I saw Wild Child recently and I felt Georgia King as head girl Harriet Bentley stole the film. This was King's first feature film and I think she has quickly developed into a very talented actress. The film's treatment of Harriet made me feel sympathy for her; She was clearly insecure though highly ambitious, competitive and a bully yet the "Honor Court" scene with her imploding; ranting hate and jealously at Poppy resulting in her humiliation and expulsion was for me this otherwise mediocre films most powerful moment. The end scene of Harriet being turned on by her formerly loyal friends added to this feeling of unease; Was Harriet really such a vile monster or like Poppy a teenage girl with her own issues and problems? It can be argued that Harriet was an unpleasant person but was Poppy really so different? I don't think putting Harriet's face and contact number onto a phone sex line was remotely amusing yet Poppy is seen as "nice" as opposed to the "bad" Harriet. Wild Child for me would have been a much better, more uplifting film if Harriet had "earned" Poppy's respect through apology and redemption.
Review of Wild Child
