Movie of the Day-The Last Song

Spoiler Alert:  Do not read if you intend on watching the film.  I also want to note that I have not read the book, so I do not have any opinions on how the movie stacks up to the book.

First off, I am not a Miley Cyrus fan.  I wanted to make this very clear as I write this review.  I am, however, someone that doesn’t mind a Nicholas Sparks film every now and then.  I am also a huge fan of Greg Kinear.  With that being said, I rented The Last Song, hoping for something decent at best.  I ended up disappointed and wanting my time back.

The Last Song is the story of rebellious Ronnie Miller (Miley Cyrus) and her younger brother Jonah Miller (Bobby Coleman) going to live with their father Steve Miller (Greg Kinear) for the summer in his beach house on the coast of Georgia.  Jonah finds himself connecting with his father through a stained glass project for a church, while Ronnie slowly ends up connecting with her father through their love of music.  Along the way romance blossoms between Ronnie and the sensitive/rich local hunk Will Blakelee (Liam Hemsworth-was Miley’s real-life beau up until this past week).    I found much of the movie focusing on the relationship between Ronnie and Will (was it necessary to be kissing in every scene?), when I felt the story was meant to and should have focused more on the relationship between Ronnie and her father.  It was not until the last part of the film, when we find out Steve is dying of cancer, does the film shift its focus to the relationship between Ronnie and her father.

With Kinear nailing his role as always, Bobby Coleman was spot-on playing the role of the sweet younger brother, and Liam Hemsworth surprisingly showing some promise as an actor, this film failed.  And I blame the majority of this on Cyrus.  This film again confirmed acting may not be her thing.  I felt no connection to her character and very little emotion from her, considering the emotion filled summer her character went through.  The times that she did try to do emotion, it felt forced.  With some changes to the script and different actress to play Ronnie, The Last Song could have had potential. 

On a side note: Miley also sounded like a man who has been smoking for 60 some odd years.