A ChucksConnection Film Review

 

Miley Cyrus wears black and tan low top Converse “Chuck Taylor” All Stars in the film.

 

Hannah Montana: The Movie

by Marcus Angulo

 

Miley repairs her Grandma’s chicken coop.

 

Hannah Montana is actually… MILEY STEWART!

 

Miley and Lilly arrive at a concert and race through the back door just in time for Miley to perform as her secret alter ego, pop superstar Hannah Montana. After filming a music video for her song "The Best of Both Worlds" (the theme song from the show), Hannah is confronted by Oswald Granger (Gunn), a shady paparazzi looking for dirt on Hannah. Her publicist Vita (Williams) sends Oswald away, but he manages to record her alluding to Hannah’s “secret”, which he reports to his editor and becomes determined to uncover. While shopping for a birthday gift for Lilly, Hannah fights with Tyra Banks over a pair of shoes, which makes her late for Lilly’s Sweet Sixteen birthday party at the pier. Oswald follows Miley to the party, which forces her to attend as Hannah in order to prevent him from learning her secret. Hannah Montana being at the party and her impromptu performance of “Let's Get Crazy” steals the entire party’s attention, which leaves Lilly dejected. As she leaves, she is stopped and questioned by Oswald, and reveals to him that Hannah is from Crowley Corners, Tennessee.

 

Miley wearing her chucks in the rain.

 

Already upset with Miley for prioritizing her celebrity life over her family and friends, her father Robby gets even madder when her fight with Tyra makes headlines. He lets Vita book a private jet for Miley to attend an awards show as Hannah, but instead sneakily flies her to Crowley Corners to spend two weeks there for her grandmother Ruby’s (Martindale) birthday. Miley is obviously shocked and eagerly wants to go back to being Hannah, but Ruby chastises her for neglecting to spend time with her family and losing sight of what’s important. Miley feels very remorseful and debates ending her double life as Hannah Montana forever. Miley gradually reconnects with small-town life, her grandmother, and her childhood friend Travis Brody (Till), while Robby is drawn to a local woman named Lorelai (Hardin). However, there is trouble in country paradise as Oswald soon arrives asking the townspeople if they know Hannah. Can Miley repair her relationships and keep her secret? More importantly, does she even want to keep this secret anymore?

 

Miley dresses very differently from Hannah.

 

This film feels like an extended episode of the show, which is both good and bad. On the one hand, the characters, storyline, and jokes all feel like they were pulled from the show. However, this doesn’t make for a very cinematic film. The gags are standard Disney Channel gags, so your mileage may vary on those, and the dramatic moments tend to be over-dramatic. The film is obviously going to hold a very special place in the hearts of those who were in the 7-13 age range when it came out, and who remember it as being probably the biggest deal in the world. The nostalgia can only go so far, though, as the lasting impact of the film is the new songs, “Hoedown Throwdown” and “The Climb”. In fact, the whole film mostly feels like an ad for the music, and that is reinforced by the fact that the events of the film are never referenced in the show going forward.

 

 

Best Chucks Scene

 

Miley shares a moment with Robby in her chucks.

 

The best chucks scene in the film arrives at a pivotal moment. Travis has discovered Miley’s secret, and Robby has ended his budding relationship with Lorelai because he doesn’t want to expose Miley. Heartbroken and deeply hurt, Miley runs away to her gazebo and cries, realizing that living this double life as Hannah is ruining her life as Miley. Throughout the film, there’s a clear distinction between Hannah and Miley’s style: Hannah wears over-the-top outfits while Miley sticks to jeans and chucks. When Robby finds her in the gazebo, writing in a notebook, Miley is wearing the chucks she’s been wearing since she got to Tennessee. Robby comforts her, and Miley finishes writing “Butterfly Fly Away”, which she and her father sing together. It’s a tender moment and probably the best emotional beat in the film, as it feels like a window into the real-life relationship (at the time) of Miley and Billy Ray Cyrus.

 

Miley writes “Butterfly Fly Away”.