Everything You Want (2005) [TV-PG] ***

Abby (played by Shiri Appleby) is the only child of parents who suffered from wanderlust, but, instead of taking her with them on their adventures, they always left her with her aunt, where she made lots and lots of jam, and expressed her creativity by drawing and painting. Finally out of loneliness she invented an imaginary friend named Sy (played by Orlando Seale) with whom she shared childhood secrets. Now, a decade later, Abby is a college art student, painting portraits of Sy, and still using him as a shield to avoid real friendship and love. Then Abby meets Quinn (played by Nick Zano), the cousin of her roommate Jessica (played by Alexandra Holden). Quinn, by coincidence, happens to be in Abby's contemporary art class; he needs the Humanities credit for his pre-law degree, but he's failing the class. When Abby agrees to tutor Quinn, the stage is set for her first love affair, but what will happen to her relationship with Sy?

Made for TV and with a PG rating, Everything You Want is what pre-teen girls imagine romance is all about with a real, live boyfriend. In this film there's no smoking, no alcohol, no four letter words, no tattoos, piercings or Goth clothing, and only the fewest of hugs and soft kisses. Shiri Appleby has a sweet, shy, doe-eyed, creamy-skinned, soft-focused kind of beauty. Nick Zano is a flawless, Ken-doll boyfriend, with clear skin and no bad habits... a younger, softer version of Brad Pitt or Chris O'Donnell. While this film might be perfect for your pre-teen children, there are versions of the love-triangle story that are much more suitable for adults, and one that I can highly recommend is Lucky Seven, starring Kimberly Williams-Paisley and Patrick Dempsey. 

Labels: comedy, romance   
Internet Movie Database 60/100   
RottenTomatoes Averages (critics=35, viewers=71)