When sitting down to watch “What A Girl Wants,” one might expect to see a teen movie with a splash of the “chick flick” formula thrown in. Well, that’s exactly what will appear on the screen, but don’t let this combination act as a deterrent from seeing the movie. The teen movie aspect of it lies only in some corny, slapstick moments, and the attractive young faces of Amanda Bynes and Oliver James.

Although the advertisements depict this as a movie only a 13-year-old girl could love, it holds more substance than most movies that follow the “chick flick” pattern. The movie centers on Daphne Reynolds (Bynes), a 17-year-old girl who lives with her mother in New York, and has never met her father because of a decision made in the past by those other than her parents. She finally decides to seek out her father, who just happens to be Lord Dashwood (Colin Firth), a British politician. She takes the initiative of traveling to England sans her mother, Libby (Kelly Preston), and reunites with the man she shares uncanny characteristics with.

Along the way she encounters a charismatic, musically inclined love interested named Ian Wallace (James), and other individuals such as her soon-to-be stepsister and stepmother, who prove to be obstacles in her fairytale-style reunion with her father.

In “What A Girl Wants,” Amanda Bynes finally steps out of the shadow of her previous Nickelodeon television shows, and displays one of her first, of hopefully many, finer comic performances. In the past, she has had to rely on slapstick humor and poorly scripted variety shows. However, in this movie she backs up the slapstick humor with a strong chemistry with other cast members, and real acting skills that go behind purposely trying to get a laugh. She makes the audience yearn for Daphne to succeed in her various endeavors, even those that are apparently not going to work in her favor.

Another performance that is noteworthy is that of James. “What A Girl Wants” is the actor’s debut film performance and, most likely, not his last. He is a natural in front of the camera, especially when singing, which he does several times. His character has various day jobs that support him while his band plays the important parties of the social elite.

Firth, known for his performances in “Bridget Jones’s Diary” and “Shakespeare in Love,” also gives an outstanding performance. His gazes are that of a man looking back on his past, searching for pieces that somehow were lost. His scenes with Bynes are beautifully done, and despite their late introductions to one another, there is a warmth that grows between them.

“What A Girl Wants” is a teen movie, a chick flick, a jump off for young actors and an enjoyable movie for most.

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