Nancy Drew (Warner Brothers)
For the Under Twelve Set
Emma Roberts, who is Erics daughter and Julias niece, has her first starring role in the new adaptation of the Nancy Drew series of books. The film titled Nancy Drew is one that is aimed at the pre teen set and will only be pleasurable for them. Everyone else will be dulled out by the slow pace and the self conscious acting skills of the folks on view.
The film starts with Nancy Drew (Roberts) solving another case in her hometown of River Heights. This is her last case for a while as she and her father (Tate Donovan) are going on a short trip to California. They will be living in LA while her father is doing some work. Her good friend Ned (Max Thieriot) is concerned she will forget him while she is gone.
In LA Nancy promises her father she will not do any sleuthing but soon she is caught up in a mystery concerning an actress who disappeared in the eighties. Nancy and her father are living in the house the actress occupied when she vanished.
In addition to this new mystery Nancy also has to contend with being in a new school. Her conservative way of dressing and her focus on studying makes her stand out. She even attracts the attention of a kid named Corky (Josh Flitter) who becomes her devoted admirer. When Ned comes out for a visit he is a little bummed out by Corky being around all the time.
All of this is played out in the most elementary fashion. Nancy is too good to be true and can solve a crime in the blink of an eye. She also moves around LA like it is River Heights. Her father doesnt seem to be too concerned about the possible dangers facing her.
The movie is rated PG for mild violence and mild profanity.
Emma Roberts has star power written all over her but she is going to need something more substantive than this type of movie to get her career going. It may be just what her pre-teen fan base wants, but in order to gain a wider audience she needs to grow up a little.
This Nancy Drew series of movies can entertain the youngest among us, but for the adults accompanying them it will be a test of their endurance. Nancy Drew is sweet and simple too sweet and too simple!
I scored Nancy Drew a clueless 4 out of 10.
