Critical Film Condition

Life intimidating art…
Since the “Hannah Montana” sitcom debuted on March 24th 2006, Miley Cyrus has sky-rocketed to teenage stardom. This is the Disney Channel’s third theatrical movie based off a Disney show (after “The Lizzie McGuire Movie” and “Hannah Montana/Miley Cyrus: Best of Both Worlds Concert Tour”).

The series is about a girl who leads a double life having a career as the famous pop singer Hannah Montana by night and submerging into obscurity by day as Miley Stewart to lead a normal life with her family. You see, life is imitating art in a way that is both blissfully poetic and intimidating (and the sui generis clan is brilliant at marketing themselves).

No one must find out the BIG SECRET that Miley and Hannah are actually one person. The blond wig that Miley wears as Hannah obviously has special superpowers that keep her from being found out and no one suspects that Hannah is Miley in a blonde wig with smokey eyes. Or as producer Gough put it: “It’s a Superhero movie for girls”. Although I fear that the movie is the Bizarro World version of Miley Cyrus’ life.

For the grown ups I will just reference the characters on a first name basis, so I won’t confuse you.

So Miley/Hannah Montana’s popularity has totally gone to her head. Miley even goes to her best friend Lilly’s 16th birthday party as Hannah Montana after a paparazzi delighting shoe fight with Tyra Banks, which almost causes a riot because everyone loves Hannah. Lilly is crushed (literally) and leaves her own party. And everyone who has ever seen an episode of “My super sweet 16” on MTV knows what a big deal that is. It’s like totally uncool. Or whatever the kids say these days.
Miley’s dad takes her on a trip back to their hometown of Crowley Corners, Tennessee to get some perspective on what matters in life. There are a number of musical montages in great landscapes to Hannah Montana’s greatest hits that help this growing experience along. There is hip hop, pop, country, a hoedown as a matter of fact, something for everyone. And also, a very unsubtle introduction of Disney’s next star in the making Taylor Swift.

Naturally Miley grows up in a good clean American family values kinda way. The movie is after all a Disney movie and director Peter Chelsom went all out with the formula inspiring writer Daniel Berendsen to produce such pearls of wisdom as “Life’s a climb… but the view is great”. But neither plot nor writing or directing is really the focus here and that is perfectly alright. It is Hannah and Miley and it seems to work because all the girls in the audience absolutely loved it. And they liked everything she was wearing.

They obviously have a very firm grasp on what matters in life.

Alongside Miley Cyrus and her father Billy Ray (who’s acting credits include an episode of “The Nanny”), there are a number of surprises like Tyra Banks (fierce catfight scene, love it!), Vanessa Williams as Miley’s agent, Barry Bostwick as Mr. Bradley and Melora Hardin (from “17again”) as Lorelei. And Emily Osment (younger sister of Haley Joel) as Miley/Hannah’s best friend Lilly. Also Lucas Till is perfectly cast as Miley’s love interest/eye candy Travis Brody.

Honestly I wasn’t prepared for the amount of singing and dancing because I have never seen the sitcom, played the game, bought the CD, gone to the concert, well, you know. I like to see movies unbiased, which severely backfired when I discovered that there was actually wrestling in “The Wrestler”. That scene with the staples and the barbwire was just God-awful.

Of course Miley’s dad Billy Ray Cyrus would not approve of me using the Lord’s name like that. And if he can get P.Diddy to apologize for inappropriate remarks, I am watching my back.

If more alter egos show up, it’s time for some therapy, Hannah, ahm, Miley.

Release dates:

Germany: June 1st 2009

UK: May 1st 2009

USA: April 10th 2009

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