Review of Hannah Montana: The Movie (2009) by Chads — 10 Apr 2009

Anna rhymes with Hannah. This is a pertinent fact. Whereas our titular hero(Miley Cyrus) deems a mere farmhand worthy of being her beau; in Roger Michell's "Notting Hill", Anna Scott(Julia Roberts) likewise, falls for an ordinary bloke, a bookshop owner, played by Hugh Grant.

In the film's funniest scene, William Thacker fakes his way through a press junket promoting Anna's latest film by posing as a writer for "Horse and Hound" magazine. Contrary to William's ignorance in equestrianism, Travis(Lucas Till) knows his way around horses.

The point being: the presence of horses are duly noted in both films, establishing a connection. "Hannah Montana: The Movie" doesn't really have a funniest scene, but there's one purported-to-be-funny episode that works on a dramatic level, which the film seems wholly unaware of.

Wanting to be here and there at the same time, the existentially befuddled pop star compartmentalizes to the hilt, in a scene where she flits back and forth between a formal luncheon with the mayor, and a date with Travis at a nearby diner.

Although Cyrus lacks the movie star pizazz to pull off physical comedy, Miley's dogged reluctance to come clean gives her character depth, albeit this depth goes largely unexplored in a film more concerned with marketing than following through with its theme of celebritydom's pitfalls.

Miley is flattered that Travis likes her for herself, not her stardom; she's afraid that her alter-ego would disappoint him. In "Notting Hill", Anna tells William, "Rita Haywood used to say, 'They go to bed with Gilda, but they wake up with me.

' " The U.K. paparazzi that hounded Anna, hounds Hannah, as well.