despite being a “teen comedy,” this film is comedy gold. It’s the kind of film you can just as easily watch with a group of your best friends as your mother. From the performances to the story itself, everything shines. I could talk about every angle, and probably not leave with a criticism or at least not any that were worth mentioning.

The star-studded cast doesn’t hinder this one in the least. From the veteran Eileen Atkins ( Upstairs, Downstairs ) to Christina Cole (who is no stranger to playing the “mean girl”) and Oliver James (playing the prerequisite love interest), there’s not a weak link to be found. For costume drama aficionados, you’ll find it hilarious to see Anna Chancellor and Colin Firth play off of each other (and her epic failure to snag him) again after seeing them as Caroline Bingley and Mr. Darcy in the A&E miniseries Pride and Prejudice years earlier. The real shining star though is the relationship between Daphne and her father, Henry. The desire Daphne has to know her father is lovely and of course, the awkward way Firth plays Henry’s reaction to this bombshell is perfect.

The script tells many stories. Everything from the sweet blush of first love to the coming-of-age journey Daphne travels, many concepts are represented within these two hours. Though I love that Daphne comes to learn she doesn’t need to meet the other half of her DNA to find herself, at the heart of it all is the relationship between Daphne and her father. This is what’s most lovely. I appreciated both sides of the relationship too; the serious emotional turns it takes and the subtle ways the script pokes fun at how very alike children are to their parents. As someone who is very much like her dad (in terms of how I process things), I love these simple touches that bring together the story and give it that sense of completion. There’s also a sweet love story between Daphne’s parents, Libby and Lord Dashwood.

If you’re looking for a lighthearted film (with a bent towards a contemporary Cinderella angle) to watch this weekend or maybe it’s been a while since you saw this one, why not make it What a Girl Wants ? It’s as darling the tenth time through as it is the first. You can rent What a Girl Wants on Amazon Video or buy it on DVD.

Content Note: There are a few minor innuendoes and one or two commonplace profanities. What a Girl Wants is rated PG.

Have you seen What a Girl Wants ? Did you like seeing Colin Firth in another Mr. Darcy-like  (“stiff upper lip”) role? What’s your favorite Colin Firth flick? Comment down below with your thoughts!

Photos: Warner Brothers

OVERALL RATING

“The stuff that dreams are made of.”

ROMANCE RATING

“You pierce my soul. I am half agony, half hope.

I have loved none but you.”

Read our Romantic Moments of the Week featuring The DUFF ’ s Wesley and Bianca and Beastly ‘s Hunter and Lindy . Read our reviews of Barely Lethal and Easy A or visit our Vintage Review archives to see what else we re-watch time and again.

ARE YOU A ROMANCE FAN? FOLLOW THE SILVER PETTICOAT REVIEW:

Rissi is a self-diagnosed Bookaholic and TV fandom addict. She’s currently an avid blogger and reader who enjoys interacting with readers, and often dreams about finishing her first novel. When not writing or reading, she can be found working as an INSPYs advisory board member or contributing to e-zines. Her scribbles are housed on her blog Finding Wonderland (https://www.rissiwrites.com).

More posts by this author.

4 thoughts on “What a Girl Wants (2003) – A Contemporary Fairytale with Colin Firth”

Such a cute movie! I haven’t watched it in forever–it might be time to pull it off the dvd shelf!

You should, Becky! This is so cute, and I enjoyed it just as much this recent time through as I did the first time I saw it. 🙂

I know this is an old post, but I just want to say that I LOVE this movie!. I’m usually embarrassed to admit that as I am way older than the target audience, but…well…no one here knows me, so it’s safe 🙂 I loved Colin Firth in this role, as well as the rest of the cast.

I feel like I’m in good company, Becky; I read or watch things often that I’m no longer in the target range of. Usually they’re stories (no matter the format) I can enjoy without having to overthink, and I love that. “What a Girl Wants” is 100% on that list! 🙂 So glad you stopped by to share your thoughts. Thank you. 🙂

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What a Girl Wants Reviews

What a Girl Wants may be predictable but this comedy will never not be enjoyable.

Full Review | Dec 28, 2021

a gawp-fest for those interested in slumming acting talent and off-kilter observations about Britishness...

Full Review | Original Score: 3/5 | Mar 10, 2021

Dennie Gordon does an admirable of directing this little romp across the pond keeping things light and even-tempered... Predictable? Yes. Sentimental? Yes. Charming? Yes. Enjoyable? Without a doubt.

Full Review | Original Score: 3/5 | Nov 3, 2019

What a Girl Wants plays like a TV cartoon, not even a sitcom, and makes little sense on its own terms.

Full Review | Apr 4, 2018

Too much of it plays like a first draft of The Princess Diaries (a much better film).

Full Review | Original Score: C+ | Jan 3, 2018

definitely a cute film if you're into that sort of thing

Full Review | Original Score: 3.5/5 | Jan 12, 2016

Too-cute with a few iffy moments, but tweens will eat it up.

Full Review | Original Score: 3/5 | Dec 29, 2010

Full Review | Original Score: 2/5 | Aug 7, 2008

Full Review | Original Score: 1/5 | Dec 30, 2006

Full Review | Original Score: 3/5 | Dec 6, 2005

Another piece of teen-girl wish-fulfillment fluff of the most forgettable sort.

Full Review | Original Score: 2/5 | May 12, 2004

The capable cast is wasted in this fluff piece.

Full Review | Original Score: 2/4 | Dec 30, 2003

Despite her obnoxious Nickelodeon pedigree, Bynes proves that, given the right project, she isn't half bad.

Full Review | Original Score: B- | Aug 29, 2003

The mum, played by Kelly Preston, tells Daphne, "Getting to know yourself is the answer." And we thought this was supposed to be good family fun.

Full Review | Original Score: 2/5 | Aug 15, 2003

There's very little about it that isn't utterly predictable, and naturally all major setbacks are quickly and easily overcome after a minute and a half music montage, before the final happy ending pancake platter is doused in syrupy overkill

Full Review | Original Score: 1/5 | Aug 10, 2003

Full Review | Original Score: 3/5 | Jul 30, 2003

Full Review | Original Score: 2/5 | Jul 22, 2003

Full Review | Original Score: 1.5/5 | Jun 15, 2003

Amanda Bynes lights up the screen with innocent charm and a sweet-girl smile.

Full Review | Original Score: 3/4 | May 20, 2003

A complete rip-off without one original twist of any kind-a film devoid of any unique concept.

Full Review | Original Score: C- | May 7, 2003

Notice: All forms on this website are temporarily down for maintenance. You will not be able to complete a form to request information or a resource. We apologize for any inconvenience and will reactivate the forms as soon as possible.

• DVD & Streaming

What a Girl Wants

• Comedy , Drama , Romance

Content Caution

In Theaters

• Amanda Bynes as Daphne Reynolds; Kelly Preston as Libby Reynolds; Colin Firth as Lord Henry Dashwood; Oliver James as Ian Wallace; Anna Chancellor as Glynnis Payne; Christina Cole as Clarissa Payne; Jonathan Pryce as Alistair Payne; Eileen Atkins as Jocelyn Dashwood

Home Release Date

• Dennie Gordon

Distributor

• Warner Bros.

Movie Review

Daphne Reynolds wants her mother to tell her the story again, the one she’s heard since before she can remember. It’s a tale about how a young and carefree American musician met her Prince Charming while traveling through Morocco. The two fell deeply in love and were married in a beautiful (but not legally binding) Bedouin ceremony. Naturally, when the Prince took his free-spirited bride home to Britain, his blue-blooded family was less than pleased. “What was he thinking?” they muttered. “She’ll ruin his future!” they moaned. The situation only deteriorated from there as the family frowned and the servants schemed. The musician was told by the Prince’s associate that he no longer wanted her and she tearfully returned to the United States. The Prince remained in England, having been informed—by the same associate—that his wife had run off with someone else. He’s never even told that shortly thereafter, his faithful and beloved wife gave birth to a little girl named Daphne …

Seventeen years have passed since that fateful parting, and while Daphne’s father isn’t actually a prince, he’s the next best thing. Henry Dashwood, a member of the British House of Lords, is poised to seize an even more influential seat in Parliament and perhaps to even become the Prime Minister of England one day. Not that Daphne cares. She only wants to meet her dad. But her mother regularly thwarts her efforts to make contact, concerned for her daughter’s emotional wellbeing. Finally, Daphne’s had enough. She packs her bags, grabs her passport and heads for the airport. Hours later she’s on Lord Henry’s doorstep with a smile on her face and a birth certificate in her hand.

Even though Daphne has spent her entire life thinking about meeting her dad, there are a few details she hasn’t considered. Such as how Henry’s glacial fiancée and equally frigid stepdaughter-to-be might react to her intrusion into their oh-so-carefully planned lives. Or what Henry’s scheming “friend,” Alistair Payne—that dastardly associate who broke up her parents—might do . Or how she, a relatively graceless New Yorker, might fit into the British aristocracy should her father take her under his wing.

positive elements: Much screen time is devoted to many positive things. And the need for an intact family is as good a place to start as any. Ever since she was young, Daphne has felt as though she were missing something. Namely, a father. This all-consuming yearning colors her entire life. Whenever she attends a wedding and sees the father/daughter dance, it breaks her heart since she knows she may never have that privilege. In a time when all too often movie and TV parents seem to exist only as objects of ridicule, it’s refreshing to see a teenager who actually wants to bond with her dad. Things such as music, shopping and sugary breakfast cereal become points of connection, not division.

Daphne’s mom, Libby, regrets her separation from Henry. Though she feels betrayed by his supposed abandonment, the film implies that she has remained emotionally and sexually faithful to her husband. Noble Henry espouses a number of noteworthy qualities. [ Spoiler Warning ] He’s honest and takes Daphne in, despite the danger this unknown daughter might pose to his political career. While his advisors are trying to put a spin on her sudden appearance, he reminds them that “we are dealing with a living, breathing person.” He’s consistently trumpeted as a principled idealist. One political analyst says Henry’s best selling point as a candidate “is that he’s completely scandal free.” Henry wrestles with those principles, resisting those who would try to push him toward a more pragmatic path. He shows genuine concern for his daughter’s well-being when he thinks she’s in a romantically compromising situation (she actually isn’t).

Other worthy messages include the negative consequences of dishonesty, the need for chivalry in romantic relationships, the toll “keeping up appearances” can take on a family, the ridiculousness of cultural hierarchies, the rewards of behaving kindly and graciously to others, the foolishness of hypocrisy, the truth that one’s worth comes from within, the necessity of following one’s conscience and the absurdity of conforming to needlessly restrictive social traditions. The permanence of marriage is upheld.

spiritual content: While telling the story about her pregnancy, Libby states that fate had given her a beautiful little girl. Upon first learning of Daphne’s abrupt appearance, Henry’s fiancée, Glynnis, says he should thoroughly check out the girl’s background to make sure she doesn’t have “666” written on her skull.

sexual content: Generally subtle and restrained. Much of Daphne’s wardrobe consists of clingy, low-cut affairs. Though not as slinky as other PG-rated outfits are wont to be, Daphne’s clothing can serve as an unwelcome distraction. Glynnis’ daughter, Clarissa, makes a number of biting comments about the legitimacy of Henry’s marriage. When Glynnis’ tells her to “put a cork in it,” Clarissa shoots a pointed look at Henry and says, “Maybe someone should have put a cork in it 17 years ago.” After Daphne meets a cute guitarist named Ian, she mentions that she lives with a musician. He’s crestfallen until she states that the musician is her mother. Henry tells Daphne that a dog ate one annoying politician’s testicle, but that the man is unfortunately still reproducing. At a formal gala Daphne asks her mom if she’s wearing a bra. One high ranking official fondly recalls “feverish kissing in the cloakroom.” A lecherous suitor squeezes women’s rears and ogles Daphne (she shoves him into a lake for his efforts). In an attempt to get rid of Daphne, Glynnis tries to convince Henry that the Bedouin marriage ceremony was only a “mating ritual.” Daphne and Ian share a kiss, as do Henry and Libby.

violent content: Predominately slapstick. Libby falls down a hill in Morocco before bumping (quite literally) into Henry. Daphne takes a tumble while climbing a high wall. While shooting clay pigeons, a poor shot decapitates a statue, blasts a birdhouse and blows a tree branch out from under a cat (the feline is unharmed). When Daphne gives the sport a try, the recoil of the shotgun knocks her flat on her back. A fed-up butler “accidentally” pours hot water on a sharp-tongued Clarissa. An amped-up rendition of James Brown’s “Get Up Off of That Thing” causes a chandelier to crash to the ground. When Henry learns that the devious Alistair was aware of Libby’s pregnancy all along, he decks him.

crude or profane language: One mild profanity (“a–“). The Lord’s name is misused half-a-dozen times. One character says “bejesus.” Other words and phrases such as “shut up,” “the old bat,” “bloody,” “holy poo on toast,” “arrogant jerk” and “fart” appear.

drug and alcohol content: Henry and Glynnis drink occasionally. Various partygoers also imbibe. While waitressing, Daphne coaxes an overindulged wedding guest out from under a table by slipping ice down his back. The camera glimpses people smoking on the street.

other negative elements: Though the film treats it rather lightly, the fact that the 17-year-old Daphne runs off to England without her mother’s approval in order to “write her own story” is anything but sensible. Reckless and foolhardy might be better descriptors. Clarissa makes a number of sarcastic quips about Americans. Daphne makes a few exasperated but venom-less comments. She tells a slimy lecher that “I really wish you’d pull your lip over your head and swallow it” and calls Clarissa “snotty little miss cranky pants” when she tries to bully her into returning to America.

conclusion: Good-hearted films with happy endings are notoriously hard to pull off. They’re either so cloyingly saccharine as to become almost unwatchable. Or they indulge in a bit too much cynicism, hoping to please pessimistic critics. Fortunately, What a Girl Wants fits neither of these stereotypes. It’s sweet without being treacly. Its characters are engaging, but reasonably realistic. And while most viewers will have the entire plot nailed within the first five minutes (just as they did when The Princess Diaries first arrived in theaters), the director and cast make it so much fun that you won’t likely care. I certainly didn’t. “This [movie] has such heart,” says actress Kelly Preston (Libby). “It’s got such a great tenderness and such a great message.” She’s right on all counts. The film delivers wonderful pro-family themes about marital fidelity, the need for intact homes and the foolishness of social posturing. There are some bumpy spots, no doubt, but during a time when cinema is getting rougher and rougher, What a Girl Wants provides an invigoratingly smooth ride.

Loren Eaton

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What a Girl Wants (2003)

What a Girl Wants is officially a remake of the 1958 Sandra Dee film The Reluctant Debutante , but in the hands of screenwriters Elizabeth Chandler ( A Little Princess ) and Jenny Bicks it’s become a virtual reimagining of Disney’s The Princess Diaries .

Artistic/Entertainment Value

Moral/spiritual value, age appropriateness, mpaa rating, caveat spectator.

Once again the young daughter of a working-class American mother and an aristocratic European father who are now divorced is raised in America by her single mother before eventually being introduced to her father’s elite world. Once again the heroine must overcome her American propensity for exuberance and pratfalls and learn dignity and poise.

Despite these similarities, What a Girl Wants differs from The Princess Diaries in three important respects, all of which are, as far as they go, good ideas.

First, instead of being a Pygmalion makeover fantasy, What a Girl Wants stresses the importance of being yourself. Of course, not giving the heroine a makeover is hardly a big deal if she starts off looking and dressing like Amanda Bynes ( Big Fat Liar ).

Second, where Diaries killed the father off without ever letting the daughter meet him, What a Girl Wants focuses on gratifying the heroine’s yearning for a relationship with her absent father — a relationship that is the film’s touching answer to the implied question in its title.

Third, Diaries tried to whitewash the parents’ divorce and the father’s abandonment of his daughter by offering a bogus explanation for why it was all really for the best. What a Girl Wants has a better idea: Aristocratic Henry (Colin Firth) and bohemian Libby (Kelly Preston) were driven apart by a scheming political climber named Alastair Payne (Jonathan Pryce), who convinced Libby that Henry wanted her to leave and sent her packing back to America before Henry found out she was pregnant. (A flashback explains that the couple met in Morocco and were married in a Bedouin ceremony, but separated before having a proper church wedding. The validity of their Bedouin marriage is questioned but not denied, which is meant to allow their daughter to be legitimate without entailing the messiness of divorce.)

Now, seventeen years later, Henry is poised to be elected to the House of Commons, having giving up his hereditary seat in the Lords, and is also engaged to be married to Alastair Payne’s daughter Glynnis (Anna Chancellor), who has a daughter by a previous marriage, Clarissa (Christina Cole). Evidently, Payne’s political ambitions operate on a long timetable.

That’s when sixteen-year-old Daphne (Bynes) shows up at Henry’s London manor-home estate with a birth certificate and a 17-year-old photo of her parents, looking to get to know the man who fathered her. Needless to say, Henry’s ambitious future relations are not amused.

All of this looks good on paper, but there are some problems in the execution. Take the theme of being yourself. What a Girl Wants allows Daphne to enjoy the fabulous gowns and glamor and palatial surroundings that come with her visit to her father, and there’s no suggestion that she needs these things, which is a good thing. Yet whenever she makes an effort not to offend against the genteel expectations of upper-class British society, the movie seems uncomfortable with this, as if this amounts to trying to be something she’s not.

In fact, the movie seems to view casual dress and behavior as a mark of authenticity and integrity, while breeding and politesse are viewed as suspect if not outright hypocritical. This attitude is explicitly professed by Daphne’s guitar-strumming British beau Ian (Oliver James), whose privileged grandparents used to get him into all the "right" schools and clubs "until one day I realized the hypocrisy of it all." Ian gently rebukes Daphne: "Why try to blend in when you were born to stand out?" Why aspire to dignity and poise when exuberance and pratfalls come so naturally?

The last straw, for Ian, is when Daphne chooses to accompany her father to what the production notes call a "stuffy British event" — at which no less than Queen Elizabeth herself will be in attendance — when she could be going to one of Ian’s gigs instead. "Just call me when Daphne reinhabits your body," he snaps petulantly, and it took me a beat to process that the movie actually thinks that he , not Daphne, is in the right. (Bizarrely, unless I missed something, the "stuffy event" and the gig apparently turn out to be one and the same function. Right, like Ian’s the guy you want providing entertainment when you’re hosting the Queen.)

The movie’s other big problem is the way Daphne and Henry’s father-daughter relationship plays out. More specifically, the problem is Henry himself. In a word, he’s a sap. Not only is he diffident, passive, and clueless, he remains so throughout the film.

In fact, that flashback to Morocco seventeen years earlier, when Henry leaped forward to catch a woman he saw sliding down a steep grade and wound up marrying her, is the last time we see Henry acting decisively and purposively until the film’s climax, when he socks Alistair after finding out that the old man knew about Henry’s daughter but never told him. So in the very end he finally does right by his daughter and first love. It’s too little too late to make him an interesting or sympathetic character, or to make his onscreen relationship with Daphne in any way satisfying.

There’s nothing wrong with a character like Henry having a weak start. He’s in the middle of a bid for Parliament, he’s engaged to be married, he’s been under Alistair’s influence for the better part of two decades, and now all of a sudden he finds out he has a teenaged daughter. Not ideal circumstances to see a person at his best.

But after a weak start a character like this is meant to improve, to redeem himself. Henry never does. He’s easily manipulated by the scheming trio into which he plans to marry, is blind to their fairy-tale stepfamily malevolence toward his daughter, and consistently fails to look out for her. He does unexpectedly peel out of another "stuffy British event" on a motorcycle to hang out and go shopping with his daughter, after which he nostalgically pulls his old leather pants out of storage and plays air guitar in front of a mirror. But not even casual clothes and behavior can save this character.

The absence of a satisfying father-daughter relationship means that the movie must fall back on Bynes’s charm and comic talents for its appeal. Fortunately, Bynes delivers. She’s funny and genuine, and almost singlehandedly she makes the film watchable. Eileen Atkins helps as Henry’s mother, the sort of endearingly dotty old dowager whose eccentricity allows her to be all right even though she’s upper class.

Girls in the target ten-to-fifteen age range will doubtless enjoy What a Girl Wants just as they did The Princess Diaries two years ago, when they were eight to thirteen. What I wrote in my review of that film applies equally well to this one: "Those in the market for what it has to offer will find it pleasantly agreeable, and those who aren’t won’t be in the theater in the first place."

Postscript: Another weird similarity between The Princess Diaries and What a Girl Wants : In Diaries , there was a somewhat muddled account about how the heroine’s uncle, a royal heir, had to renounce the throne in order to "join the Church." What a Girl Wants seems similarly confused about the details of the heroine’s father renouncing his hereditary seat in the Lords to stand for the Commons: Alistair predicts the outcome of the election by suggesting that Henry will be "the next Prime Minister," though Henry can hardly be the leader of a major party at this point in his political career. Not, of course, that such fine points are likely to be an issue for the target audience of either film.

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Movie Review

What a girl wants.

US Release Date: 04-04-2003

Directed by: Dennie Gordon

Starring ▸ ▾

• Amanda Bynes ,  as
• Daphne Reynolds
• Colin Firth ,  as
• Henry Dashwood
• Kelly Preston ,  as
• Libby Reynolds
• Jonathan Pryce ,  as
• Alistair Payne
• Eileen Atkins ,  as
• Jocelyn Dashwood
• Oliver James ,  as
• Ian Wallace
• Anna Chancellor as
• Glynnis Payne

Amanda Bynes and Colin Firth in What a Girl Wants .

While every movie has a target audience that it is geared towards, the truly great movies transcend that audience and appeal to a much broader one.  What a Girl Wants is not one of those movies.  It is aiming for the readers of Teen-People Magazine and it successfully hits its target to the exclusion of everyone else.  While I did find the movie amusing enough in parts, only someone who has never been to the movies before will be surprised by anything that happens in this one.

Daphne Reynolds (Amanda Bynes) is an All-American girl living in New York City with her bohemian musician mother Libby (Kelly Preston).  All Daphne knows about her father is from the story her mother tells her every year on her birthday.  Apparently her Father is an English Lord (Colin Firth) who met Daphne's mother in Morocco.  They were married in a Bedouin wedding ceremony.  Upon their arrival in England Lord Dashwood's choice of a free-spirited American bride is met with displeasure by his family and political advisors and the bride is sent packing back to the states.  Only after she is gone, does Libby realize that she is pregnant.

When the story of her parent's meeting is told for the first time, it is so lushly romanticized that I assumed that the truth would turn out to be the exact opposite.  I thought the truth would reveal that Libby's relationship with Lord Dashwood was just a quick fling and that the story was only a way for Libby to make Daphne feel good.  Sadly, the story is 100% true, and sets the tone for the rest of the picture.

On her eighteenth birthday, Daphne, after seeing one more father-daughter dance than she can take, flies off to England to meet the Father she's never known.  At her hotel in London, she meets a young, cute, musician/desk clerk, (who really comes from a rich family, but who's parents gave it all up for love) and before you can say, "Hands across the Pond", young love has blossomed.

Daphne's arrival at her Father's estate causes a stir, not only because he never knew that he was a father, but also because he is currently running for office and doesn't want a scandal so near the election.  The stir is aggravated by Lord Dashwood's social climbing fiancée and her likeminded daughter, who want nothing to do with the crass American girl.  Naturally Lord Dashwood's mother, Daphne's grandmother, (played by Julie Andre...I mean Eileen Atkins) takes an immediate shine to the girl, inviting her to stay with them.

Thankfully the cast is all capable and charming, making up partly for the predictability of the plot.  Colin Firth plays the stock stiff-upper lip Englishmen that he perfected in Bridget Jones' Diary and Eileen Atkins puts her many years of Masterpiece Theater acting to good use as the crusty Countess.  Amanda Bynes is cute, but a little cloyingly so.

Soon Daphne is mixing with her Father's peers.  The British Upper-class, whom it seems have never met an American before or been told to 'loosen up', are soon falling under her spell.  That is until her behavior begins to affect her stodgy father's standing in the polls.  When she is told to behave more like a proper Lady, Daphne is faced with either being true to herself or possibly losing the Father she has finally been re-united with.  (Damn it, I promised myself that I wouldn't cry while writing this review!)

The rest is all too predictable.

Amanda Bynes and Oliver James in What a Girl Wants .

As Scott said What a girl Wants is a sugary ball of fluff aimed at twelve year old girls with princess fantasies, as vapid in content as it is innocuous in spirit, but oh so pretty to look at. Every gag is so obviously set up that all you can do is sit back and let them wash over you. In one party scene a character goes on and on about his beautiful crystal chandelier. Hmm. I wonder if it will come crashing down at the end of the scene? Later Ian is teaching Daphne poise by having her balance on the seat of a rowboat. Hmm. I wonder if someone's going to fall in? At the end of the movie Daphne is, sadly, back in New York at yet another wedding reception where her mom is performing. The moment arrives for the father/daughter dance. Hmm. Will Lord Dashwood (with boyfriend Ian in tow) turn up in time to dance with his daughter?

Amanda Bynes has charisma and screen presence. She exhibits a wide-eyed innocence with a slightly perky demeanor. Still, she is more of a personality than an actress. In all fairness this isn't a role that calls for anything other than those two qualities.

Everything about the movie is designed to take you into a fairytale experience. Diabetics be forewarned, What a Girl Wants is so saccharin sweet that it makes Pretty Woman seem cutting edge and adult by comparison. At the same time if you enjoy this sort of no-brainer, pretty on the eyes, soft-focus, swelling music movie experience, then get ready for a cinematic treat.

Amanda Bynes in What a Girl Wants .

This movie is as completely predictable and sugary sweet as both Scott and Patrick have said. It also is the most unoriginal script I have ever seen. It steals heavily from better Disney movies like Cinderella, The Parent Trap , and The Princess Diaries .

I liked one character, the grandmother (Eileen Atkins). Her skeet shooting scene and few lines of dialogue are the rare bright spots in this movie. One of her first lines is the best; "No hugs." She informs her affectionate granddaughter. "I'm British. We only show affection to dogs and horses."

Like Patrick, I think Amanda Bynes is by no means an actress. She does slapstick just fine on her Nickelodeon show. However, she is not convincing in this light comedy/drama and thus the audience is never drawn in to actually take any of this fluff even remotely serious.

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What A Girl Wants Review

08 Aug 2003

105 minutes

What A Girl Wants

Following up such a well-received debut as Director Gordon may know what some, if not all, girls want - a rich daddy, parties galore and a boyfriend who looks like a member of Blue - but the clumsiness with which this fantasy is played out makes The Princess Diaries look subtle.

In a remake of The Reluctant Debutante (1958), American teen Daphne (Amanda Bynes) is delighted to find her father is a British lord (Colin Firth). Her unannounced arrival, however, displeases daddy's poisonous fiancée (Anna Chancellor), as does her reluctance to behave like the ancient stereotypes populating this film ("I'm British: we only show affection to dogs and horses," spouts Eileen Atkins' Lady Dashwood).

Firth's comic abilities are given slightly more room to breathe, but with its clumsy plotting and sickly sentiment, this feels like a lazy attempt to cash in on an outdated American dream.

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What A Girl Wants review

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So what does a girl want? Surely it's not anodyne fare like this vehicle for Nickelodeon moppet Amanda Bynes, here cast as an all-American teenager who travels to England to endear herself to the dad she's never known. Roll out the predictable culture-clash high-jinks, as perky Daphne bonds with her stuffy politician father (Colin Firth), much to the consternation of his snooty brood and vile fiancée (Four Weddings' Anna Chancellor, doing her standard `Duckface' routine).

Like The Princess Diaries and The Parent Trap before it, Dennie Gordon's kid-friendly flick panders to its `tweenage' audience with lots of pop-video prancing and soppy sentiment. Not to mention endless montages of Miss Bynes trying on clothes. Ostensibly based on '50s romance The Reluctant Debutante but resembling more an extended episode of some cheesy US sitcom, What A Girl Wants is standard Hollywood guff. It comes complete with a total disregard for London geography and the usual roster of British thesps (Jonathan Pryce, Eileen Atkins) slumming it for the Yankee dollar.

The Total Film team are made up of the finest minds in all of film journalism. They are: Editor Jane Crowther, Deputy Editor Matt Maytum, Reviews Ed Matthew Leyland, News Editor Jordan Farley, and Online Editor Emily Murray. Expect exclusive news, reviews, features, and more from the team behind the smarter movie magazine. 

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What a Girl Wants Movie Review

• Holly McClure Movie Reviewer
• Updated Apr 16, 2013

Genre:   Comedy

Rating:   PG (for mild language)

Release Date:   April 4, 2003

Actors:   Amanda Bynes, Colin Firth, Kelly Preston, Jonathan Pryce, Eileen Atkins, Anna Chancellor, Christina Cole, Tom Harper, Oliver James, Chris Mulkey, Erik von Detten

Director:   Dennie Gordon

Special Notes:   Oliver James is a real musician who wrote the songs that he sings in the film. The cinematic name of Dashwood happens to be the real name of the English family who actually live in the "Dashwood" estate used in the movie.

Good:   This fairy tale-come-true is filled with romance, adventure and family love that will appeal to kids as well as younger teenagers. I liked the fact that this story focuses on how important it is to be yourself and not try to be something you're not just to please others. I also appreciate the importance placed on the need to have both parents in a child's life. I like the fact that Daphne has a great relationship with her mother and loves her deeply but something in her craves to meet (and have a relationship with) the father she's never known. Although Libby hasn't spoken to Henry since she left under mysterious circumstances, she still wants what's best for her daughter and understands her desire. Since divorce is such a prevalent part of our culture, I think these issues are very real dilemmas that a lot of teenagers find themselves in these days. Daphne makes the important step to get to know the father she's never met. When Henry discovers he had a daughter with the only woman he's ever loved, it changes his life and future as well. I like the way Daphne and Ian's relationship is portrayed as mature and healthy, with a little fairy tale ending for them as well. This movie has something for everyone; physical comedy, romance, witty dialogue, a few musical numbers with lots of dancing, carefree scenes of a father getting to know his daughter, a supportive mother-daughter relationship, interesting London locations and a compelling story. Bynes is perfect for this role with her wholesome looks and outgoing personality. I enjoyed the father-daughter chemistry between she and Firth; the two have some very sweet scenes that make the movie work (they go shopping, get henna tattoos and ride a motorcycle together).

Bottom Line:   Admittedly this is an adolescent and young teen chick flick that will resonate with the girls but Henry's father role and Ian's cool character saves the day for the guys ? they'll enjoy it too. This is obviously an old fashioned fairy tale with a modern day twist, but it confirms one thing that is timeless:  how important it is for children to have both parents in their lives. The message about being true to yourself and taking pride in who you are without trying to be something you're not is also important. This movie takes a stand against conformity with a positive and uplifting message to give to the younger generation (Ian asks Daphne, "Why fit in when you were born to stand out?"). I enjoyed the witty script, original musical numbers, London scenery and a happy ending. I left with a smile and wanting to hug and dance with my dad, so hopefully it will touch a few hearts and do the same for you, no matter how old you are!

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What a girl wants (2003), directed by dennie gordon.

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What a Girl Wants Reviews

• 41   Metascore
• 1 hr 40 mins
• Drama, Comedy
• Watchlist Where to Watch

In this breezy comedy, 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.

A modern-day spin on the Sandra Dee-Rex Harrison film THE RELUCTANT DEBUTANTE (1958), this light-hearted fairy tale is aimed squarely at pre-teen girls, who are sure to succumb to its spunky charms. Seventeen-year-old Daphne (Amanda Bynes), raised by her single mother, Libby (Kelly Preston), in a 5th-floor walk-up in Manhattan's Chinatown, knows her father only from Libby's bittersweet tales of a romance derailed by class differences. Libby has tried to protect Daphne from the snobbery she experienced, but a sentimental father-daughter wedding dance prompts the misty eyed teen to hop a plane to London, where long-lost dad lives. There she befriends attractive, struggling musician Ian (Oliver James), who helps her get up the nerve to approach her father, wealthy politician Lord Henry Dashwood (Colin Firth). Courtesy of the inevitable bad timing, their first meeting involves a humiliating pratfall, witnessed by Henry's stuffy fiancee, Glynnis (Anna Chancellor), her self-involved daughter, Clarissa (Christina Cole), and Daphne's wistful grandmother, Jocelyn (Eileen Atkins). After the initial shock of coming face-to-face with a daughter he didn't know existed, Parliamentary candidate Henry bravely introduces the eager-to-please Daphne to British society. Her affability outweighs her gawkiness and soon the stodgiest lords and ladies are eating out of Daphne's hand. But once the novelty factor wears off, Daphne starts transforming herself into a proper young lady in hopes of helping her father win the election; at the same time, Henry starts thinking his life took a wrong turn about 18 years ago. The happy ending is a foregone conclusion, but what could have easily have been a carbon copy of THE PRINCESS DIARIES (2001) benefits from the efforts of its strong cast. Bynes is a charmer who adeptly straddles the line between romantic heroine and physical comedienne, while Firth is extremely enjoyable as a befuddled father trying to balance his prim and proper life with his spirited teenager's influence. Not everyone could have pulled off the scene in which, clad in leather pants and a muscle tee, he cuts loose in front of a mirror to the strains of "Rock 'n' Roll Hoochie Coo." Preston disappears for a long stretch, but does well with the material that she's given. Other roles are more predictable, including Henry's wicked, meddling adviser (Jonathan Pryce), and the snooty Glynnis and Clarissa, stereotypical wicked step-relatives who wouldn't be out of place in Cinderella. With pro-"Operation Iraqi Freedom" sentiment running high, Warner Bros. executives opted to head off the perception that this fluffy fantasy had a covert political agenda by airbrushing pre-war advertising materials featuring Bynes, sporting an American-flag t-shirt and impudently flashing a peace sign in front impassive Buckingham palace guards. In the new version, her hand is on her hip.

WHAT A GIRL WANTS

What You Need To Know:

(C, B, Ro, AP, L, V, N, AA, D, M) Light Christian worldview with moral elements lauding family, fatherhood, parental love, and unselfishness as well as iconoclastic Romantic sentiments expressed toward traditions, society and "freedom," plus reference to Arab "tribal" wedding ceremonies, and patriotism is lightly mocked, perhaps in an attempt to attack notions of British imperialism; one light obscenity, one strong profanity, and six light exclamatory profanities such as "Oh, my God" and "Dear God"; violence is slapstick and includes a push into water, a chandelier falling onto a dance floor, a motorcycle messing up a party, etc.; no sex but snotty male teenager grabs girls' rear ends; nude statue and nude painting; alcohol use and woman appears drunk at wedding party; brief smoking; and, lying and betrayal are rebuked, but small tattoos are not rebuked.

More Detail:

Many moviegoers, including adolescent girls and young teenage women, may be really charmed and touched by WHAT A GIRL WANTS, a funny, light and heart-warming story about a teenager trying to reunite with her father. Anglophiles, however, may be uncomfortable with some of the story’s middle parts, where the movie contains some Romantic notions about tradition, society, patriotism, and individual freedom.

The story focuses on American teenager Daphne Reynolds (played by Amanda Bynes), who often accompanies her musician mother, Libby (played by Kelly Preston), to work as a food server for wedding parties. At every wedding, Daphne watches wistfully during the father-daughter dance, wishing that she knew her father, and that some day he would dance this dance with her.

Daphne’s father is Lord Henry Dashwood (Colin Firth), a gentleman living far away in London who is running for a high political office in the House of Commons. He doesn’t even know he has a daughter. He is engaged to a pretentious, snobby woman, Glynnis, and has an equally pretentious, snobby step-daughter-to-be.

Daphne decides she must go and find her father, so when she turns 18, she takes a trip to England. She finds a humorous way to get into the Dashwood mansion, where she introduces herself to her father, her grandmother and several soon-to-be-step-folks. Her father is stunned, and his entourage is appalled. After all, Lord Dashwood is the only scandal-free candidate running for office!

Henry confesses that he and Libby were once married in a questionable tribal ceremony in Morocco, but that his wife mysteriously left him soon thereafter when they returned to England. A flashback shows a younger version of the devious father of Glynnis, who has political ambitions, convincing Libby that her marriage to Henry will not work. In the present, Glynnis assures everyone that Arabian tribal marriages aren’t real marriages, and the child is probably not his. “Why does she have my eyes, then?” the father asks. The grandmother is clearly crazy about Daphne, but she warns her, “No hugs, please. I’m British. We only show affection to dogs and horses.”

Henry invites Daphne to a fancy dress show, where the entire royal family will be in attendance, but her soon-to-be evil stepsister tricks Daphne into wearing something completely inappropriate, and a strange twist soon has her modeling on the runway and falling into Prince Charles’ lap! After several more such botched parties, Lord Dashwood has a serious talk with his daughter about changing. He shows her the “hall of Dashwoods,” a family portrait collection of all the family members throughout the centuries, each having sacrificed a limb or two for the sake of duty. Daphne vows to change, and so to become a true, well-behaved Brit, befitting the Dashwood name.

A snag occurs, however, when she begins falling for a cute musician, who is not at all the society type that looks good in newspapers. Soon everyone must choose between duty and appearances or love and family.

WHAT A GIRL WANTS is a sometimes funny, zany, tender movie. It strikes a chord as it speaks to the heart of one thing that every daughter truly wants and needs, which is a caring father who puts her first.

WHAT A GIRL WANTS falls along the lines of THE PRINCESS DIARIES in some of its tone, but the message in WHAT A GIRL WANTS is not as positive because of its mixed nature. Whereas PRINCESS DIARIES shows how duty, honor, family, patriotism, and individual freedom may be reconciled, this movie does not. For instance, although it lauds family, fatherhood, parental love, and unselfishness, it also attacks duty and tradition. For example, the movie mocks the patriotism in Henry’s English family, perhaps in an attempt to subtly attack notions of British imperialism. Also, one long bonding sequence between Daphne and Henry has Henry and Daphne escaping the constrictions of their social obligations, with Henry eventually getting a small tattoo. Christian and Jewish families who take seriously the Bible’s command not to mutilate or tattoo your body would not be amused.

WHAT A GIRL WANTS is basically a fairytale. Much of the humor rests on the British-American differences and, of course, it’s the Americans that win. The stuffy grandmother warms up, the snotty boy gets his comeuppance, the haughty lady with the dog takes a new perspective, the ugly fat twin debs become attractive, all because Amanda, unaware of the social restrictions of British society, has taken a “refreshing” unembarrassed approach to certain situations. The poor but artistic girl who goes in search of her father (who of course is fabulously rich and handsome and lives in a palace) gets to live the life of a princess and socialize with the Queen, then realizes what is really important. This movie pits American ideals of freedom and democracy, of “be yourself” against English ideals of what is proper in civilized society. As any fairytale, it literally ends with “and they lived happily ever after.” Of course, the American ideals win out. Our characters have shed their formal clothes, now all in jeans, they carry their own food to the al fresco lunch, and the butler sits down to eat with them.

Thus, WHAT A GIRL WANTS contains some unresolved Romantic notions of “freedom” that naturally conflict with notions like duty, honor and patriotism. The sacred Christian roots of Western Civilization, however, including the history of the United States and Great Britain, not only teaches us how duty, honor, family, patriotism, and individual freedom may be reconciled, but also how faithfulness to God can be carried out without destroying one’s duty to family and country. It also shows us how we can uphold notions of liberty without sacrificing our duty to family and country. WHAT A GIRL WANTS says that love and family trump duty and honor. This can be a positive message, but it is hoped they don’t blind people to the many benefits that can come from duty, honor, tradition, and love of country.

This movie is correct in saying that, if Henry truly loved Libby, he would have searched for her when she ran away. Also, the movie is correct that fathers have an important duty to nurture their children. However, the movie is wrong to imply that these moral responsibilities necessarily conflict with traditional ideas concerning one’s duty toward society, tradition and country. In the final analysis, however, WHAT A GIRL WANTS is not anti-British, nor anti-great-exploits, but rather it asks and answers the right question, “How can you continue to sacrifice life and limb for your country and yet fail to see that the most precious things worth pursuing and fighting for are right under your nose?”

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What a girl wants.

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The 21 Best ‘What a Girl Wants’ Quotes to Celebrate the Film’s 21st Anniversary

With an irresistible blend of quirky humor and heartwarming relationships — plus an inspiring message about self-discovery at its core— What a Girl Wants became a cultural phenomenon in the early aughts, capturing the hearts of viewers worldwide. The British backdrop and a lovable Amanda Bynes — who jumps on a plane on a whim to find the father she never met — didn’t hurt this movie’s success either. So, on the 21st anniversary of this modern classic rom-com, let’s look back on our 21 favorite quotes from the movie. 

“You know, sometimes it’s easier to be mad at the people you trust. Because you expect more from them.” – Daphne Reynolds

“You don’t have to fit in to belong.” – Henry Dashwood

“Why don’t you put a big ‘L’ on your forehead? For ‘loser’!” – Glynnis Payne

“Destiny is what you make of it, so make it count.” – Daphne Reynolds

“The truth is, sometimes I think I was born in the wrong century.” – Daphne Reynolds

“Never let the fear of striking out keep you from playing the game.” – Daphne Reynolds

“Why are you so nice to me?” – Daphne Reynolds; “Because you’re so nice to me.” – Ian Wallace

“Who wants to fit in when you can stand out?” – Daphne Reynolds

“I’d rather have a life of ‘oh wells’ than a life of ‘what ifs’.” – Daphne Reynolds

“Just because you’re related by blood doesn’t mean you’re family.” – Libby Reynolds

“You’ve got to take chances, sweetheart, ’cause if you don’t, you’ll regret it.” – Jocelyn Dashwood

“You’re a living work of art. Drink it in.” – Ian Wallace

“Being yourself is never a trend.” – Daphne Reynolds

“You can’t live your life for other people. You’ve got to do what’s right for you, even if it hurts some people you love.” – Jocelyn Dashwood

“You’re not like anyone I’ve ever met. You’re different. And I mean that in a good way.” – Ian Wallace

“It’s not about what you wear, it’s about what you believe.” – Henry Dashwood

“Maybe it’s not about finding the perfect moment, maybe it’s about creating it.” – Daphne Reynolds

“You don’t find love, it finds you. It’s got a little bit to do with destiny, fate, and what’s written in the stars.” – Jocelyn Dashwood

“Don’t ever let anyone steal your spirit, because your spirit is what makes you special.” – Henry Dashwood

Josh is an entertainment writer and editor at Thought Catalog.

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Chicken for Linda!’s animation needs a big screen and emotional processing space

What is a beloved chicken dish if not a metaphor for grief?

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From an initial read of the title, I was under the impression that Chicken for Linda! was about a little girl who really wanted a pet chicken. I was wrong. The French animated movie from directors Chiara Malta and Sébastien Laudenbach takes place in modern France and follows a little girl named Linda who really wants to eat chicken. Specifically chicken with peppers. For Linda’s mom, Paulette, who mostly serves up frozen meals and doesn’t really cook at all, making this dish is already a challenge.

And thanks to an ongoing general strike in their town, all the grocery shops are closed, which makes this quest even harder . But Paulette feels really guilty about wrongfully punishing Linda for swiping a treasured ring, so she heads to a farm to buy a live chicken. This begins Linda and Paulette’s daunting quest to kill, cook, and eat this chicken, something neither of them has even fathomed doing before.

It’s much less morbid than it sounds. Actually, it’s unexpectedly funny, while also being a bittersweet reflection on grief and memory.

Linda approaches her mission with bright-eyed determination that softens the hearts of authority figures and convinces an assortment of inexperienced people to take a stab at killing and preparing the chicken. Eventually, we learn just why Linda is fixated on this particular chicken-and-peppers meal: It’s something her late father, who she barely remembers, used to cook.

All the characters in the movie come to life in single-color blocks, rendered with distinct outlines. There’s a lovely tangibility to how they move: The cat operates as one big blob, except when it stretches out its paws. The policeman wriggles his long limbs around a drooping telephone cord. From a distance, the chickens are splashes of color and a curling outline, darting across the screen. Against the painted background, each frame is vibrant and dynamic.

Chicken for Linda! is chock-full of hijinks, with a lot of physical humor and hilarious situations that stem from the absurd nature of the plot. A cop pulls a gun on the chicken, since that’s the only way he knows how to possibly kill it. After stealing the chicken, Linda and her mom leap into the back of a vegetable delivery truck and hide out among crates of watermelons. There are moments when the movie lags, long chase scenes that get a little too abstract, and a handful of musical sequences that feel like they’re from another movie entirely. But even among the shenanigans and the loftier animated sequences, the movie is anchored in Linda and her desire for the coveted meal, her desire to connect with her father.

That family dynamic, the element that gives this otherwise lighthearted movie its weight, isn’t saved for an emotional gut punch at the end of the story, or turned into a nagging reminder constantly brought up by characters. Instead, it’s simply present in the background of the movie, seamlessly woven into every thread as we learn more about Linda, her mother, their relationship to each other, and how they relate to the rest of the characters we meet.

Linda’s grief and her inability to even really register it eventually builds up to a cathartic point, but it isn’t a heavy-handed emotional release. It’s a subtler epiphany, as she gets the chance to remember key details about her father. And through the process of seeking this moment together, Linda and her mother are finally able to connect, and to open up to their community, who all came together to help them try to eat this dang chicken. The movie is the perfect blend of silliness and serious, deep emotion that never becomes overstated, all told in bright, painted colors that deserve to be seen in theaters to experience their full glory.

Chicken for Linda! is out in select theaters starting April 5.

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