Movie Review: Nancy Drew (2007)

Nancy Drew is a 2007 mystery film directed by Andrew Fleming. The film stars Emma Roberts, Max Theriot, Kay Panabaker, and Amy Bruckner. The movie revolves around Nancy as she solves the mysterious vanishing and death of a famous Hollywood actress. I remember when Nancy Drew came out and it was everywhere. The marketing campaign was very good and I recall liking what I saw in the trailers. Rewatching this movie was an interesting experience because this movie sort of stumped me. It's not bad, but it's not great either. Positives first though. Emma Roberts in this movie gives a fine performance. She's not great as Nancy Drew, but she isn't forcing herself into the role. She does a fine job. Other than Roberts's performance (which isn't outstanding) all of the other roles are extremely forgettable. This movie doesn't really leave a lasting impression. That's my biggest flaw. You'll see it and then will instantly start to forget it. It is not a memorable film by any means. Perhaps my biggest issue with Nancy Drew is how it feels like it's making the story up as it goes along. Doors slam, holographic projections appear, a newspaper article just happens to catch the eye of one of the characters on screen. It feels too coincidental. This whole movie feels as though Nancy herself is not finding these clues, but they're finding her...way too easily might I add. The film looks good and the tone is cool and easy. However, Nancy Drew doesn't deliver on the level of a story. The mystery that's being solved doesn't have any of the compelling nature that a great mystery should. In fact, this movie feels like a made for tv mystery. The quality isn't so-so, but the story is. This is a short review because the movie doesn't have all that much too it. Overall, Nancy Drew is a fine film with entertaining elements, a good Emma Roberts performance, but does have a storyline that's uninteresting and doesn't engage what so ever. 2.5 stars