JIM reviews film "THE LAST SONG"

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The Last Song

MY Rating: 7.5 of 10 stars (based on an advance screening of the approx. 105-minute film).

Writing on the “FULL-SHELL”

Nicholas Sparks has written a number of popular books made into movies, including “The Notebook”. This is his first book that he himself has ADAPTED for the screen, & it also is an attempt by Miley Cyrus to break away from her “TV-show singer” image…

… Miley stars as a 17-year-old called Veronica ‘Ronnie’ Miller, & she is usually an “ANGRY” character thru much of the movie. That’s caused by the divorce of her parents Kim (Kelly Preston) & her composer – pianist father Steve (Greg Kinnear), the fact that her mom is soon to remarry, & especially because her dad didn’t “back” her when she was accused of SHOPLIFTING in New York…

… As the film starts, Miley & her 12-ish kid brother Jonah (Bobby Coleman) are being brought by Kelly to spend the summer at Greg’s seashore home on Tybee Island, Georgia. Jonah is very attached to his Dad (& vice versa), whereas Miley acts very cold & “distant”…

… Thruout the movie, Greg (who’s trying to write a song) keeps trying to get CLOSER to Miley. He’s very disappointed in the way she’s such a good pianist that she’s been accepted into the Julliard School in New York, but she nevertheless doesn’t care to GO there (or have any further schooling)…

… As time goes on, Miley meets various of the “locals” in town: a love-obsessed girl named Blaze (Carly Chaikin) who wrongly thinks Miley is trying to make a “play” for her miserable punk boyfriend Marcus (Nick Lashaway); a cute blonde-haired guy named Will Blakelee (Liam Hemsworth) who loves to play beach volleyball with his friend Scott (Hallock Beals) who works with him at a car repair place, etc…

… Initially, irate vegetarian Miley is put-off at the way Liam tries to get to know her, & all she really seems to care about is trying to protect some endangered loggerhead sea-turtle eggs that she has found near her dad’s home…

… When she finds out that Liam works part time in nature-protecting activities for the Georgia Aquarium, she realizes they have something in “common” & starts to “WARM-UP” to him — or, you might say, breaks out of her OWN “shell” a bit… Little-by-little, he starts to become her “first love”, despite the jealous actions of his ex-girlfriend Ashley (Melissa Ordway) & his arrogant rich mom Susan (Kate Vernon)…

… Miley’s kid brother Bobby happily bonds with Greg, learning from him how to work with stained glass to help repair a church Greg thinks he’s caused to burn down… But, as time goes on, a CRISIS arises in the household which deeply affects certain family members…

… Will a SECRET Liam is keeping affect his relationship with Miley?… Will the family CRISIS impact Miley & her future plans?… Will the turtles HATCH safely and return to the sea?… Will Miley get CLOSER to Greg & return to caring about her piano-playing ability?… Will the “SONG” get properly finished?…

… Understand, this is NOT a “musical”, & Miley is NOT playing her long-running “Hannah Montana” character. A guy I know felt Miley did a POOR acting job in this— but, I felt, she played the character as WRITTEN— an upset, irritated teenager unsure of her relationships & her future, who slowly starts to “open-up” when some love enters her life —, & she did that decently… Plus, Liam & Greg do good jobs, & Bobby is very good as the kid brother…

… A number of women in the audience reported that they were near TEARS at times in watching the movie, & thus quite “affected” by it. And, even a pre-teen boy in the audience (who happens to play piano) found it interesting…

… I feel it’s true that the film in many ways doesn’t have a “wide-ranging” story, & is sort of simplistic at times (& somewhat implausible in the way Miley is invited to jump in a main pool at Atlanta’s Georgia Aquarium to swim along with Liam near the whale shark & other fishes)

… But, the film was “pleasant” & “WORKS” for the main audience it’s likely “aimed” at, namely women (particularly young ones) & those who like love stories on various levels (in family situations and with a first love)… So, I’m judging & rating it accordingly (tho there might be “protestors” marching in front of my seaside cottage as I’m scribbling in the sand)…