Uptown Girls is the story of Molly Gunn (Murphy), the freewheeling daughter of a late rock legend. Designers want to dress her, the most eligible bachelors want to date her, and her birthday bash is one of the hottest tickets in town. The unfortunate turn is when her accountant steals her inheritance and Molly is forced to work for the first time in her life.
Qualified for nothing she turns to her friends for help, and after a failed attempt at retail her friend Huey (Faison) whom you may recognize from the hit NBC TV show Scrubs lands a position as nanny to the daughter of high-powered music executive Roma Schleine (Locklear), which is what gets us into the heart of the story.
Molly’s now responsible for Ray Shlieine (Fanning) whom may be the most uptight 8-year-old “going on 40” little girl ever. Obsessed with germs and emotionally distant from her mother makes this for a match made in hell. Ray has grown up with a revolving door of nannies and too little stability, so she tries to control everything she can.
Molly has never heard the word responsibility and the two of them soon teach each other how to act their ages.
Comical on many levels this is the ultimate “chick flick”, but don’t worry guys it’s not that bad. The chemistry on screen between Fanning and Murphy makes the time bearable. Fanning can turn on the sass at will and then switch it around and attempt to pull on the heart strings (watch your shoulders gentlemen the ladies may need a shoulder).
All-in-all Uptown Girls falls right in line with the rest of the movies of its kind, no better, no worse.
Murphy’s star status is on the rise, and while this movie may not be her crowning moment I am sure little girls all over the place will be swarming to the stores once the DVD is released.
