Daisy Donovan
- 2008
- PG13
- AddWild Childto Queue
The unhinged behavior of a Malibu princess (Emma Roberts) prompts her frustrated father to send her to an all-girls English boarding school in this teen comedy penned by Lucy Dahl (daughter of Roald Dahl and a boarding school alumni herself) and directed by Nick Moore. Poppy is a bratty, self-absorbed 16-year-old whose pampered L.A. childhood has left her with a notable sense of self entitlement. Showered with unlimited-balance credit cards and constantly flanked by a horde of hangers-on, the ill-mannered Poppy loudly lets her parents know just how frustrated she is with her current family situation. When Poppy pulls a prank that goes further over the top than she originally intended, however, her frustrated father (Aidan Quinn) decides that it's high time his spoiled daughter understands the true concept of discipline and sends her off to boarding school in England. Upon arriving at her new school, American princess Poppy is taken aback to learn that she must follow the rules laid out by the stern matrons in charge, be in bed by curfew, and of course take part in mandatory lacrosse matches. While Poppy is at first confident that she can contend with any and all of these stifling lifestyle changes without due concern, there's one variable that hasn't factored into her self-centered equation -- her classmates. Now, as Poppy begins to realize that her British classmates simply won't tolerate her self-centered ways, she reluctantly admits defeat while vowing to shake up her stuffy school as she makes the transition from reckless youth to refined lady. With the ever-present headmistress (Natasha Richardson) presiding watchfully over the student body, however, Poppy mischievously sets out to prove that just because you're proper doesn't mean you can't have a little fun every now and then. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Emma Roberts, Natasha Richardson, (more)
This nutty British comedy observes with jet-black humor the myriad outrageous calamities that befall an eccentric English clan with more than a few skeletons in its closets when its patriarch dies an unexpected death. Soon, every complication imaginable -- including the wrong corpse in the coffin, the accidental consumption of hallucinogenic drugs, and the disclosure of the deceased's closeted homosexuality -- befall the grief-stricken mourners. The funeral commences at the family estate, with the arrival of younger son Daniel (Matthew MacFadyen), who has long felt uncomfortable around his cocky, licentious novelist brother, Robert (Rupert Graves) -- and thus dreads seeing him. Meanwhile, Daniel is also struggling to adhere to promises he's made to his wife (Keeley Hawes). Also arriving at the house are cousin Martha (Daisy Donovan) and her intended, Simon (Alan Tudyk), who embarrasses just about everybody, including himself, by accidentally consuming a strange drug that inflicts him with wild delusions and gives him an uncontrollable penchant for exhibitionism. But the event that truly turns the family members onto their ears is the arrival of a dwarf (Peter Dinklage) who speaks openly of the patriarch's secret passions, which included dressing up in a kinky gladiator outfit and watching young men skinny-dip. Frank Oz (In & Out, Bowfinger) helmed the film, while Dean Craig authored the script. ~ Nathan Southern, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Matthew MacFadyen, Keeley Hawes, (more)
- 2005
Gangly, redheaded British comedian Daisy Donovan, who skyrocketed to fame with her satirical news reports and interviews on her own country's The 11 O'Clock Show, was the star of this American quasi-reality series. In each episode, Donovan popped up in a different corner of the United States, in search of eccentric locals and regional curiosities. The premise was that Daisy was soaking up research in her quest to become "The All American Girl." Co-produced by actors David Arquette and Courteney Cox Arquette, the series was given the go-ahead for nine half-hour trial episodes when it was optioned by the TBS Superstation. Daisy Does America was okayed for a weekly TBS slot beginning in December 2005. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Daisy Donovan
Director Danny Boyle revisits a theme from his Shallow Grave and Trainspotting days -- greed -- but focuses on a much younger protagonist with this comedy drama. Millions opens with recent widower Ronnie (James Nesbitt) moving his two precocious pre-pubescent sons to the suburbs. Missing his mother and the comforts of his old neighborhood, the young Damian (Alex Etel) builds a cardboard-box fort on the outskirts of the suburb, where one day his placid introvert existence is literally crushed by a giant gym bag full of thousands of pounds' worth of cash. Less concerned with the origin of the money than with how to spend it, Damian and his older brother, Anthony (Lewis McGibbon), decide to keep it a secret from their father, which becomes an increasingly tricky proposition as the days pass. His conscience getting in the way of his spending, Damian debates the ethics of his ill-gotten gains with a handful of imaginary saints, and begins to try to spend his cash a little more altruistically. But his charitable deeds inadvertently attract the attention of a mysterious, threatening man who's desperate to get his hands on the money. Marking a distinct change of pace for Boyle after the horror film 28 Days Later, Millions world-premiered at the 2004 Toronto Film Festival. ~ Michael Hastings, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Alex Etel, Lewis Owen McGibbon, (more)
