"The Last Song" Movie Trailer Review

By our guest blogger, Kristen Lopez

Miley Cyrus can't hide behind being Disney's loveable teenage darling forever, and as evidenced by her concert performances and wardrobe of late, it's obvious she doesn't want to. Transitioning from child star to full-fledged actress is difficult and audiences have seen many burn out and fade away, but in watching the trailer for Cyrus' first foray into real acting it seems she might have a shot.

Based on a novel by Nicholas Sparks (aren't they all nowadays?), “The Last Song” follows a Julliard-bound Ronnie (Cyrus), who is forced to spend the summer with her estranged father (Greg Kinnear). As her father tries to bond with her through the only love they share--music--Ronnie discovers first love with volleyball stud, Will (Liam Hemsworth).

The plot is typical Nicholas Sparks: Repressed girl reconnects with a distant parent while facing the trials and tribulations of a young romance. Looking at the success rates of past Sparks' work such as “A Walk to Remember” and a little film called “The Notebook,” the trailer plays up all the schmaltzy, romantic angles both with the young teens and possibly Kinnear's character and his ex-wife played by Kelly Preston. The story seems solid and as much as I do not enjoy romantic comedies--I'm one of a small group of females born without an inherent love of these movies--I was hooked. Maybe it's the idea of an estranged familial relationship or the general coming-of-age premise, but there is something about the trailer for “The Last Song” that seems engaging and interesting. That's not to say that the story will be original--again most Nicholas Sparks novels follow the same, linear path. It'll probably have love lost and gained, a moral, and several times for teary moments. The movie doesn't highlight anything overtly depressing, but expect it to be present at some point.

A big surprise is that Miley Cyrus might be able to pull off this role and become a bonafide “actress.” It's a breath of fresh air that she didn't do this with her father Billy Ray, which should allow her to connect with people who don't watch her Disney series. Her relationship with Kinnear seems fresh and real--a particular scene where she wants to talk and the two squabbling over her first kiss, seems sweet and plausible. Cyrus also doesn't seem to be playing up her dual roles of actress/singer, although it must be said that a song sung by her is played towards the trailer's finale. The good thing is the song actually sounds good and there doesn't seem to be any musical montages where she sings. Her character is heading to Julliard and she's seen playing a piano--here's hoping there won't be any musical numbers shoehorned in to highlight her voice.  It would be best to just let the acting speak for itself.

I mentioned Kinnear already, but this also looks as if a solid role for Kelly Preston, who in this movie isn't playing a campy, over-the-top character opposite husband John Travolta. In the few scenes she's in, she seems to be presenting the character as the typical caring, devoted mother and that's something she works well at. Girls all over the world will obviously be ogling Australian import Liam Hemsworth, brother to "Thor" star Chris Hemsworth. While he has a few shirtless scenes, he seems like the perfect California surfer and the accent doesn't seem to slip. If Nicholas Sparks movies accomplish anything, it's casting hot young men that go on to global fame. He also has a few romantic moments that even had me sighing--any guy whose willing to collect your body's outline in seashells is worthy in my book.

As much as I hate to admit it, I'll probably see “The Last Song.” The story connects with almost every female on some level, it'll be fun to see if Cyrus can pull off something other than "Hannah Montana" and I'm a sucker for an Australian import.

“The Last Song” hits theaters April 2, 2010.

Check out the trailer for "The Last Song" below.  Thoughts on it?