- Sixteen-year-old Poppy (Emma Roberts) is an LA teen diva who does what she wants, whenever she wants
- But after an over-the-top prank pushes her father one step too far, she finds herself shipped off
- No cell phones, no designer clothes?no way
- Desperate to break free, she sets in motion the ultimate escape plan involving the head mistress?
- Co-starring Natasha Richardson, Aidan Quinn and Nick Frost, it?s the fun and fabulous comedy that?s
Romantic Comedy. Alex (Luke Wilson) is an author whose writer's block and gambling debts have landed him in a jam. In order to get loan sharks off his back, he must finish his novel in 30 days or wind up dead. To help him complete his manuscript he hires stenographer Emma (Kate Hudson). As Alex begins to dictate his tale of a romantic love triangle to the charming yet somewhat opinionated stenographer, Emma challenges his ideas a! t every turn. Her unsolicited yet intriguing input begins to inadvertently influence Alex and his story and soon real life begins to imitate art.For perhaps the first time in her career, Kate Hudson doesn't just imitate the twinkle of her mother, Goldie Hawn--and proves to be a winning romantic lead in her own right. Hudson plays Emma, a stenographer hired by a desperate writer named Alex (Luke Wilson,
The Royal Tenenbaums,
Legally Blonde), who has to finish a book in 30 days. Of course, a tentative romance blooms between them; but as Alex begins to interweave elements of his life into the love triangle of his novel--including a suspiciously Emma-esque character named Anna--Emma wonders if the novel's sexy other woman has a real-life counterpart as well. Though
Alex & Emma suffers from some bland, formulaic elements, it also features flashes of engaging wit. Hudson dampens her gleam, but because she's not working so hard to be adorable, a relaxed and mo! re unique charm comes forth.
--Bret FetzerRomantic Come! dy. Alex (Luke Wilson) is an author whose writer's block and gambling debts have landed him in a jam. In order to get loan sharks off his back, he must finish his novel in 30 days or wind up dead. To help him complete his manuscript he hires stenographer Emma (Kate Hudson). As Alex begins to dictate his tale of a romantic love triangle to the charming yet somewhat opinionated stenographer, Emma challenges his ideas at every turn. Her unsolicited yet intriguing input begins to inadvertently influence Alex and his story and soon real life begins to imitate art.For perhaps the first time in her career, Kate Hudson doesn't just imitate the twinkle of her mother, Goldie Hawn--and proves to be a winning romantic lead in her own right. Hudson plays Emma, a stenographer hired by a desperate writer named Alex (Luke Wilson,
The Royal Tenenbaums,
Legally Blonde), who has to finish a book in 30 days. Of course, a tentative romance blooms between them; but as Alex begins to interwe! ave elements of his life into the love triangle of his novel--including a suspiciously Emma-esque character named Anna--Emma wonders if the novel's sexy other woman has a real-life counterpart as well. Though
Alex & Emma suffers from some bland, formulaic elements, it also features flashes of engaging wit. Hudson dampens her gleam, but because she's not working so hard to be adorable, a relaxed and more unique charm comes forth.
--Bret FetzerSixteen-year-old Poppy (Emma Roberts) is an LA teen diva who does what she wants, whenever she wants. But after an over-the-top prank pushes her father one step too far, she finds herself shipped off to the one place where everything will change: a British boarding school. No cell phones, no designer clothes…no way. Desperate to break free, she sets in motion the ultimate escape plan involving the head mistress’ son â€" only to discover that this could be the reason she wants to stay. Co-starring Natasha Richardson, Ai! dan Quinn and Nick Frost, it’s the fun and fabulous comedy t! hat’s LOL!Poppy is spoiled. OK, Poppy, played with snottiness galore by Emma Roberts, is wicked-impossible spoiled. As
Wild Child opens, Poppy is having a Malibu meltdown, in the form of tossing her dad's new girlfriend's clothing into the Pacific--just past the edge of the infinity pool."This is the last straw, Poppy!" shouts her beleaguered dad (Aidan Quinn). So off Poppy goes--to
boarding school. In
England. Where it rains
200 days a year. If
Wild Child has few plot surprises--selfish kid learns respect for others with the persistence and pluck of new friends and firm authority figures--it's still a lark, because of Roberts' considerable winsomeness, and because the dreaded England ends up showing considerable charm of its own, which draws in both Poppy and the viewer.
Wild Child also marks something bittersweet, the last film performance of Natasha Richardson (who died in March 2009). Richardson is winning as the strict but warmhearted! headmistress, Mrs. Kingsley, making what could be a one-dimensional character complex. Richardson is totally self-possessed and grounded, and in some shots seems to channel another great British actress, Emma Thompson. The great Scottish character actress Shirley Henderson also makes a sly appearance as the matron with the dry-as-bone-china sense of humor.
"What is this place, Hogwarts?" sneers Poppy when she arrives at the remote 18th-century school. But what happens to Poppy is in some ways even more transformative than the goings-on at Harry Potter's school. Flirtation and love hover in the air, in the form of Mrs. Kingsley's hunky son, Freddie (Alex Pettyfer); and Poppy's flair for the dramatic and her undeniable leadership skills galvanize the student body, in some unexpected ways. Roberts is becoming a delightful actress with charisma and nuance. And as the Wild Child is tamed, a lovely young woman is revealed. --A.T. Hurley
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