What girls really want

Watching movies, they say, is one of the favorite pastimes of Filipinos. I guess this is true.

Occasionally, I would hear the question "what is your favorite movie?" It was only recently that I was able to come up with my movie.

What a Girl Wants is a light and entertaining movie with emphasis on family relations and staying true to oneself amidst the dictates of society.

It stars Amanda Bynes as Daphne Reynolds, a typical 17-year-old girl raised by her self-made mom Libby Reynolds (Kelly Preston) in New York City. Daphne’s only wish since she was three is to spend her birthday with her long-lost father.

Year after year, Daphne would ask her mom to tell her the story of how she and her dad, Henry Dashwood (Collin Firth), met in Morocco, fell in love and eventually separated due to the disapproval of her dad’s family. Unknown to Henry then, Libby was carrying his child.

Armed with courage and determination, Daphne flies to England in search of her dad, now a prominent, wealthy politician running for re-election and engaged to a socialite single mother. Daphne goes through a lot in trying to find him – climbing walls, sneaking past the guards and getting mistaken by Henry for a paparazzi.

The encounter catches him by surprise.

While father and daughter try to make up for the lost time, they realize they have many things in common. Here, we also see Henry’s feelings for Libby are rekindled.

Conflicts arise when Henry’s fiancée Clarissa Payne (Christina Cole) and her daughter Glynnis Payne (Anna Chancellor) feel threatened by his growing affection for Daphne. As a result, Clarissa and Glynnis express their dislike toward Daphne behind Henry’s back.

In one scene, Henry tells both women to help Daphne choose a dress for a gala event. Instead of helping her, Daphne gets a rug-like gown. However, to everyone’s amazement, she was able to transform it into a classy, beautiful gown.

As election year draws to a close, expectations from Henry’s family and politician friends demand that Daphne fit into her dad’s aristocratic world – a life full of glitz and glamour. She tries to stifle her vibrant personality to please them, even if she doesn’t like it.

In the end, Daphne realizes that what really counts is being true to herself despite other people’s expectations. Henry realizes that love for family does take first place above work or ambition. He chooses Libby and Daphne more than a sure seat in government.

What does a girl really want? The desire for beauty, fame and riches comes to mind, though there is nothing wrong with that.

The question is not limited to females. It covers every human being’s needs. Love, honesty, true character and family values are more important than any amount of wealth and fame one can ever achieve in a lifetime.

What a Girl Wants is not just entertaining. It has substance and a heart that cut through what is really significant. It’s something we can take home and think about at the end of the day.