Writing on the "FULL-SHELL"

Rating: 7/10 (29 March 2010)

Nicholas Sparks has written a number of popular books made into movies, including "The Notebook". This is his first book that he himself has ADAPTED for the screen, & it also is an attempt by Miley Cyrus to break away from her "TV-show singer" image  Miley stars as a 17-year-old called Veronica 'Ronnie' Miller, & she is usually an "ANGRY" character thru much of the movie. That's caused by the divorce of her parents Kim (Kelly Preston) & her composer – pianist father Steve (Greg Kinnear), the fact that her mom is soon to remarry, & especially because her dad didn't "back" her when she was accused of SHOPLIFTING in New York  As the film starts, Miley & her 12-ish kid brother Jonah (Bobby Coleman) are being brought by Kelly to spend the summer at Greg's seashore home on Tybee Island, Georgia. Jonah is very attached to his Dad (& vice versa), whereas Miley acts very cold & "distant"  Thruout the movie, Greg (who's trying to write a song) keeps trying to get CLOSER to Miley. He's very disappointed in the way she's such a good pianist that she's been accepted into the Julliard School in New York, but she nevertheless doesn't care to GO there (or have any further schooling)  As time goes on, Miley meets various of the "locals" in town: a love-obsessed girl named Blaze (Carly Chaikin) who wrongly thinks Miley is trying to make a "play" for her miserable punk boyfriend Marcus (Nick Lashaway); a cute blonde-haired guy named Will Blakelee (Liam Hemsworth) who loves to play beach volleyball with his friend Scott (Hallock Beals) who works with him at a car repair place, etc  Initially, irate vegetarian Miley is put-off at the way Liam tries to get to know her, & all she really seems to care about is trying to protect some endangered loggerhead sea-turtle eggs that she has found near her dad's home  When she finds out that Liam works part time in nature-protecting activities for the Georgia Aquarium, she realizes they have something in "common" & starts to "WARM-UP" to him -- or, you might say, breaks out of her OWN "shell" a bit Little-by-little, he starts to become her "first love", despite the jealous actions of his ex-girlfriend Ashley (Melissa Ordway) & his arrogant rich mom Susan (Kate Vernon)  Miley's kid brother Bobby happily bonds with Greg, learning from him how to work with stained glass to help repair a church Greg thinks he's caused to burn down But, as time goes on, a CRISIS arises in the household which deeply affects certain family members  Will a SECRET Liam is keeping affect his relationship with Miley? Will the family CRISIS impact Miley & her future plans? Will the turtles HATCH safely and return to the sea? Will Miley get CLOSER to Greg & return to caring about her piano-playing ability? Will the "SONG" get properly finished?  Understand, this is NOT a "musical", & Miley is NOT playing her long-running "Hannah Montana" character. A guy I know felt Miley did a POOR acting job in this-- but, I felt, she played the character as WRITTEN-- an upset, irritated teenager unsure of her relationships & her future, who slowly starts to "open-up" when some love enters her life --, & she did that decently Plus, Liam & Greg do good jobs, & Bobby is very good as the kid brother  A number of women in the audience reported that they were near TEARS at times in watching the movie, & thus quite "affected" by it. And, even a pre-teen boy in the audience (who happens to play piano) found it interesting  I feel it's true that the film in many ways doesn't have a "wide-ranging" story, & is sort of simplistic at times (& somewhat implausible in the way Miley is invited to jump in a main pool at Atlanta's Georgia Aquarium to swim along with Liam near the whale shark & other fishes)  But, the film was "pleasant" & "WORKS" for the main audience it's likely "aimed" at, namely women (particularly young ones) & those who like love stories on various levels (in family situations and with a first love) So, I'm judging & rating it accordingly (tho there might be "protesters" marching in front of my seaside cottage as I'm scribbling in the sand)