The plot to "Uptown Girls" is that it centers on Molly Gunn (Brittany Murphy),who is the spoiled, 22-year old daughter of a deceased rock legend. When the manager steals her money, she's left broke and for the first time in her life, has to actually work. So she gets a job being a nanny to Ray (Dakota Fanning),the neglected daughter of an overworked music executive. She doesn't really have much of a choice, since she has no "real" working skills or experience being employed. The two bond and become best friends and so on.

True this film's plot slightly resembles Adam Sandler's 1999 comedy "Big Daddy," another film where an irresponsible adult is given the daunting task of playing parent to a neglected child. Where the more serious moments of the story to "Big Daddy" took a back seat to silly toilet humor, "Uptown Girls" is able to soar high above the required material and become something truly unique. "Big Daddy" was great, too and got its message (if you can call it that) across without much trouble, and "Uptown Girls" does the same, and then something greater.

Part of the fun of watching "Uptown Girls" is simply Murphy's presence on screen. Watching this, I had to sometimes remember why she is one of today's youngest and most talented actresses. Another reason would be her relationship with Dakota Fanning in the movie. The two naturally start off not liking each other but as the film continues, they grow closer and closer together.

I'm a guy and I don't normally like these kinds of movies (girlie-girl films),but "Uptown Girls" seems to be an exception, largely because of star Brittany Murphy. She just has a kind of appeal that draws you in, whether you want to or not. I guess that's why when I first saw a poster for this film at the movie theater a few months ago, I was drawn in to it, despite any misgivings I already had.

Murphy has a magnetic charm, a kind of screen presence that's normally lacking with a lot of young actresses working in today's Hollywood. Roger Ebert stated in his review of the film that Murphy displays a kind of ineptitude that's reminiscent of the late Lucille Ball and plays it perfectly. In this film, she is kind of a ditz, but it's all part of her emotional complexity.

Another reason I wanted to see "Uptown Girls" is because Boaz Yakin, who helmed 1994's "Fresh" and 2000's "Remember the Titans," is behind the camera. He has a real eye for the characters in his films, in that he makes them do a lot more than what is expected of them. This is why his two earlier films were so successful in that they went above and beyond the material to become something really special.

I already know that a lot of people are not going to like this movie, but I think that we should at least give it a chance. It's not going to do well at the box office, but I think bad scheduling (the much-anticipated "Freddy vs. Jason" reigned supreme at the box office when "Girls" was released) may have had a serious effect on its overall performance.

Molly Gunn (Brittany Murphy) is an irresponsible party girl living off the her late rock legend father. Molly finds that her father's accountant Bob stole all her money and she is left penniless. She relies on her friend Ingrid (Marley Shelton),but she screws up the job. Then her other friend Huey (Donald Faison) gets her work as a nanny to hypochondriac Ray Schleine (Dakota Fanning) who is ignored by her music exec mother Roma (Heather Locklear).

Brittany Murphy is a complete flake and not the adorable kind. I almost wish she's on drugs. At least that would explain a lot. Dakota Fanning is an angry little girl and again not the adorable kind. It's a clunky mix especially in the beginning. The movie gets better as they actually built a relationship. It's a passable comedy.

In New York City, Molly Gunn (Brittany Murphy) is a spoiled wealthy immature young woman, living as if she were a princess in a fairy tale. Her father was a popular rock-and-roll guitar player, who died in a plane crash with Molly's mother when she was a little girl. On her birthday party in a nightclub, she meets Lorraine "Ray" Schleine (Dakota Fanning),a nasty young girl with attitudes of adult , living with her careless mother and a terminal father in a fancy uptown apartment. When the accountant of Molly vanishes with her US$ 100,000,000.00 inheritance, Molly is left with nothing but debts, and she needs to work to survive without having previous experience or any skills. She is hired to be Ray's babysitter, and their close contact makes Molly reach the maturity and Ray act like as a child of her age.

"Uptown Girls" has just a reasonable and predictable screenplay, being corny and boring sometimes, but supported by two of my favorite actresses: Brittany Murphy and Dakota Fanning. For me, they are the greatest attraction of this common flick and the reason why I bought the VHS. There are a few worthwhile moments along the story, the script has many flaws and this movie is only recommended to fans like me of these two great actresses. My vote is six.

Title (Brazil): "Grande Menina, Pequena Mulher" ("Big Girl, Small Woman")