The Last Song

(Synopsis) "The Last Song" is set in a small Southern beach town in Tybee Island, Georgia, where Steve (Greg Kinnear), a divorced father, gets a chance to spend the summer with his teenaged daughter Ronnie (Miley Cyrus) and his young son Jonah (Bobby Coleman). Ronnie would rather be in New York City than be in this hick town, especially with her father, who she believes abandoned her three years earlier. Steve tries to reconnect with Ronnie through their love of music. Steve was a concert pianist who loved teaching Ronnie how to play the piano. Ronnie became so good at playing, that Juilliard has offered her a scholarship. This is a story of family secrets that revolves around first loves and second chances.

(My Comment) This is a touching story of a father reconnecting to his children, and of his children learning the lesson of life. It shows how different types of relationships can end up breaking your heart and giving you pain and what you must do to mend your heart. I thought it was slow at the beginning of the movie, but it drew me in and I began to accept the characters. This is a good movie that shows all the trials and tribulations that teenagers go through in life. And you may even shed a tear at the end. (Touchstone Pictures (Disney), Run Time 1:50, Rated PG) (6/10)

I didn't read the book, didn't want to. A bunch of my friends went to go see this movie, and I went with them. There are a few things wrong with this movie. First, Miley Cyrus cannot act. I mean, at all. It's painful to watch. Second, there is no originality. Just mix up a bit Twilight and most of Dear John, and you've got rather predictable The Last Song. Third, the characters. Ronnie is annoying enough without Cyrus, unbearable with her. She was such a brat at the beginning that I felt no pity the rest of the movie. Will makes several idiotic mistakes that cause Ronnie to have another temper tantrum. The little brother is cute, but irritating at times. Overall, this is just a flat, overrated chick flick that has the depth of a Disney Channel movie.

Okay I'm a 34 year old male who watched this movie the other day. I'm not ashamed to admit it. I like Greg Kinnear a lot and the Hemsworth kid. I'm not a Miley fan by any means but it's clear all of these low scores bashing this movie are in response to hating her. It's a simple love story with teen angst and all that. It doesn't rewrite the genre by any means but it's not terrible. Has so some beautiful music and cinematography as well. Give it a watch if you're bored and keep an open mind.

Alright, first I shall note that I have not read the book. I hadn't even seen a trailer for this film before I had gone. I went with my mother and sister who had both read the book and more than enjoyed it. I really had no idea what this story was even about. I walked in with a completely open mind.

The acting in this movie was wonderful. On almost every account also. Greg Kinnear was amazing in the movie and the boy who played the son I was even impressed with. Miley Cyrus seemed to be the only exception. I hated her acting from the moment the movie began. As the movie went forth, I started to change my mind at times. She had no problem changing it back though. She was so off and on through out the entire film. She looked confused at times and when she actually had to show emotion like anger it was as if she didn't know what to do. But enough of that.

The story at times seemed rushed and misunderstood. Everything was predictable. The portions of the movie where I actually felt as though I was supposed to cry seemed to happen so fast that I felt like I didn't have time to understand how the characters felt. There were major holes in the plot that I still had questions about and it drove me nuts at times. There were a couple of times where I actually felt like I was enjoying it but they came and went quickly also. The whole movie, and please remember that I absolutely knew nothing about this story before hand, I felt like I had nothing to look forward to.

In the end I would say that I wouldn't suggest paying to see this in theaters. I definitely wouldn't buy it on DVD and I probably wouldn't even recommend renting it later. If by some chance you get an opportunity to see it for free and you're curious then go for it. I'd also like to mention that, from what I understand from my mother and my sister, this movie completely differs from the book so don't expect what you've read and definitely don't get to excited for this.

Nicholas Sparks has found a formula about teenage angst an finding love despite non- supportive parents: from the number of books and films that use his formula it would seem he has hit pay dirt. THE LAST SONG is Sparks' 14th published novel on the same theme as the preceding 13 and was published in 2009. One year later he transformed that sudsy story (with some help from Jeff Van Wie) into another of his formula films and turned it over to TV director Julie Anne Robinson to map out the predictable story.

For a brief outline of the scant story: begin with a divorced family - Ronnie (Miley Cyrus) and her younger brother Jonah (Bobby Coleman) are sent to spend the summer with their father Steve (Greg Kinnear) in an indescribably beautiful waterfront town in Georgia. Ronnie resents her father and has no intention of being friendly or even talking to him for the summer. But after meeting a handsome guy Will Blakelee (Liam Hemsworth) and beginning to fall in love, Ronnie starts rediscovering her love for music, something she shares with her father. Reconnecting with music revives a kinship with her father which proves to be the most important relationship she may ever experience. And there it is. Mix the story with the usual acidic girls in the town who claim Will is a Lothario, overcome that rumor with some all night watches for raccoons who may steal some sea turtle eggs, pop in some father/son meaningful contact, and there you have a Nicholas Sparks formula.

Miley Cyrus is Miley Cyrus - and for fans of Hannah Montana that works well. The light of the film is the screen presence of Liam Hemsworth who looks and acts like someone who will succeed in movies. Otherwise, just be advised that this is another setting for a Nicholas parks familiar story; if that is to your liking you will like this. If not, then pass.

Grady Harp