Long Lashes

Wild Child is a 2008 teen comedy film starring Emma Roberts as Poppy Moore, Alex Pettyfer as Freddie Kingsley and Natasha Richardson as Mrs. Kingsley. It was directed by Nick Moore and is rated 12A for sexual references, coarse language and drinking. The film is set in both England and Los Angeles.

Plot

The film starts with Poppy Moore (Emma Roberts) and her friends trashing all her dad's girlfriend's stuff in a wild prank. When her father angrily arrives, he tells her he is sending her to boarding school in England.

Arriving at the school, called Abbey Mount, Poppy meets the headmistress Ms. Kingsley (Natasha Richardson), prefect Harriet (Georgia King), and her 'buddy' Kate (Kimberley Nixon). Standing out from the other pupils, she alienates herself and gradually becomes miserable with her new life.

When she reveals that her mother had died several years ago, her roommates decide to help her get expelled. Together, they carry out several pranks which gradually brings them closer together. When none of their plans work they decide to seduce the headmistress's son Freddie who is strictly forbidden to fraternize with any of the girls. After dancing with Freddie at the school dance, Poppy trips and hits her head which leads Freddie to take the concussed girl outside for air, where he asks her out on a date.

The next day, Poppy discovers her talent for lacrosse and whips the school's team into shape, getting them into the finals. On the date Poppy finds herself falling for Freddie. They kiss before Poppy returns to school, where she finds her roommates reading an email supposedly sent by Poppy stating that she thought all of her new friends were losers. She then finds that Freddie has been given a similar email and is thereafter ignored by her friends.

Poppy, with no one else to turn to, sneaks down to the cook's room and rings Ruby who accidentally reveals how she dislikes Poppy. Feeling even more alone, Poppy starts playing with her lighter, accidentally setting a curtain alight. Hearing footsteps, she quickly puts out the fire and runs off. A few minutes later, she looks out her window to see a fire, and wakes the school. When they find that Drippy is missing, Poppy runs into the burning school to rescue her. After the fire is put out, Freddie finds her lighter and gives it back to her, refusing to listen to what happened. Just as she realizes that she no longer wants to leave, Poppy goes to the headmistress and confesses.

While Poppy waits for the Honour Court, who will decide if she should be expelled, Freddie finds her crying and becomes convinced that Poppy is innocent. During the Court, Poppy tells her story while her roommates find out that Poppy didn't send the emails. Going to the court, they stand up for Poppy and Harriet accidentally confesses to restarting the fire after Poppy had put it out.

The movie is left off at the lacrosse finals. Poppy's father comes to the game and is shocked by Poppy's dramatic change of appearance and how much she looks like her mother. Abbey Mount win the Lacrosse finals and the film end with Poppy and her friends (including Freddie) in Malibu.

Cast

  • Emma Roberts as Poppy Moore
  • Alex Pettyfer as Freddie Kingsley
  • Natasha Richardson Mrs. Kingsley
  • Georgia King as Harriet
  • Aidan Quinn as Gerry Moore
  • Kimberley Nixon as Kate
  • Linzey Cocker as Josie
  • Juno Temple as Jennifer "Drippy" Logan
  • Sophie Wu as Camilla "Kiki"
  • Shirley Henderson as Matron
  • Daisy Donovan as Miss Rees-Withers
  • Ruby Thomas as Jane
  • Eleanor Turner Moss as Charlotte
  • Shelby Young as Ruby
  • Nick Frost as Mr. Christopher
  • Lexi Ainsworth as Molly
  • Johnny Pacar as Roddy
  • Hallie Kate Eisenberg as Ruthie

Production

The film was filmed at Cobham Hall, Kent, Balls Park, Hertford, and the centre of Haworth, England and on location in Los Angeles, California. Children from surrounding schools were selected to be extras in scenes on location at Balls Park, Hertford. Oxford University Lacrosse and Cranbrook Lacrosse Club provided a group of lacrosse playing extras and some referees for the film. Emma Roberts dyed her hair dark brown for this role, however for the beginning part of the film she wears a long, blonde wig. The wrap party was held on September 4, 2007 in London, before some of the cast went to Los Angeles to finish filming.

To celebrate the release of Wild Child, Universal Pictures staged the Wild Child Pink Premiere at the Braehead Xscape in Glasgow, Scotland on Wednesday 30 July. Both stars of the film Emma Roberts (Poppy) and Alex Pettyfer (Freddie) attended.

Reception

Wild Child was released in the U.K on August 15 taking 5th place at the box office with $2,196,366 from 359 theatres with an average of $6,118. In its 4th weekend, it dropped to 12th place. As of November 2, 2008, Wild Child has made an unexpected $8,235,794. In Australia, Wild Child was released September 18 taking 4th place with only 93 theatres, making $426,066. The following week, it made a 60% increase with $680,188 but still slipped to 6th place. On the October 16, Wild Child fell to 11th. As of November 14, 2008, Wild Child's release in Australia has yet again surprised officials with its success making $3,272,241. The film has been released in many other countries, proving popular in some: Netherlands ($1,553,825) and not so popular in others. As of January 4, 2008, the film has grossed $19,786,125 worldwide but is expected to reach $20 million once released in bigger markets: France, Germany and Russia around December/January.

Wild Child has a 33% "rotten" rating at Rotten Tomatoes, based on 21 reviews with the consensus that "More mild than wild. This tween comedy mess falls flat on its face due to poor characters, poor direction and poor jokes". The Sun Online gave the film 2/5 saying "WILD? More like mild, unless you think short skirts and “horse face” put-downs are outrageous." Though Urban Cinefile gave Wild Child a much more favourable review stating "The film has an energy and honesty about it: it's lively, funny and smart and the characters are appealing." It was put on the Thearters of Lima, Perú in 02/26/09 , After Hotel For Dogs

DVD Release

Wild Child was released on DVD in the United Kingdom on December 8 2008. In Australia it was released on January 15 2009.

Editing

Wild Child was reportedly written to be classified R by the MPAA but was edited to a 12A for some coarse and suggestive content, sex references and language - all involving teens. People have speculated which scenes may have been cut due to a lapse in the story, such as Poppy retrieving a 'mystery' bag from a bottleshop which was then drunk by the girls before the dance. It is also expected that some scenes may have either been re-shot or dubbed to eliminate coarse language. Words/phrases such as 'biatch' and 'what the eff?' could have possibly been their coarses counterparts. However, Wild Child did keep some of its 'wild' content keeping some 's**t' and when Poppy gives Harriet the finger. Other scenes could have possibly been extended including the scene with Ruby and her boyfriend going to the pool. Many fans of the movie are waiting to see what will be released in the DVD releases and if Universal plans to release a special 'Unrated' cut of the movie.

Soundtrack

Wild Child: The Movie Soundtrack Party Album is the soundtrack for the film of the same name, Wild Child. The soundtrack was available on United Kingdom and Australia on August 18, 2008. On United States the soundtrack hasn't been released and it's expected for early 2009.

Tracklisting

  1. Shut Up and Drive - Rihanna
  2. Let Me Think About It - Ida Corr Ft. DJ Fedde le Grand
  3. About You Now - Sugababes
  4. Say It Right - Nelly Furtado
  5. I Know UR Girlfriend Hates Me - Annie
  6. If This Is Love - The Saturdays
  7. Heartbreaker - will.i.am ft. Cheryl Cole
  8. Sweet About Me - Gabriella Cilmi
  9. Can't Speak French - Girls Aloud
  10. Murder on the Dancefloor - Sophie Ellis-Bextor
  11. Ice Cream - New Young Pony Club
  12. Kiss With A Fist - Florence And The Machine
  13. Foundations - Kate Nash
  14. You Think I Don't Care - Jack McManus
  15. Come Around - Timbaland ft. M.I.A.
  16. Tambourine - Eve
  17. Real Wild Child - Sarah Harding

Songs not on the soundtrack but in the movie and trailers :

  • Imran Hanif - Set em up
  • Goose (band) - Black Gloves
  • Adele - Chasing Pavements
  • Robbie Williams - Angels
  • Children of Bodom - Roadkill Morning
  • Britney Spears - Toxic

Trivia

  • Wild Child was written by Lucy Dahl, Roald Dahl's daughter.
  • In the film, Abbey Mount is said to be a girls school for 11 to 17 year olds. The English system revolves around exams at 16 currently GCSEs {General Certificate of Secondary Education(formerly General Certificate of Education "GCE O-level" or for the less academic Certificate of Secondary Education "CSE"). Then pupils stay on for 6th form study lasting a further two years to complete A-levels at 18. A-levels are the entry level qualification for University. For Poppy to enrol for one year at 16 defies logic.

Though it is not unusual to change scho