It takes place on the beach, but “The Last Song” is not so sunny. The film marks Miley Cyrus’ first attempt to play a character other than herself, her blond alter-ego Hannah Montana or an animated creature, as she did in “Bolt,” and for the first half of the film, it’s a struggle for her.
Based on a novel by author Nicholas Sparks (the guy who specializes in tear-jerking love stories like “The Notebook” and “A Walk to Remember”), “The Last Song” depicts a fateful summer for recent high school graduate Ronnie, played by Cyrus (“Hannah Montana: The Movie”).
The fact that Sparks created this story is a spoiler alert in and of itself. Right away you know that “The Last Song” can’t just be a coming-of-age film about a blossoming romance. Sooner or later, tragedy will strike. It’s the inescapable plot of all of Sparks’ stories.
In the case of “The Last Song,” Sparks apparently crafted the novel after the film had already been conceived, with Cyrus cast as the female lead. Unsurprisingly, he’s also credited with the screenplay. What is surprising, however, is that the role of Ronnie doesn’t come more easily to Cyrus, since it was written for her.
In “The Last Song,” Cyrus’ character Ronnie Miller is a gifted pianist who’s been accepted to Julliard but refuses to attend. Despite what the title may suggest, the music in the film takes a backseat compared to the rest of Cyrus’ work –“The Last Song” is a story about relationships and transformations
The story begins when Ronnie and her little brother Jonah (Bobby Coleman, “Post Grad”) are shipped off to Georgia for the summer to live with their dad (Greg Kinnear, “Flash of Genius”). Upon her arrival, Ronnie immediately takes off to check out the local scene, only to find that she’s the only teenager sporting Doc Martens on the beach. Despite her unusual beachwear and sullen demeanor, Ronnie catches the eye of sunkissed town heartthrob Will (Liam Hemsworth, “Knowing”), and the rest is history.
Unfortunately for this young couple, however, their history is totally forced. Ronnie and Will’s relationship goes from innocent flirtation (he spills a millkshake on her) to happily-ever-after in about 90 seconds. The film also lacks character development for most of its supporting roles. These are characters who seem important to the story and float in and out of Ronnie’s life, but the viewers barely learn their names.
The most noticeable problem with this film, however, is that Cyrus seems to really be straining herself to play the role of Ronnie. At first, it’s almost painful to watch her angrily stomp around. For the first 35 minutes of “The Last Song,” Cyrus doesn’t crack a smile. Sure, she’s playing an angst-ridden teenager, but who can be that cynical when she’s living on the beach? As the plot thickens, Cyrus’ acting improves and she seems to have more of a personality, especially alongside Hemsworth — perhaps their real-life romance helped move things along.
While Cyrus wallows in angst, Coleman and Kinnear provide the comedic relief as Ronnie’s dad and younger brother who work together to keep her teenage drama in check. These two are significantly more believable actors, and they keep “The Last Song” from melting into a total cheese-fest.
Although “The Last Song” doesn’t hit all the right notes, it’s not the worst example of a film starring a pop-star-turned-actress either. It does have some genuine, heartwarming moments, and the secondary plot line about sea turtles doesn’t hurt. However, other than this film’s ability to bring on the tears, it won’t make a lasting impression on moviegoers.
Cyrus has a long way to go if she wants to prove that she’s a serious actress. But she’s got time; after all, high school and college-age characters are often played by much older actors, and she’s only 17-years-old. For now, though, Cyrus is much more charming as a teenage pop star living a double life. Without the blonde wig and microphone, she just seems confused and indifferent; viewers will share a similar sentiment about “The Last Song.”
2 stars out of 5.
