A down-to-earth American girl struggles to fit in with upper-crust British society in this teen-oriented comedy. Daphne Reynolds (Amanda Bynes) is a sweet but street-smart 19-year-old from New York City with an outgoing personality and a firm sense of her own personal style. Daphne lives with her mother Libby (Kelly Preston), a footloose musician who never married Daphne's father when she learned his family did not approve of her. While Daphne loves her mother, she's long wished for a relationship with her dad, and when she discovers that her father lives in London, she hops on a plane in hopes of finding him. Before long, Daphne learns that her father is Lord Henry Dashwood (Colin Firth), a powerful and prominent politician. While Lord Henry tries to make a place for Daphne in his life, her free-spirited style runs counter to what is expected from the daughter of a lord, and his wife-to-be, Glynnis (Anna Chancellor), and her daughter (Christina Cole) make no secret of their dislike of Daphne. With the help of her new friend (Oliver James), a musician who understands both fashion and the social ladder better than most, Daphne is able to smooth her rough edges and pass as a respectable British debutante. But has she traded in her own personality in order to please people she barely knows? The first starring motion picture for teen television personality Amanda Bynes, What a Girl Wants was originally produced under the title American Girl, and for a time was to be released as London Calling before the final title change.