Wild Child (film)

Spoiled and rebellious Poppy Moore from Malibu, California, damages and discards her widowed father Gerry's new girlfriend Rosemary's belongings. The furious Gerry sends Poppy to the English boarding school Abbey Mount, hoping that something will change. She is warmly greeted by the headmistress Mrs. Kingsley, but with disdain by head girl Harriet Bentley.

Poppy unhappily learns the bedrooms are shared and meets Kate, Josie, Kiki and Jennifer, also known as "Drippy". Initially hostile towards them, her behaviour gets everyone detention when she insults the Matron, who also confiscates their cellphones. Poppy reveals to Kate that her mother died when she was 11. Kate loans her her actual cellphone to message Ruby, her friend from back home, who is secretly cheating with Poppy's boyfriend Roddy. Her roommates try to help Poppy get expelled from the school through doing several pranks, which gradually brings them closer. None of their plans work, so they have Poppy seduce Mrs. Kingsley's son Freddie, who is off-limits for the female students.

The girls go into town for shopping, then take Poppy to a hair salon and restore her natural brunette hair. At the school dance, Freddie rejects Harriet to dance with Poppy, to Harriet's dismay. After Poppy trips on the dancefloor, Freddie takes her outside, then asks her out. Poppy soon discovers her newfound talent for lacrosse, becoming the team captain. After weeks of practicing and improving their skills, the team advances to the finals for the first time since 1976. Poppy and Freddie later go for a countryside drive and kiss. Upon returning to school, she finds her roommates reading an email allegedly written by her, suggesting she was only friends with them to get herself expelled and return to Malibu.

Poppy insists she did not write the emails, but the girls refuse to listen and walk out on her. Freddie receives a similar email, and reacts similarly. With no one to turn to, Poppy sneaks into the kitchen to call Ruby, who accidentally reveals her affair with Roddy and hangs up on her. Playing with her lighter, Poppy accidentally sets a curtain on fire. Hearing footsteps, she quickly puts it out and runs back to her bedroom. A few minutes later, Drippy sees the curtains engulfed in flames and is locked inside the freezer. Poppy is awoken by an explosion, sees the growing fire and immediately wakes the school. When everyone realizes Drippy is missing, Poppy rescues her from the freezer, as she'd seen her in it before. After the fire is extinguished, Freddie finds her lighter and gives it to her, refusing to hear any explanation.

Realizing she no longer wants to leave, Poppy writes an apology letter to Freddie and accepts responsibility for the fire. Afterwards, she finds her late mother in the 1976 Abbey Mount lacrosse team photo and realizes she was an alumna. While Poppy awaits for the Honour Court to determine if she should be expelled, Freddie finds her crying, realizes the fire was an accident, and forgives her. Meanwhile, Drippy reads in Poppy's diary how much Poppy likes them, and Kiki discovers Harriet wrote the emails. At the fact-finding trial, Poppy gives her testimony and Harriet manipulates the court, determined to prove Poppy's guilt. While the students stand up in support of Poppy, Harriet bursts into a tirade and mentions Poppy's lighter. As no lighter was ever mentioned, Harriet has to admit to restarting the fire after Poppy had put it out; Harriet is expelled and Poppy is exonerated.

At the lacrosse finals, Gerry is taken aback by Poppy's dramatic change in personality and how much she resembles her mother. Abbey Mount wins the lacrosse championship and Poppy reconciles with her father. The next morning, Harriet prepares to leave with her father as her former friends toss dead pheasants onto her. Several months later, Poppy and Freddie have resumed their relationship, and she invites her roommates to a pool party at her Malibu mansion. She ignores a phone call from Ruby (now aware Ruby wasn't the good friend she thought she was) and the girls prepare to jump into the ocean off the same cliff that helped Poppy towards changing herself for the better and making proper friends.

{{Cast listing|

• Emma Roberts as Poppy Moore, a wealthy, rebellious and spoiled girl living in Malibu
• Natasha Richardson as Mrs. Kingsley, Freddie's mother and the headmistress of Abbey Mount
• Shirley Henderson as Matron
• Alex Pettyfer as Freddie Kingsley, Mrs. Kingsley's son and Poppy's love interest
• Nick Frost as Mr. Christopher, the hairdresser
• Aidan Quinn as Gerry Moore, Poppy's widowed father
• Georgia King as Harriet Bentley, the "queen bee" of Abbey Mount
• Kimberley Nixon as Kate, Poppy's roommate
• Juno Temple as Jennifer "Drippy" Logan, Poppy's roommate
• Selina Cadell as Mrs. Loughton
• Daisy Donovan as Miss Sara Rees-Withers, the sports mistress
• Jason Watkins as Mr. Roger Nellist, the French teacher
• Linzey Cocker as Josie, Poppy's roommate
• Sophie Wu as Kiki, Poppy's roommate
• Shelby Young as Ruby, Poppy's best friend from Malibu
• Johnny Pacar as Roddy, Poppy's boyfriend from Malibu
• Ruby Thomas as Jane, Harriet's friend/lackey
• Eleanor Turner-Moss as Charlotte, Harriet's friend/lackey
• Lexi Ainsworth as Molly Moore, Poppy's sister
• Kelsey Sanders as Abbey Mount student
• Daisy Bevan (uncredited)

}}

The interiors of the boarding school were filmed at Cobham Hall in Kent.{{cite web |last=Film |first=Kent |url=http://kentfilmoffice.co.uk/2008/02/wild-child-2013-2008/ |title=Wild Child (2008) |publisher=Kent Film Office |date=4 February 2008 |access-date=11 June 2016 |archive-date=27 March 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160327223844/http://kentfilmoffice.co.uk/2008/02/wild-child-2013-2008/ |url-status=live }} The facade of the school was filmed at Balls Park.{{Cite web |title=Wild Child Filming Locations |url=http://www.british-film-locations.com/Wild-Child-2008 |access-date=28 February 2022 |website=British Film Locations |language=en-GB |archive-date=9 August 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220809210339/http://www.british-film-locations.com/Wild-Child-2008 |url-status=dead }} Filming also took place at 82 Main Street, 84 Main Street, 117 Main Street, and at the Brontë Parsonage Museum in Haworth, Keighley, Bradford,{{Cite web |title=Wild Child |url=https://www.bradfordfilmheritage.com/portfolio/wild-child/ |access-date=28 February 2022 |website=Bradford Film Heritage |language=en-GB |archive-date=28 February 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220228092957/https://www.bradfordfilmheritage.com/portfolio/wild-child/ |url-status=live }}{{Cite web |title=Films and TV Shows Filmed In and Around Bradford |url=https://www.thestoreroom.co.uk/2022/02/23/films-and-tv-shows-filmed-in-and-around-bradford/ |access-date=28 February 2022 |website=The Store Room |language=en-GB |archive-date=28 February 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220228090517/https://www.thestoreroom.co.uk/2022/02/23/films-and-tv-shows-filmed-in-and-around-bradford/ |url-status=live }}{{Cite web |title=Yorkshire's Great Screen Locations by Welcome to Yorkshire - Issuu |url=https://issuu.com/welcometoyorkshire/docs/yorkshire___s_great_screen_location |access-date=28 February 2022 |website=issuu.com |date=7 September 2016 |page=13 |language=en |archive-date=28 February 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220228091343/https://issuu.com/welcometoyorkshire/docs/yorkshire___s_great_screen_location |url-status=live }}{{Cite web |last=White |first=Clive |date=13 September 2007 |title=Cameras roll on our prime location |url=https://www.thetelegraphandargus.co.uk/news/1684227.cameras-roll-on-our-prime-location/ |access-date=28 February 2022 |website=Bradford Telegraph and Argus |language=en |archive-date=28 February 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220228092955/https://www.thetelegraphandargus.co.uk/news/1684227.cameras-roll-on-our-prime-location/ |url-status=live }} in Harrogate, and at Robin Hood's Bay in North Yorkshire.

Wild Child was released in the United Kingdom on 15 August 2008, taking fifth place at the box office with $2,196,366 from 359 cinemas with an average of $6,118. In its fourth weekend, it dropped to twelfth place. As of November 2008, Wild Child had grossed $8,235,794. In Australia, Wild Child was released 18 September, taking fourth place with only 93 cinemas and making $315,114.{{cite web |url=https://www.boxofficemojo.com/intl/australia/?yr=2008&wk=38&p=.htm |title=Australia Box Office, September 18-21, 2008 |publisher=Boxofficemojo.com |access-date=11 June 2016 |archive-date=8 August 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160808113447/http://www.boxofficemojo.com/intl/australia/?yr=2008&wk=38&p=.htm |url-status=live }} The following week, it made a 60% increase with $566,918{{cite web |url=https://www.boxofficemojo.com/intl/australia/?yr=2008&wk=39&p=.htm |title=Australia Box Office, September 25-28, 2008 |publisher=Boxofficemojo.com |date=28 September 2008 |access-date=11 June 2016 |archive-date=8 August 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160808120324/http://www.boxofficemojo.com/intl/australia/?yr=2008&wk=39&p=.htm |url-status=live }} but still slipped to 6th place. On 16 October, Wild Child fell to 11th. As of November 2008, Wild Child had grossed US$3,268,424 (A$4,236,579) in Australia.{{cite web |url=http://moviemarshal.com.au/boxaus2008.html |title=All time Australian box office |publisher=Moviemarshal.com.au |date=10 January 2010 |access-date=11 June 2016 |archive-date=3 April 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160403143937/http://www.moviemarshal.com.au/boxaus2008.html |url-status=dead }} The film has been released in many other countries, proving popular in some: the Netherlands ($1,553,825) and not so popular in others. The film has grossed a worldwide total of $21,972,336.{{cite web |url=https://www.boxofficemojo.com/movies/?id=wildchild.htm |title=Wild Child |work=Box Office Mojo |access-date=10 February 2019 |archive-date=12 February 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190212011104/https://www.boxofficemojo.com/movies/?id=wildchild.htm |url-status=live }} Universal had planned a North American release in the summer of 2009, but canceled it and chose to release the film directly to DVD.

Wild Child has a 38% approval rating at Rotten Tomatoes, based on 26 reviews with an average rating of 4.8/10. The website's critical consensus reads, "More mild than wild. This tween comedy mess falls flat on its face due to poor characters, poor direction and poor jokes".{{cite web |url=http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/10008678-wild_child/ |title=Wild Child (2008) |work=Rotten Tomatoes |access-date=14 May 2018 |archive-date=12 December 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161212085422/https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/10008678-wild_child/ |url-status=live }}

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." 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."

Rating the film 2 out of 5 stars, The Guardian's Peter Bradshaw deemed the film's story and characters "amiable enough, but still a bit tame" compared to films such as Clueless and Freaky Friday.{{cite web |first=Peter |last=Bradshaw |author-link=Peter Bradshaw |date=15 August 2008 |title=Wild Child |website=The Guardian |url=https://www.theguardian.com/film/2008/aug/15/family |access-date=22 February 2023 |archive-date=23 February 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230223080901/https://www.theguardian.com/film/2008/aug/15/family |url-status=live }} Describing Wild Child as "A tweenie comedy with an uplifting American-style sports movie awkwardly bolted on", David Gritten of The Daily Telegraph considered the film to be "a mess" with predictable plot twists and inferior to the film Angus, Thongs and Perfect Snogging.{{cite web |first=David |last=Gritten |date=12 December 2008 |title=Film reviews: Star Wars: The Clone Wars and more |website=The Daily Telegraph |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/film/filmreviews/3558486/Film-reviews-Star-Wars-The-Clone-Wars-and-more.html |access-date=22 February 2023 |url-access=subscription |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090220152300/https://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/film/filmreviews/3558486/Film-reviews-Star-Wars-The-Clone-Wars-and-more.html |archive-date=20 February 2009 |url-status=live }} In a mostly positive review for Variety, Leslie Felperin wrote that Dahl's script "puts more emphasis on character development and plot mechanics than the recent, slapstick-laden, girls’-school-set St. Trinian's, and still manages to have funnier one-liners". Felperin also found that the film's "third-act endorsement of female friendship turns out to be surprisingly affecting, despite obvious sentimentality."{{cite web |first=Leslie |last=Felperin |date=25 August 2008 |title=Wild Child |website=Variety |url=https://variety.com/2008/film/reviews/wild-child-1200507722/ |access-date=22 February 2023 |archive-date=23 February 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230223074259/https://variety.com/2008/film/reviews/wild-child-1200507722/ |url-status=live }} Meanwhile, Jack Wilson of The Age took a different view of the characters' development, finding that Dahl's screenplay "dwells unpleasantly on cruelty and humiliation, and finally Poppy does little more than exchange one form of snobbery for another."{{cite web |first=Jack |last=Wilson |date=19 September 2008 |title=Wild Child |website=The Age |url=https://www.theage.com.au/entertainment/movies/wild-child-20080919-ge7e6h.html |access-date=22 February 2023 |archive-date=23 February 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230223074931/https://www.theage.com.au/entertainment/movies/wild-child-20080919-ge7e6h.html |url-status=live }}

Wild Child was released on DVD in the United Kingdom on 8 December 2008. In Australia, it was released on 15 January 2009. In the United States, it was released directly to DVD on 17 November 2009.

{{Infobox album

| name = Wild Child

| type = soundtrack

| artist = various artists

| caption =

| alt =

| released = 18 August 2008{{Cite web|url=https://www.amazon.co.uk/Child-Movie-Soundtrack-Party-Album/dp/B001DAYA5W|title=Wild Child The Movie Soundtrack Party Album|publisher=Amazon|access-date=13 February 2017|archive-date=5 April 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180405013949/https://www.amazon.co.uk/Child-Movie-Soundtrack-Party-Album/dp/B001DAYA5W|url-status=live}}

| recorded = 2007–2008

| venue =

| studio =

| genre = Pop

| length = 48:32

| label = Polydor

| producer =

| prev_title =

| prev_year =

| next_title =

| next_year =

}}

Wild Child: The Movie Soundtrack Party Album is a soundtrack album by the film of the same name, released in the United Kingdom and Australia on 18 August 2008. In the United States, the soundtrack wasn't released.{{Cite web|url=http://www.allmusic.com/album/wild-child-original-soundtrack-mw0001685747|title=Wild Child Soundtrack|publisher=AllMusic|access-date=13 February 2017|archive-date=16 December 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161216212908/http://www.allmusic.com/album/wild-child-original-soundtrack-mw0001685747|url-status=live}}

;Track listing

{{Track listing

| extra_column = Performer(s)

| total_length = 48:32

| title1 = Shut Up and Drive

| extra1 = Rihanna

| length1 = 3:10

| title2 = Let Me Think About It

| extra2 = Ida Corr and Fedde le Grand

| length2 = 3:15

| title3 = About You Now

| extra3 = Sugababes

| length3 = 3:21

| title4 = Say It Right

| extra4 = Nelly Furtado

| length4 = 2:19

| title5 = I Know UR Girlfriend Hates Me

| extra5 = Annie

| length5 = 2:44

| title6 = If This Is Love

| extra6 = The Saturdays

| length6 = 3:14

| title7 = Heartbreaker

| extra7 = will.i.am

| length7 = 4:05

| note7 = featuring Cheryl Cole

| title8 = Sweet About Me

| extra8 = Gabriella Cilmi

| length8 = 3:38

| title9 = Can't Speak French

| extra9 = Girls Aloud

| length9 = 3:15

| title10 = Murder on the Dancefloor

| extra10 = Sophie Ellis-Bextor

| length10 = 4:06

| title11 = Ice Cream

| extra11 = New Young Pony Club

| length11 = 3:53

| title12 = Kiss with a Fist

| extra12 = Florence and the Machine

| length12 = 3:15

| title13 = Foundations

| extra13 = Kate Nash

| length13 = 3:21

| title14 = You Think I Don't Care

| extra14 = Jack McManus

| length14 = 2:19

| title15 = Come Around

| extra15 = M.I.A.

| length15 = 2:44

| note15 = featuring Timbaland

| title16 = Tambourine

| extra16 = Eve

| length16 = 3:14

| title17 = Real Wild Child

| extra17 = Sarah Harding

| length17 = 4:05

| title18 = Wild Child

| extra18 = The Cat Eat Cat Dog Game

| length18 = 3:38

}}

;Other songs non-included

The following songs appeared in the movie and trailers, although they were not included on the soundtrack for the film, due to licensing restrictions:

• "Angels" – Robbie Williams
• "Black Gloves" – Goose
• "Chasing Pavements" – Adele
• "Heaven Is a Place on Earth" – Belinda Carlisle
• "I Got It from My Mama" – will.i.am
• "Real Wild Child" – Everlife
• "Roadkill Morning" – Children of Bodom
• "Set 'Em Up" – Imran Hanif
• "You Think I Don't Care" - Jack McManus
• "Surrender Your Groove" – Geri Halliwell
• "Toxic" (instrumental) – Britney Spears

{{reflist}}

{{Wikiquote}}

• {{IMDb title}}

{{Nick Moore}}

Category:2008 films

Category:2008 directorial debut films

Category:2008 romantic comedy films

Category:2000s American films

Category:2000s British films

Category:2000s English-language films

Category:2000s French films

Category:2000s teen comedy films

Category:2000s teen romance films

Category:American romantic comedy films

Category:American teen comedy films

Category:American teen romance films

Category:British romantic comedy films

Category:British teen comedy films

Category:British teen romance films

Category:English-language French films

Category:Films about bullying

Category:Films directed by Nick Moore

Category:Films produced by Eric Fellner

Category:Films produced by Tim Bevan

Category:Films set in boarding schools

Category:Films set in Bradford

Category:Films set in Malibu, California

Category:Films set in Yorkshire

Category:Films shot at Elstree Film Studios

Category:Films shot in Bradford

Category:Films shot in Harrogate

Category:Films shot in Kent

Category:Films shot in Los Angeles

Category:Films shot in North Yorkshire

Category:Films shot in Scarborough

Category:Films shot in West Yorkshire

Category:French romantic comedy films

Category:French teen comedy films

Category:Relativity Media films

Category:StudioCanal films

Category:Universal Pictures films

Category:Working Title Films films

Category:English-language romantic comedy films

Category:English-language teen comedy films