Dir. Peter Chelsom, US, 2009, 102 mins
Cast: Miley Cyrus, Billy Ray Cyrus, Emily Osment, Jason Earles
Review By Joyce Dundas
The best way to review this film is to take a leaf out of the story itself and become a second character, a 'tween girl. So in that spirit:
Some bits of this film are 2 Awwwsome! Miley Cyrus rocks, even when she's singing country, and her clothes are OMG.
See, Miley Stewart (Cyrus) can't juggle her normal life, you know, dad, her brother (Earles) and Lilly (Osment), her BFF, 'cause she has to be Hannah more and more. I mean she even misses Lilly's sweet-16 party then turns up as Hannah and causes a near riot. Lilly is so mad at her. She's been planning that party forEVAH.
So her dad Robby Ray Stewart, who as you all should know is her real-life dad btw, takes her back to the place where she was born, Crowley Corners, Tennessee, for her grandma's birthday and she's not very happy about it. See, Miley is kinda preferring Hannah's celeb life now. Well, who wouldn't want a personal assistant to arrange your whole life, including your private shopping trips. Vanessa Williams, the bitchy one from Ugly Betty , is booking her for all sorts of photo-ops and celeb appearances and Miley is forgetting why she created Hannah in the first place, basically so she can get on with a normal life. Phew, and that's all within the first 20 minutes.
When she gets back to Crowley Corners, she meets the gorgeous Travis, who looks after her horse, Blue Jeans. She finds out her gran is fighting a battle with this big business guy who wants to build a mall, though TBH the place could DO with more shops, and she has to keep out of the way of one of those dodgy reporter type who's trying to find her secret. There is also some crazy ferret thing that looks like a big fancy rat, which is a bit lame.
Anyway, all of these characters end up making her deal with what might happen if Hannah's big secret comes out, but it would give away the end to say more.
Parents will probably get all hung up on the fact that it's a film about a normal girl by day who is a superstar by night, and she is played by a famous daughter who is now a superstar so she knows the pressures, but that's all a bit existential for a Disney film. Disney makes family films and that is what this is, big time.
It's not the best film ever made, it's not High School Musical for instance, but for tips on some great cowboy boots and a good Miley soundtrack, it's TDF!
|
