Movie Review: The Last Song

          If there’s a film that spoke of forgiveness and second chances, “The Last Song” would be one of the top contenders. It was deeply moving that it brought me to tears as the movie was about to finish.

         There were two instances in Veronica “Ronnie” Miller’s (Miley Cyrus) life that made her resolve her conflict with her father Steve Miller (Greg Kinear): One was finding love in the arms of an independent, popular young man named Will (Liam Hemsworth)  and second was her discovery of her father being critically ill. These events made Ronnie to open her heart once more to music, the one thing she and her father passionately shared since she was young. As a kid,  she was a super talented piano player but as her parents divorced, she formed a deep grudge and hurt towards her father, completely forgetting her almost superior gift.

          Similar to the other movie adaptations of Nicholas Sparks’ novels, “The Last Song”, directed by Julie Anne Robinson, was surely heart-warming yet instilled with a tragedy that turned the story into a twist which would meet its dramatic, tear-jerking conclusion. Yes, tears. I guess it is not Nicolas Sparks if you have not experienced shedding some in the film’s duration. Maybe, there was a hint of predictability since one may generalize that the author’s stories are composed of dying major characters.

          I guess Miley Cyrus did a good job in her acting here but I cannot help but get distracted with her pouty lips that she was sporting throughout the film. I don’t know if it was just part of her character’s appearance or if it was just a natural thing. But of course, that didn’t bugged me. She was effective in the portrayal of her role in which I was focused into.

          I think the relationship between the daughter and father could have been highlighted more. Maybe a little bit of flashback on their past happy memories together would do. If I was exposed to their former closeness, I could have been more affected in the later part where the two realized that they only had a limited time left to be with each other. Aside from Miley, the other actors were commendable in their acting.

         The music was actually nice that I even downloaded some of the film’s tracks. The shots were just right– not too complex to blow your head away and not too plain that it would bore you, just perfect for a touching story which would push you too reflect after the credits were shown. And yes, I loved the set-up. There’s the cosy house facing the cool beach, the humungous aquatic zoo, the romantic gazebo surrounded by a grassy lake, and many more.  For those who have rocky relationships with their families or significant others, this film might just be the right wake-up call.