'First Daughter' chases 'Liberty'

Samantha Mackenzie's frustration with the pressures and scrutiny that come from being the president's daughter reach a new level when she finds leaving home to start college only makes her situation more complicated rather than offering an escape. Samantha fights to have a "normal" college experience in spite of the Secret Service team that follows her everywhere, the paparazzi eager to share her every misstep with the world and even her jealous roommate. Things seem to be looking up for Samantha when she starts spending time with a guy who treats her like a normal person and knows how to foxtrot. \n"First Daughter" features two of the most promising young actors from the crop of ex-WB stars. The film's love story is cute, despite the absence of almost any chemistry between Samantha (Katie Holmes) and James (Marc Blucas of "Buffy the Vampire Slayer"). Blucas leaves nothing to be desired on his side. He is charming; you can feel how much James wants Samantha, even while there are issues that threaten to hold him back from pursuing her. Unfortunately, Holmes' performance leaves you unconvinced of Samantha's feelings; her heart just doesn't seem to be in it. This is especially disappointing because in past projects such as the under appreciated "Abandon," Holmes has proved herself to be capable of more.\nWhile the exploration of what it is like to grow up in the White House fails to go deep enough to be as interesting as it could be, the relationship between the "first daughter" and her parents is well done. Samantha has loving parents, but their lives and plans have defined her, to the point that she seems to have little of her own to offer the world and a faltering conception of who she really is. She must find a way to develop her sense of self away from her parents while also mastering the identity she was born into. Michael Keaton takes on the role of President Mackenzie whose instincts to shelter his little girl are heightened by his political aspirations as he campaigns for a second term. The adoring relationship between Samantha and her father feels believable and is quite touching. \nThe special features are few and rather unexciting. The cast commentary (there is no commentary by director Forest Whitaker) mostly consists of the actors talking about how nice everyone who worked with them on the film was. There is also a special tribute to Michael Kamen, the composer who worked on the project, as well as a featurette on Blucas, Holmes and Keaton learning to dance for the ballroom scenes of the movie.\nThe story is cute and fairy tale-ish, but not particularly clever or exciting.This, coupled with the lack of spark between Blucas and Holmes, drains away the amount of enjoyment this film has the potential to provide.