Customer Reviews

First Daughter [VHS]

5 star:		(27)
4 star:		(21)
3 star:		(11)
2 star:		(6)
1 star:		(6)

 

 

I thought "First Daughter" was beautifully acted; the wonderful soundtrack also did much to enhance the movie. I totally fell in love with Katie Holmes and Michael Keaton's characters; both acted their roles so convincingly. Holmes is adorable and sweet as the First Daughter; Keaton is a mix of the cool and adoring (and funny!) father who's also fiercely protective of his only child. Their scenes together are very charming - I loved when they shared midnight chocolate cake and when they danced at the Inaugural Ball in one of the last scenes. Keaton's President character makes you wish that he actually was the President. The soundtrack is fantastic too and leaves me wondering why it was never released as an audio CD. I especially loved the songs they played when Sam and her parents were being driven to her school and when Sam, Mia, and the group were frolicking on the water slide. Also, if you are a fan of Sinatra's "The Way You Look Tonight", there are two dancing scenes set to two different arrangements of the song - magical! I didn't want this movie to end and kept re-playing my favorite scenes, with the volume turned all the way up of course!

This movie is great! I love Katie Holmes' character. It is about a girl (Katie) who's dad is the president, and she has to adapt to being the "president's daughter" (First Daughter). She is going off to college, and wants to fit in. She does some crazy stunts, and her dad drops in the polls. She then has to decide between her crazy new lifestyle, or her father. A GREAT MOVIE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

The plot itself - about the First daughter who went to College in Carlifornia, far away from the White House, in order to be normal and meet friends may be cliché. Yet the movie on the whole can still hand out nice surprises every now and then. Katie Holmes has a unique face and looks intelligent enough to want to be independent as well as not to disappoint the First family. More importantly, Marc Blucas (her love interest) is not like the stereotyped Prince Charming for a teenager. At least he also looks sophisticated and mature and gives a strong case why the first daughter would fall for him. The two make an attractive couple and are on the same wavelength when they share the views on science etc.

The twist in the movie, at least I didn't see it coming, is good. Considering how many such plots have appeared on screen, I must say this one at least is not as predictable and does give me some credibility as a story about real people. The President and First Lady are not given a significant part here. The young couple already is a good reason to watch the movie. The love songs that accompanied the ball room dances are pleasant and well-chosen. The First Daughter stands out in his genre with its creativity and credible performance by the leading couple.

I also hope that Marc Blucas has great roles in future movies for his refreshing looks and performance.

I loved this movie!! All the stars were perfect, and I think it gives a lot of attention to how hard all the first daughters really have it. And, the commentary was amazing. I would totally recommend this movie to all my friends. I think they should make a sequal when Samantha comes back in the Spring.

Katie Holmes proves charming as daughter of the President of the United States in the romantic drama `First Daughter.' From director Forest Whitaker, `First Daughter' features Holmes' playing the character of Samantha Mackenzie - a freshman who navigates college classes, while dealing with testy roommates and romantic entanglements - all under the ever watching eyes of a cadre of Secret Service bodyguards.
Add Michael Keaton as a President running for reelection and Marc Blucas (from the television series `Buffy the Vampire Slayer') as a graduate student with a secret agenda to the mix and the ingredients are all here for an enjoyable, if not intellectually stimulating, diversion for a couple of hours.
Where this DVD fails, however, is its delivery on special features. We have a very short featurette on the choreographed ballroom dancing scenes, as well as a tribute piece to the famous composer Michael Kamen who died shortly after starting work on the picture.
There are also two deleted scenes that are actually merely extensions on existing scenes - more birth control products for Samantha as she endeavors to make her boyfriend jealous and more of Holmes dancing on the bar. They add nothing to the picture and its quite obvious why the extra seconds were trimmed from the final theatrical release.
Where the DVD does deliver the goods though is in the rather laid back commentary from the three young stars (Holmes, Blucas and Amerie). It starts a little slow, but soon livens up as the three began to relax. The three share some entertaining anecdotes about life on the set, and their experiences working with Michael Keaton. However, the commentary also highlights what is missing from the DVD as the three discuss all the outtakes from the picture, and Blucas even speculates (incorrectly as it turns out) as to their presence on the DVD.
As is the case with so many releases these days, we have the cropped full-screen version on one side of the disc and the original theatrical widescreen presentation on the flip side, with the special features split (half on each side).

What is life like for the daughter of the U.S. president when it comes time to cut the apron strings and move to another state to attend college? This is the main idea behind "First Daughter", a film about a girl who has spent most of her life in the spotlight and longs to be treated like an ordinary person.

This movie follows a typical movie formula. We have all seen plenty of films involving young adults moving away to go to college and this movie isn't much different. It follows this young girl as she moves far away from her parent's residence at the White House; gets followed around by security personnel; meets a guy and falls for him; and struggles with the media to protect her privacy and reputation.

What makes this movie fail in the end is its lack of any real story and the lack of any feeling for the characters. Michael Keaton's portrayal as the U.S. president isn't that good, and you really get annoyed by his indifference toward his daughter. Actress Margaret Colin seems out of place as well. She plays Keaton's wife, and she has very little to say in this movie.

If there is anything redeeming about this film, it would have to be Katie Holmes in the lead role. Katie is a pretty woman, but in a cute and innocent way. This makes her character that much more compelling. She seems so helpless and so sweet, you can't help but root for her to triumph over the media and its annoying and unethical treatment of her. And you hope she can work things out with her parents and live the life she wants to live without interference.

Overall, this isn't a very good movie. It isn't terrible, but it is mostly predictable and the performances (with the exception of Katie Holmes) are not very memorable. It's the type of film that will be enjoyed most by people who can relate to it; i.e, teenagers and college students who can empathize with the young woman's problems and concerns.

It was TOTALLY refreshing to watch a film with no violence or profanity. Unlike the newer movies out, it was nice to actually watch a movie that I'd be afraid of my two year old granddaughter might observe.
Sad that this new generation hasn't the concept of a good movie or that matter, good music. No, if there isn't blood, guts, sex, violence or profanity, no interest is at all desired.
What frustrates me the most is that the "adults," who are suppose to be mature, steer in their direction and reaps the benefits. I'll call it blood money.
Then they have the audacity to be appalled when all the school shootings happen and/or other tragedies occur. It doesn't help that young people are encouraged to do so because of a movie.
Yes, I blame the movies and this thing they call music! Not to mention, where ARE the parents? Schools, the stereo/CD players and the televisions are NOT baby-sitters nor are good matters and good morals embedded. Schools are not the same.
I salute Forest on another job well done.
A very INVOLVED mother and grandmother!!!

Katie holmes plays Sam who is this girl who is struggling to try to be normal,the only problem is her dad is the president. She goes to college thinking she is going to have a normal life when people follow her and there is always agents there. She goes to get together just to find her herself in the newspaper the next day. Then the next time she goes to a party some people to get her attention, and one of them brings out a squirtgun and she is pulled out of the party and taken to her dads office in her bathing suit. Thats when she says some thangs to her dad and her dad backs off on security guards or so she thought. James the guy she falls in love with is a security guard and she finds that out when some things go wrong. Can there be any hope for her and James to be together or for her life to be normal? Watch the movie and find out. I can guarantee you wont be dissapointed.

The story was quite interesting. There were a few twists in the story. The story is that the "first daughter" goes to college at an unnamed school on the west coast (it's filmed on the beautiful UCLA Westwood campus). The first daughter wants nothing more than to have a typical, normal life. That is not exactly obtainable, however: the Secret Service agents make having a reasonable life, difficult, if not impossible. As a result, the first daughter takes affirmative steps to normalize her life, unaware that she is still within the protective cover of the secret service. The twist is that she falls in love with a secret service -- although she is unaware of it at the time. That's one of the best parts in the movie. Overall, Katie Holmes is not the best actress, and it is plausible that someone else could have played her part better.

--Michael

This movie was fantastic. It was clean, yet entertaining and endearing. I loved being able to watch it with my little sisters after buying the DVD. The twist in the plot totally surprised me, and yet pleased me. Blucas does an amazing job in this film. A breath of fresh air compared to Chasing Liberty.