This movie is entertaining enough due to an excellent performance by Virginia Madsen and the fact that Lindsey Haun is lovely. However the reason the movie is so predictable is that we've seen it all before. I've haven't read the book A Mother's Gift but I hope for Britney and Lynne Spears sake it is completely different than this movie. Unless you consider ending a movie with what is essentially a music video an original idea, the entire movie brings to mind the word plagiarized.
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danielpitney9 May 2004
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This 2004 TV-movie is based on Britney and Lynne Spears' novel "A Mother's Gift", and was co-executive-produced by the pair. The heroine, Texan teenager Holly Lovell (played by Lindsey Haun), is an aspiring singer and Britney fan - she has a poster of the notorious pop princess on her bedroom wall and Ms Spears' song "Stronger" appears on a number of occasions and in several guises.
One of the vocal profs at a posh conservatoire sees innate talent in Holly's performance at a local jamboree and successfully argues her case for a probationary try-out for a scholarship, despite opposition from his colleagues. Holly's mom makes huge financial sacrifices to get her daughter a semester to prove herself.
Making Britney's "Stronger" her showcase in Vocal Majors doesn't go down too well with the prof, who makes it clear that a classical performance will be required if Holly is to progress any further. Meanwhile, the hot guy of the class hits on her, much to the disgust of bitchy Angela, star soprano, who considers him hers by right.
Meanwhile, Holly's attempts at disguising her redneck origins aren't helped by her mom, who takes a job at a local diner after her car breaks down, and a rift develops between them. It's more than a little unfair on her mom, though, since she's been doing everything she can to avoid showing her daughter up - even declining some romantic enticements from one of the other profs.
Angela sabotages Holly's audition by getting her drunk on vodka, but classmate Zoe offers to help her, and she is given a chance to redeem herself in the class recital. She becomes quite proficient at singing the Habanera from Bizet's "Carmen" once she studies up on her French - and even earns some applause from the previously sceptical academicians.
Zoe turns out to have a secret other side as a rock singer and invites Holly and her pal Portia (aka Ditz) along to her next gig. Zoe calls Holly up on stage and they do a lively duet while Ditz gets rapidly out of it on drink and drugs and ends up in hospital.
Hospital-bound Ditz gives Holly a lesson in mother-appreciation, which is taken very much to heart. Holly makes it up with her mom and invites her to the recital. Her mom feels free to phone the prof and they go to the recital together.
At the recital, Holly does a fine job with the Habanera, even managing to overshadow Angela's Mozart, but as she reaches her final note lights go on, musicians and dancers appear on the stage and she, Zoe and others deliver an aspirational rock song about being strong. They get a standing ovation.
It's a quiet but heartwarming little TV movie, fine for a wet afternoon. Some of the more obvious clichés of college life are avoided, but quite a few are not. There's no great depth in the acting, and if Lindsey Haun had been called Britney Spears the critics would have piled in with predictable savagery. Best turn comes from the ever-excellent Virginia Madsen as Holly's mother. -
SnoopyStyle11 February 2017Holly Lovell (Lindsey Haun) lives in a small Texas town with her mother Wanda (Virginia Madsen). Her father is long absent. She is desperate to go to the Haverty music school in Philadelphia. Her mother secretly films her singing for the school application. Her boyfriend Tyler (Aaron Ashmore) proposes but she holds off. She is surprised by the school's midterm acceptance. Unbeknownst to her, the family home has been foreclosed. Ditz is her new rich troubled roommate friend. Her competition Angela pines for Grant who takes a liking to Holly. She struggles with the unfamiliar classical music. With the car breaking down, Wanda takes a nearby waitress job working for Dee (Jayne Eastwood). She keeps all of it a secret while staying with her embarrassed daughter Holly.
This is loosely based on a book written by Britney Spears and her mother which is loosely based on her life. Any resemblance to reality is strictly an accident. They do get producer credit and a lot of references in the movie. The story is basically not terrible. Haun and Madsen are perfectly good actresses. Holly is a little self-obsessed and petty. Her enemies are cartoonish but that's alright. She has a few too many supporters which detracts from her underdog status. I also would get rid of her hometown boyfriend whom she leaves behind way too easily. There are a few too many miscalculations from the standard formula. This should be easily likable but it doesn't completely work. -
purple_mm_froggie20 June 2004People like to complain about TV movies a lot. I have one question. Is there ever a TV movie that is perfect?
Anyway, I find that the movie was good. Considering that I am not a Britney Spears fan and the fact that there was a lot of Britney in it, I thought I was going to hate the movie, but I actually enjoyed it. Though, at some points things seemed to be repeating themselves and it got to be a bit long, there was just something there that was good and made me watch it to the end.
This movie isn't for everybody. If you can't stand pop or classical music, don't watch. If you can't stand some predictable moments don't watch. But if you want to watch a movie that has an uplifting feeling and lets people know that everyone can do whatever they want to in life, a real good family movie, this is it. -
Being a music student myself, I thought a movie taking place in a conservatory might be fun to watch. Little did I know... (I had no idea this movie was based on a book by Britney Spears) This movie was implausible throughout. It's obvious that whoever wrote the script never set foot in a conservatory and doesn't know a thing about classical music. Let me give you just a few examples: 1) There is NO WAY anyone would be admitted to a classical conservatory with no classical training whatsoever! Just having a nice pop voice isn't enough, besides, that's a different thing altogether - another genre, different technique. It's like playing the violin when applying for a viola class. 2) How come the lady teaching music theory was in the singing jury? If she wasn't a singing professor herself, she would have no say in a situation like that, and if she was a singing professor, why weren't we told so? 3) Being able to read music is a necessity if you're to major in music. 4) How did Angela get a hold of that video tape? That would have been kept confidential, for the jury's eyes only. Now either she got the tape from one of the professors or the script writers just didn't have a clue. I wonder which... 5) The singing professor gave Holly the Carmen song saying she "had the range", which she clearly did NOT. Yes, she was able to sing the notes, but Carmen is a mezzo-soprano, while Holly's voice seemed to be much lighter in timbre, not at all compatible with that song. 6) Worst of all: Not only does the movie show a shocking ignorance when it comes to classical music, but it doesn't even try to hide it. The aria that Angela sings is mutilated beyond recognition, a fact which is painfully blatant at the recital, where it is cut short in a disgraceful way - Mozart would roll over in his grave. The Habanera from Carmen sounded a bit weird at times, too, and the way it was rearranged at the end just shows how little the producers really think of classical music - it's stiff and boring but hey, add some drums and electric guitars and it's almost as good as Britney Spears! I know these are all minor details, but it would have been so easy to avoid them with just a little research. Anyhow, I might have chosen to suspend my disbelief had the characters and the plot been well elaborated. But without that, I really can't find any redeeming qualities in this movie except for one: it's good for a laugh.
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First of all, this plot is way overdone - girl wants to make it, everyone loves her, snobby girl intervenes, all looks lost, girl pulls through, everyone loves her again etc. Throw in the fitting in thing, an attractive male crushing on the heroine, plus single-parent troubles and it's so predictable that you can practically recite along with it.
Second of all, I really hate how they keep on dissing classical music. They send out the message that everyone involved in classical music is uptight and snobby and close-minded - in fact, I don't recall the quote exactly, but I remember at one point in the movie, Holly says, "Why do they have to be so uptight...so classical?" It's really insulting how label classical music in this way.
Third, I've went over it dozens of times, but the only reason that I can think of for making this movie is to promote Britney Spears. there just isn't any point at all.
And oh yeah, while the actress who portrayed Holly (I'm not sure whether that was really her singing or not) had a reasonably good voice, it wasn't as amazing as they were making it out to be - especially when she was belting. She was oversupporting the whole time.
1/10 stars. -
MaMaSquirrelatCal27 April 2004This movie was so horrible in so many ways. 1.) The characters remained the same throughout the entire movie with little change. Nobody really REALLY learned anything became a better person etc. Ugh. 2.) Too many references to Britney Spears. Examples) Holly's favorite song "Stronger." The headset she uses in the last sequence. The dancing. The picture of Britney in her room. The pic of Madonna from the "Me against the music video" and I could go on. Seriously. 3.) It was just plain dumb. I would have more entertained watching an episode of.... Barney. Next time it comes on tv, I suggest you throw the tv out the window before suffering yourself to this. If you need more reasons it sucks you'll find it.
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Screen-716 January 2006Yes, the plot is predictable; yes, there are a few plot holes; yes, it has a made-for-TV quality; and yes, Britney Spears "wrote" the book with obvious self-promotion.
But forget all of that... this movie is fun.
Fun in an After School Special sort-of-way, but fun nevertheless.
Virginia Madsen as the mother does a great job... so good that I'm going to start watching for her movies. She reminded me of Diane Lane for all the good reasons.
The rest of the cast does a fine job, too. If I was a casting agent, I'd be scouting some of these young actors.
The production values are above usual TV standards and the music was really great... better than several big-budget movies I've seen.
If you're in the mood for German noir this movie isn't for you. If you want a safe, fun and underrated movie, this is a good one. It's one you could show to your 10 year old daughter but enjoy it yourself too. -
I actually liked this movie until the end. Sure, it was cheesy and pretty unlikely but still it kept my attention on a rainy afternoon. Until the end, that is. For her final performance at the prestigious classical conservatory where she has struggled to catch-up to the other classically trained students, what does the main character do? Wow them with her grasp and execution of this time honored musical tradition? No. She tortures and butchers the great sensuous Habanera from Carmen and turns it into an utterly forgettable Brittany Spears-wannabe pop song. My ears bled! And, in the supreme moment of horror, her teachers gave her a standing ovation! Any teacher not in a Spears-induced fantasy would have failed her on the spot. Save your time, save your ears - skip this movie!
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immortalangel14321 May 2005I really think that this movie is great, personally. But, in every movie there is a downer. Now, some of you may not have watched Hilary Duff's 'Raise Your Voice', but If you think about it, those two shows are very very similar, if you know what i mean. In 'Brave New Girl', Holly wants so bad to get into Haverty Conservatory. In 'Raise Your Voice', Terri wants to go to a conservatory in L.A.(don't remember the name of the conservatory there). They are both in the music field, and they both have to sing at the ending of the semester. It's really funny how these two films are alike. I personally like 'Brave New Girl' better than, 'Raise Your Voice' though.
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brooklyn_xx15 July 2007hello boys and girls... this isn't your regular movie review, because this is going to be the cold. hard. truth. are you serious? this movie sucked so many balls i couldn't keep them out of my mouth! they might as well have sprayed me in the eye with monkey semen. you'd need one seriously large douche to pump out all the vaginal fluid from this movie.
the plot was very lacking. the actors were terrible. i rewound the dance number several times and had to pause it even more because i was choking on my own spit. do boys, everyone!
peace R&H besties4lyf -
This 2004 TV film is based on the book "A Mother's Gift" written by Britney Spears and her mother. The story involves a single mother (Virginia Madsen) and her talented daughter (Lindsey Haun) who are poor, good-hearted Texans. The daughter's dream is to go to a prestigious music school in Philadelphia. The mother sacrifices everything (literally) to make it happen. There are humiliating obstacles and intense pressures. Can the daughter persevere and succeed. What about her mother?
Some people wrote negative reviews just because the story was written and produced by Britney Spears and her mother. These people obviously hate Britney. Regardless, the truth is she's a talented, likable pop musician/entertainer, not to mention incredibly famous. I don't listen to her style of music and would never likely buy one of her cds or see her in concert, but who can deny this?
What matters is: Is the movie any good? Yes it is. Both my wife and I enjoyed it from beginning to end. No, it may not blow you away or anything -- it is, after all, a TV movie -- but it holds your attention all the way through and it is moving; plus it throws in a couple of surprises. Even more, it has a good heart.
Lindsey Haun is reminiscent of Melissa Joan Hart of "Sabrina" -- both likable and cute. There are quite a few other likable cast members, including Madsen. The story also features a couple of people you'll love-to-hate. And be on the lookout for the redheaded dancer played by Jessica Dawson, who's stunning, to say the least.
Other than the obvious motif of fulfilling your dreams through belief and perseverance despite the obstacles, the story addresses some important sub-themes:- You'll always have an enemy who wants you to fail.
- There will always be people who are willing to give you a helping hand or guidance; take advantage of these precious souls.
- It's easy to take for granted the good things in your life until you meet someone who doesn't have them.
- As two of Solomon's proverbs state: "Better a meal of vegetables where there is love than a fattened calf with hatred" and "Better a dry crust with peace and quiet than a house full of feasting with strife."
- The best way to beat an enemy is to not give up and succeed.
The film was shot in Toronto, Ontario, and runs 90 minutes.
GRADE: A- -
jim-12255 September 2006This review owes its existence entirely to a review. We take a weekly TV magazine to see what is coming up, and duly decide what we will watch. Obligingly, there are brief reviews of most of the films scheduled to be shown on the five major terrestrial channels. In addition to the prose, each film is allocated a 1-5 star rating. 5 means Don't Miss (superior to 4 for Excellent!), down to 1 standing for Poor. We have learned from vast experience that, with few exceptions, stars are awarded for gross taste, foul language, offensive content, promiscuity, horror, blood & guts, and especially killing off the hero/heroine just when everyone was about to live happily ever after. (If that isn't done, the movie is denigrated as being 'predictable' - the worst insult imaginable!)
Brave New Girl was given only 1 star, thereby suggesting it was a candidate worthy of our time and attention. This was confirmed by the reviewer's description of the movie as being a "truly awful tale", and, "Stupid, just stupid". We watched it, and my wife and I were glad we did so. The TV magazine reviewer further stated that the movie was "not a reworking of War and Peace", with which we have to agree. Reading through the IMDb reviews for this title a day or two later, the urge to pick up my pen (so to speak) to add my halfpennyworth (pronounced harf'pen'uth (emphasis on the first syllable) for the uninitiated) became overwhelming.
Why did we take to this movie? Well, it's just a matter of taste. We like attractive characters, believable relationships between them, interesting situations, courtesy and respect, good triumphing over evil, and so on. We liked the integrity and personalities of Holly (Lindsey Haun), her Mum (Virginia Madsen), Ditz (Barbara Mamabolo), Grant (Nick Roth), Zoe (Joanne Boland) and the two male professors involved in the story. So what if the storyline includes a 'wicked witch of the west' in the form of Angela (Barbara Mamabolo), provided that she plays the part with some conviction. We appreciated the friendship depicted between the two room-mates, with one having a financially challenged upbringing by a loving single Mum, and the other having every material advantage but receiving little parental time and affection. Is it any wonder that Ditz felt the way she did about Holly's Mum? Is it surprising that Grant should take an immediate interest in Holly, considering the manner of their initial meeting, Holly's dazzling smiles and her lively self-possession? I think these issues and the events are believable enough, but it is necessary to pretend that the scholarship and other circumstances are realistic in order for the tale to have a setting.
My wife and I are greatly blessed by not having any significant musical education. This enables us to enjoy the sounds produced by instruments and voices without having our critical faculties intruding unduly on our listening, and thus spoiling the experience. We enjoyed both the classical pieces and the pop, which came over well on the TV, and we weren't struck by any lack of talent. Also, it mattered not that Holly's classical vocals were dubbed by someone else.
We enjoyed the movie enough to look for a DVD. The average delivered price we have paid per disk for the movies in our collection currently stands at £4.9484 (rounded to four decimal places). Brave New Girl was available from a trusted supplier on the Amazon Marketplace for £1.3516 (rounded to four decimal places) above this figure. Such a purchase would increase the average. Why I should resent this is a mystery to me, but it is a testimony to our enjoyment of this film that we placed an order anyway. I have awarded this film 7 IMDb stars out of ten, having docked one for overenthusiastic reception of the performances by the audiences, one for Britney advertising and one for something else I can't remember right now. (In case it hasn't tumbled, this review is an anthem in celebration of the use of brackets!) -
ed_two_o_nine4 July 2008This is no doubt one of the worst movies I have ever seen. This makes your run of the mill TV movie look like Reservoir Dogs. Based on a book by the one and only Britney Spears and her mother this is trash with nothing bar a reasonable performance from Virginia Madsen (I hope you got paid well) to save it. The story of a red neck country gill who wins a scholarship in a prestigious music school is little but a vehicle to pedal Ms Spears pants music to the consumer and to generally agree that low brow must be the way. There is nothing good going on here with all the beats as predictable as night following day. Never ever again.
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troubleclef122325 September 2004Wow. I am really really disgusted at this movie. Not only is it so tacky, unoriginal, poorly acted, poorly directed, and over-advertised, it also teaches little girls everywhere that they can go up on stage and sing tacky out-of-date pop songs, send in a tape and get into a CLASSICAL music conservatory among some of the worlds finest and most hard-working musicians. The people that get into those conservatories work their ASSES off trying to perfect their style, and especially in the vocal category, it takes even more hard work and dedication. It is even more insulting later on to see her sitting there not even able to read music. READING MUSIC IS A NECESSITY WHEN YOU WANT TO BE A MUSICIAN!!! period. End of story. You cannot expect to be a music major without being able to read music. If you can sing your favorite pop song after listening to it 20 times over again, somewhat in tune, this does not mean you are talented. It does not mean you belong in a music conservatory. It doesn't even mean you belong in choir. It means you should try out your local karaoke bar. Its enough of a problem to have these blonde bimbos making HIGH-SCHOOL choirs sound like crap, but to put out a movie like this encouraging them that they can major in music with such mediocre abilities is degrating, and insulting to anyone who's worked hard at what they do. This is not a brave new girl, this is a talentless idiot who belongs in beauty school across the street from the music conservatory. I really wish I could sue someone over this, it makes me that mad.
I give this 0 stars out of 10. Don't even see it. Don't support such insulting behavior. -
harpreet_cute140915 December 2005I found this movie kinda boring and predictable..kinda like a happy movie..girl goes into music school but doesn't keep up with the competition but suddenly does really good and beats snobby girl,gets the hot guy and in the end lives happily ever after.Hmm..thats sound a lot like Hilary Duff's Raise Your Voice in a badder version.But still the guy was hot and the songs were really cool especially the duet in the bar..I also thought the movie was about a girl whose trying to fit in..i didn't really like the part where just because she remixed the song doesn't mean its the best..the classical songs also were also pretty good.thats what i mean when i say that the movie was too predictable..
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It was a decent movie, I actually kind of enjoyed it. But the ending is so abrupt!! There is absolutely no closure and it leaves tons of loose ends. What happens after the concert? What happens with her boyfriend? Does she hook up with Grant? Does she come beck in the next semester? And what about Angela? Obviously Holly's performance would knock Angela down a few pegs, but nothing is shown to indicate how she reacts. There is so much left up in the air and it's very unsatisfying. I don't know if it is trying to leave room for a sequel or something, but it is a terrible ending and I think that it really makes the movie a joke. I was very disappointed.
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pmitsi-14 May 2009can any movie become more naive than this? you cant believe a piece of this script. and its ssooooo predictable that you can tell the plot and the ending from the first 10 minutes. the leading actress seems like she wants to be Barbie (but she doesn't make it, the doll has MORE acting skills).
the easiness that the character passes and remains in a a music school makes the phantom of the opera novel seem like a historical biography. i wont even comment on the shallowness of the characters but the ONE good thing of the film is Madsen's performance which manages to bring life to a melo-like one-dimensional character.
The movie is so cheesy that it sticks to your teeth. i can think some 13 year old Britney-obsessed girls shouting "O, do give us a break! If we want fairy tales there is always the Brothers Grimm book hidden somewhere in the attic". I gave it 2 instead of one only for Virginia Madsen. -
newbrownshoe20 January 2007I've read the other reviews and found some to be comparison of movie v real life (eg what it takes to get into music school), Britney Bashing, etc, etc. so let's focus on the movie and the message.
I have rated this movie 7 out of 10 for the age range 8 to 14 years, and for a family movie. For the average adult male.... 2 out of 10.
I like pop/rock music, i'm 45. I know of Britney Spears but never realised she actually sang Stronger until i read the credits and these reviews. I didn't recognise her poster on the wall so I was not worried about any 'self promotion'.
I watch movies to be entertained. i don't care about casting, lighting, producers, directors, etc. What is the movie and does it entertain me.
I watched this movie for the message. The world's greatest epidemic is low self-esteem (which is a whole other story) so watched with the message in mind, as that is an area of interest. The movie is light, bright and breezy, great for kids. I found the Texan twang began to fade throughout the movie and of course there are only so many ways to convey the give up/don't give up message, so yeh, it was a bit predictable. Great message though...should be more of them.
This movie is a great family movie, but for a bloke watching by himself, get Hannibal. -
youknowit9929 April 2004In "Brave New Girl," Holly comes from a small town in Texas, sings "The Yellow Rose of Texas" at a local competition, and gets admitted to a prestigious arts college in Philadelphia. From there the movie grows into a colorful story of friendship and loyalty. I loved this movie. It was full of great singing and acting and characters that kept it moving at a very nice pace. The acting was, of course, wonderful. Virginia Madsen and Lindsey Haun were outstanding, as well as Nick Roth The camera work was really done well and I was very pleased with the end (It seems a sequel could be in the making). Kudos to the director and all others that participated on this production. Quite a gem in the film archives.
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angelic_innocence01916 November 2004i think i will give this 1 out of 10..because the only thing i really liked in it was the end song..i mean..altho it has a great message for younger girls..you know.."you can do any thing you set your mind to" or whatever..i agree with the person giving the first comment..not saying that others don't work hard for other types of music but i highly doubt you can get into a classical music conservatory singing "a yellow rose of Texas" . and you can't even pass high school choir with out being able to read notes..and is it just me or was miss.spears mentioned just a few to many times hehe. the set up kind of looked like a armature movie maker made it too..however the actors and actresses were wonderful and i absolutely LOVE the song at the end...i bought the movie just for the song lol
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samtheveryverybest8 April 2006I'd just like to say that i've seen this film twice now and i love it! The acting is great and even though it is a similar plot to "Raise Your Voice" I think that the plot never gets boring for people who like that kind of thing. It has some great lessons in it and shows us that we can do anything if we try. An incredible film. I am sure that this is one i will be watching for a long time to come. Even though Britney Spears write the book it is quite a realistic plot, maybe not about the falling in love part, but the part about being different and struggling but coming out best in the end is very true to real life. The only minor criticism is why is the main girl in these films always beautiful? Do you really think that Holly would have met the perfect guy of her dreams if she was ugly or average? I doubt it..
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TurtlegrLm1313 May 2004ok, I thought "not ANOTHER britney spears film" when I saw the preveiws. But, as a matter of fact, I really enjoyed it! The actress who plays the main character (Holly Luvel) was Lindsey Haun, who I happen to be a big fan of. She has a better voice than Britney, and does a really good job with the texan accent and 'twang' even though she comes from L.A. The songs are all so good! The last and final number goes from a song in Carmen, to a dance and hip-hop sort of song. The film really prooves that anything is possible even if everything goes wrong, and that even if your at an all time low, you can turn things around. I recommend this to everyone, and if you don't watch it just because it was from britney. Afterall, I happen to think that is why america is soo messed up, but the film is still really good!
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I really enjoyed this movie. Britney is an excellent role model for teens and should be more appreciated. This movie is about following your dreams and never giving up no matter what people might do or say to discourage and criticize you. Holly fulfills her dreams just like Britney.
There are times in everyones' lives when people judge them for what they are not who they are. Watching this movie will make you understand that you are special in your own way and that you should follow your dreams no matter what happens.
I would like to thank Britney for encouraging me and my friends to follow our dreams. She will never know how much that means to me. Bravo Britney. You are the greatest!!! -
Regarding the movie "BRAVE NEW GIRL", though it has its faults, it was still an ENJOYABLE MOVIE.
I was especially impressed with the fact that VIRGINIA MADSEN was part of the cast, and that she turned in such a winning performance as WANDA LOVELL.
While the spotlight will certainly be on her co-star, LINDSAY HAUN, it is still wonderful to see Virginia in a good role that she will be very proud of.
Knowing her responsibilities,it is unfortunate that she is not seen more often, and still being young and VERY ATTRACTIVE, one can only hope that she will continue to pick such likable roles in the future.
Perhaps Virginia will, unlike her piers, go gracefully into middle-age playing such roles, unlike THE STEREOTYPICAL BITCHY ROLES that would otherwise await her, and which she had already played earlier in her career.
Of course, this was a Brittany Spears production, so this was really a showcase for her work, and while there are indeed some good production values here, you really have to be one of brittany's fans to properly appreciate this movie.
As a fan of Virginia Madsen, I wish her continued success, and my very best.