Wild Child

Mildly entertaining and utterly innocuous, Wild Child follows wealthy Beverly Hills teen Poppy (Emma Roberts) as she’s sent to a British boarding school after her father (Aidan Quinn’s Gerry) grows tired of her self-indulgent antics – with the bulk of the proceedings subsequently revolving around Poppy’s ongoing efforts at getting kicked out of the exclusive establishment. It’s due primarily to Roberts’ consistently affable work that Wild Child ultimately fares as well as it does, as the actress successfully manages to bring her exceedingly spoiled character to life without quite crossing the line into obnoxiousness (which is certainly no small feat, given the degree to which Poppy has been infused with narcissistic attributes). The pervasively predictable midsection is accordingly not as problematic as one might’ve expected, with the palpable chemistry between Poppy and her newfound friends (and enemies) generally compensating for the proliferation of less-than-innovative elements (ie a trying-on-clothes montage). The movie manages to sustain its agreeable vibe right up until around the one-hour mark, after which point the viewer is hit with barrage of woefully melodramatic plot twists that are exacerbated by Lucy Dahl’s increasingly illogical script (ie Poppy, having made friends and struck up a tentative romance, is clearly enjoying herself yet she persists in her attempts at getting expelled). There’s nevertheless little doubt that Wild Child remains a watchable endeavor that’s often buoyed by Roberts’ irresistibly enthusiastic work – with the pleasant atmosphere perpetuated by an impressive supporting cast that includes Aidan Quinn, Shirley Henderson, and Natasha Richardson.

**1/2 out of ****