Plot: What’s it about?
Samantha Mackenzie (Katie Holmes) has always wanted to be a normal girl with a normal life, though she has never been able to have that. But then, as the daughter of a politician with lofty goals, she knew that the road to a normal life would be tough. When her father (Michael Keaton) was elected President of the United States, her hopes were dashed one again. But when college arrived and she was about to head off to a school three thousand miles away, she thought at last, a normal lifestyle could surface. Instead, she was still surrounded by cameras, onlookers, and of course, Secret Service agents. This makes it tough on Sam to succeed, as even her showboat roommate Mia (Amerie Rogers) has had enough of the limelight. When she snaps and demands less spotlight from her father, he resists at first, but agrees to cut her agents in half. So now only two guards follow her and even then, they keep a reasonable distance. The new privacy makes all the difference in the world, as Sam has more fun, maybe a little too much fun. But she is able to make a connection with fellow student James (Marc Blucas), who is a guy she falls for right from the start. She can be herself, relax, and have fun, all while enjoying the spark of a potential romance. But when a secret is revealed and Sam feels betrayed by James, will Sam’s newfound freedom feel more like a prison?
Not all movies provide the same experience, that much is obvious. In the case of romantic comedies, we should all know about what to expect, though some do shake up the formula. First Daughter is not the kind of movie that breaks rank however, instead the picture follows a standard romantic comedy paint by numbers, with predictable results. I am by no means a fan of this kind of film, but in this case, I expected an above the cut movie, given some of the talent involved. I like to watch Katie Holmes (Tv’s Dawson’s Creek), who has charisma to burn, while Forest Whitaker, a very talented worker, sat in the director’s chair. Even so, First Daughter never strays from the genre formula and while there are twists, we see them coming from a mile off and have seen all these tricks before. So no new ground is broken, but chances are, if you’re a fan of romantic comedies, you don’t expect to see much genre evolution. Holmes is likable, as always, but fails to spark the high level of charisma I expected, which is one reason the film comes off on the bland side. Even so, fans of the genre will find First Daughter to be more than watchable, to be sure. I’d recommend this as a decent choice if you want a brisk, harmless rental, but a blind purchase would be a mistake. If you liked the movie, be sure to look into Chasing Liberty, a film that tackles the same premise with a little better results.
Video: How does it look?
First Daughter is presented in 1.85:1 anamorphic widescreen, with a full frame version also included on the disc’s flip side. As usual from Fox, this is a top notch transfer and in truth, I could find no flaws worthy of reporting here. The print used looks pristine, as it should and as far as compression errors, I didn’t see a single one in this transfer. The colors look rich and lush here, from the deepest reds to the more natural tones, all of the hues seem flawless here. No issues with the contrast either, as detail is strong and black levels look razor sharp, very impressive indeed. I wouldn’t rank this treatment as reference level, but this presentation handles the material well and gives us a wonderful visual effort.
Audio: How does it sound?
As with most romantic comedies, this one has a solid audio presence, but never rises much beyond the basics. But the material is well served, so I can’t complain too much about the soundtrack, as it does sound solid. The film is driven by dialogue, so sound effects aren’t often high impact or dynamic, but as I said, the material doesn’t need those elements. The music comes through well, with a rich presence that engages the surrounds and in the process, opens up the mix a little and that’s very welcome here. No complaints with the dialogue either, which sounds clean and easy to understand at all times. This disc also includes French and Spanish language options, as well as subtitles in English and Spanish.
Supplements: What are the extras?
If you like audio commentaries from cast members, then you’ll love the session here with stars Katie Holmes, Marc Blucas, and Amerie Rogers. The track has minimal technical information, but tons of humor and behind the scenes stories. So you won’t get the nuts & bolts of the production, but you will find a brisk, soft take on how First Daughter was created. If you want to know more about the ballroom dances shown in the film, then you’re in luck. A brief, though worthwhile look at the film’s choreography is included here. I do think a more general look behind the scenes was also in order, but the commentary track helps compensate. This disc also includes a tribute to composer Michael Kamen, as well as a selection of deleted sequences.
