Okay I'm a 34 year old male who watched this movie the other day. I'm not ashamed to admit it. I like Greg Kinnear a lot and the Hemsworth kid.
I'm not a Miley fan by any means but it's clear all of these low scores bashing this movie are in response to hating her.
It's a simple love story with teen angst and all that. It doesn't rewrite the genre by any means but it's not terrible. Has so some beautiful music and cinematography as well. Give it a watch if you're bored and keep an open mind.
224 Reviews
This 3.0 star user rating is due to Miley Cyrus haters! Quite great movie!
diogodiassilva8 May 2010
That's why sometimes I really should ignore IMDb's ratings! My parents went to see this movie last week and told me to watch it. And so I did it tonight. OK, Miley Cyrus isn't the best actress in the world and she's stuck to the Hanna Montana and so on kind of roles that she did. Even considering that, I don't get why do people hate her this much! She had a quite acceptable performance in this movie. I'd give her a 6/10 stars rate, honestly believing that she'll improve a lot through her life as an actress. BUT WAIT! I really think we should rate this movie considering all the other things that compose it: a well-written and really moving story, an amazing soundtrack, a BRILLIANT Bobby Coleman's performance (WOOW! this kid will get very far in his career!) that almost made me shed a tear, a respectful cast, great landscapes and beautiful scenarios... There were some tiny moments with lack of total sense, and some slight errors of continuity, but totally harmless to the movie itself. Just stop hating the girl like she ruined the movie, because she did not do it at all. (and I swear I'm not a MC fan)
Strongly recommended to watch with your lover!
Strongly recommended to watch with your lover!
'Last Song' hits some good notes, misses others
katie-joy31 March 2010
Enter Veronica 'Ronnie' Miller, a recently graduated seventeen-year-old with an attitude problem, divorced parents, a fresh shoplifting arrest and combat boots. When Ronnie is sent from New York to Georgia to live with her dad for the summer, she is less than thrilled and at first resists letting anyone in.
Enter Will Blakelee, a rich small town 'hunk' (if you will), with volleyball skill and charm. Not exactly a rebellious teen aged girl's cup of tea, right? Well... not quite.
Ronnie, played by Disney's princess Miley Cyrus, seems set not falling for anyone over the summer. But she ends up doing the opposite. Will's (Liam Hemsworth, Australian newbie) consistency pays off after just a couple of run-ins. He's writing 'Forever' on Ronnie's converse and playfully pushing her into the ocean before she even comes to fairly good terms with her piano-playing father, Steve. (Greg Kinnear) The fast pace relationship was sweet, considering it's between teenagers. Nothing like cliché summer romance, huh? If only there was more depth to the relationship... (not counting Will's secretly damaged family, and Ronnie's dramatic anger towards her dad) ... then maybe it would have been a more successful movie as a whole.
I'm not going to blame Cyrus' ability to act (or maybe lack thereof) on the low points of the film. I'll actually give it to her, she did a nice job transitioning from little miss Hannah Montana to a darker, not as tween-based character. There is always room for improvement, however, as she seems to get bored of her alter ego throughout the film. But all in all, I did find her likable for the most part.
At the end of the day, I cannot really complain or bash The Last Song. It was a debut in a lot of ways... Julie Anne Robinson's directorial debut, Nicholas Spark writing a screenplay debut, and Miley's debut as someone other than Hannah. So, cut it some slack. Excuse the sometimes cheesy moments and keep your mind open.
6/10, Not too shabby.
Enter Will Blakelee, a rich small town 'hunk' (if you will), with volleyball skill and charm. Not exactly a rebellious teen aged girl's cup of tea, right? Well... not quite.
Ronnie, played by Disney's princess Miley Cyrus, seems set not falling for anyone over the summer. But she ends up doing the opposite. Will's (Liam Hemsworth, Australian newbie) consistency pays off after just a couple of run-ins. He's writing 'Forever' on Ronnie's converse and playfully pushing her into the ocean before she even comes to fairly good terms with her piano-playing father, Steve. (Greg Kinnear) The fast pace relationship was sweet, considering it's between teenagers. Nothing like cliché summer romance, huh? If only there was more depth to the relationship... (not counting Will's secretly damaged family, and Ronnie's dramatic anger towards her dad) ... then maybe it would have been a more successful movie as a whole.
I'm not going to blame Cyrus' ability to act (or maybe lack thereof) on the low points of the film. I'll actually give it to her, she did a nice job transitioning from little miss Hannah Montana to a darker, not as tween-based character. There is always room for improvement, however, as she seems to get bored of her alter ego throughout the film. But all in all, I did find her likable for the most part.
At the end of the day, I cannot really complain or bash The Last Song. It was a debut in a lot of ways... Julie Anne Robinson's directorial debut, Nicholas Spark writing a screenplay debut, and Miley's debut as someone other than Hannah. So, cut it some slack. Excuse the sometimes cheesy moments and keep your mind open.
6/10, Not too shabby.
For Nicholas Sparks Fans
gradyharp6 November 2011
Nicholas Sparks has found a formula about teenage angst an finding love despite non- supportive parents: from the number of books and films that use his formula it would seem he has hit pay dirt. THE LAST SONG is Sparks' 14th published novel on the same theme as the preceding 13 and was published in 2009. One year later he transformed that sudsy story (with some help from Jeff Van Wie) into another of his formula films and turned it over to TV director Julie Anne Robinson to map out the predictable story.
For a brief outline of the scant story: begin with a divorced family - Ronnie (Miley Cyrus) and her younger brother Jonah (Bobby Coleman) are sent to spend the summer with their father Steve (Greg Kinnear) in an indescribably beautiful waterfront town in Georgia. Ronnie resents her father and has no intention of being friendly or even talking to him for the summer. But after meeting a handsome guy Will Blakelee (Liam Hemsworth) and beginning to fall in love, Ronnie starts rediscovering her love for music, something she shares with her father. Reconnecting with music revives a kinship with her father which proves to be the most important relationship she may ever experience. And there it is. Mix the story with the usual acidic girls in the town who claim Will is a Lothario, overcome that rumor with some all night watches for raccoons who may steal some sea turtle eggs, pop in some father/son meaningful contact, and there you have a Nicholas Sparks formula.
Miley Cyrus is Miley Cyrus - and for fans of Hannah Montana that works well. The light of the film is the screen presence of Liam Hemsworth who looks and acts like someone who will succeed in movies. Otherwise, just be advised that this is another setting for a Nicholas parks familiar story; if that is to your liking you will like this. If not, then pass.
Grady Harp
For a brief outline of the scant story: begin with a divorced family - Ronnie (Miley Cyrus) and her younger brother Jonah (Bobby Coleman) are sent to spend the summer with their father Steve (Greg Kinnear) in an indescribably beautiful waterfront town in Georgia. Ronnie resents her father and has no intention of being friendly or even talking to him for the summer. But after meeting a handsome guy Will Blakelee (Liam Hemsworth) and beginning to fall in love, Ronnie starts rediscovering her love for music, something she shares with her father. Reconnecting with music revives a kinship with her father which proves to be the most important relationship she may ever experience. And there it is. Mix the story with the usual acidic girls in the town who claim Will is a Lothario, overcome that rumor with some all night watches for raccoons who may steal some sea turtle eggs, pop in some father/son meaningful contact, and there you have a Nicholas Sparks formula.
Miley Cyrus is Miley Cyrus - and for fans of Hannah Montana that works well. The light of the film is the screen presence of Liam Hemsworth who looks and acts like someone who will succeed in movies. Otherwise, just be advised that this is another setting for a Nicholas parks familiar story; if that is to your liking you will like this. If not, then pass.
Grady Harp
Loved it!! Don't get all the bad reviews...
exa562 April 2010
The Last Song has been receiving bad reviews, and to be honest I don't really know why. When I saw the 3.9 average on this web site I was kinda chocked!!!
O.K I agree, the movie is not a masterpiece. But I've seen it in theatre last Wednesday, and I was surrounded by people laughing throughout the movie, and crying by the end. If a movie is so bad as to receive a 1/10 like some people have given it, than why would people be so moved by it and respond to it so well?
In my opinion, Greg Kinnear was terrific and Bobby Coleman, who plays Miley's little brother, deserves more credit that he gets! His performance in the movie is amazing! He alone makes it worth seeing the movie. As for Miley Cyrus. What's up with all the hate!?? I think people are way to harsh on her! Does her performance deserves an Oscar, of course not. But I do think that she held her own in the movie and let's not forget that it is her first role apart from Hannah Montana. Give the girl a break. I think she did a great job!
As for people criticizing the storyline, saying it's too predictable, or cheesy or what not. I say this: what romantic comedy, or any romantic movie is not predictable? I thought Dear John was more predictable than this one, and what about Leap Year also released this year. Now that was cheesy and soooo predictable. But you know what, I still enjoyed it and so did a lot of people.
So if you want to see a movie that will make you laugh, make you cry, feel frustration, that is beautifully shot in Georgia, then go see the Last Song without too much expectation and I think that you will be pleasantly surprised.
O.K I agree, the movie is not a masterpiece. But I've seen it in theatre last Wednesday, and I was surrounded by people laughing throughout the movie, and crying by the end. If a movie is so bad as to receive a 1/10 like some people have given it, than why would people be so moved by it and respond to it so well?
In my opinion, Greg Kinnear was terrific and Bobby Coleman, who plays Miley's little brother, deserves more credit that he gets! His performance in the movie is amazing! He alone makes it worth seeing the movie. As for Miley Cyrus. What's up with all the hate!?? I think people are way to harsh on her! Does her performance deserves an Oscar, of course not. But I do think that she held her own in the movie and let's not forget that it is her first role apart from Hannah Montana. Give the girl a break. I think she did a great job!
As for people criticizing the storyline, saying it's too predictable, or cheesy or what not. I say this: what romantic comedy, or any romantic movie is not predictable? I thought Dear John was more predictable than this one, and what about Leap Year also released this year. Now that was cheesy and soooo predictable. But you know what, I still enjoyed it and so did a lot of people.
So if you want to see a movie that will make you laugh, make you cry, feel frustration, that is beautifully shot in Georgia, then go see the Last Song without too much expectation and I think that you will be pleasantly surprised.
Miley's most honest display of human emotion since deleting her Twitter account.
Organic_630 March 2010
Most writers would sell out by repeatedly writing screenplays that are vastly different from one another. Take Christopher Nolan for example; going from a psychological thriller where the storyline is paced backwards to an Oscar-winning blockbuster in which a world renowned superhero faces off his arch nemesis. Talk about a lack of consistency. A true writer gracefully keeps revisiting the same story over and over and OVER again and a great example for that kind of writer is Nicholas Sparks.
If recycling is healthy for our environment, it has to be with movies too, right? Never before has this man forgotten to add a romantic scene at the beach of an Eastern Seaboard sunset where two lovers mutely stare at one another. And who else can gorgeously stir up a tear-inducing ending as much as he? Forget 500 Days of Summer trying to explore the complexities of falling in love with a Hall and Oates dance sequence and an Expectations vs. Reality analysis. Instead he always remembers to kill off a protagonist at the end. M. Night Shyamalan calls HIMSELF the master of unpredictable twists? Puh-lease! Mr. Sparks's death sequences are so surprising, that you could almost say they're completely unrelated to the genre that the previous two hours were aiming to be.
And when a movie like Precious thinks its portrayal of a teenage girl in emotional turmoil is accurate, it's alarmingly mistaken. There, the leading lady is impregnated by her own dad, sadistically beaten down by her mother, all while dealing with obesity and illiteracy on a daily basis. Ha! Like THAT happens in real life. It's really the Last Song's Ronnie who deserves our sympathy. I mean, she has to spend the entire summer in an intimidatingly adorable Georgia beach house, embrace the pressure of getting accepted into one of the country's most respected art schools and endure the creepy smile of her overly kind father. Now that's plausible drama – I only wish I had the guts to sullenly disregard MY dad whenever he greets me with genuine concern. This vision of teen angst fantastically brought to life by none other than Miley Cyrus.
Now there are those jealous haters out there, determined to bring her acting career down. But they don't understand the effort it takes from a performer to purse your lips and cross your arms for 90% of a film. Like me and my fellow Miley fans said – she's just playing herself. It's really those hacks like Johnny Depp and Meryl Streep who are destroying everything classic cinema stood for. Who do they think they are to disappear into the heart and soul of characters they don't relate to or resemble in reality? When I'm watching a character on screen, I want to see the actor playing them. That's what made the most recent, Valentine's Day, so brilliant was that I could watch Jessica Alba being Jessica Alba the whole time yet grow blissfully unaware to her character's traits, abilities...heck, I couldn't even remember her name.
And mad props go out to Greg Kinnear in the role of a lifetime as the "antagonistic" father. A previous family drama of his called Little Miss Sunshine featured too much family and like drama. It acted like each member had their own ambition and obstacle to deal with at the same time. What a load! This movie knows better, rather by making every other character's problems bow down to Ronnie's. In the Last Song, he delivers this performance, deserving the praise that Mo'Nique received playing Mary Jones. Never mind the fact Ronnie frequently shoplifts and snubs Julliard just to make a point. It's really him who's to blame for everything. How dare you fall out of love and pursue a career that makes you happy, only to have the audacity to want to mend the wounds of your broken hearted family? I rooted throughout for Ronnie as she continuously tried to reconstruct the layers of guilt and avoidance upon his shoulders. That leads me to my one grievance of this movie; a rebellious teenage girl visiting her estranged dad and blames one of her separated parents for breaking the family apart. Really Nick? That's all just too unfamiliar of a premise for me. At best, the closest Ronnie ever came to resembling a character from one of your previous features was Diane Keaton's daughter from Nights in Rodanthe (pauses) Ohhh!
If recycling is healthy for our environment, it has to be with movies too, right? Never before has this man forgotten to add a romantic scene at the beach of an Eastern Seaboard sunset where two lovers mutely stare at one another. And who else can gorgeously stir up a tear-inducing ending as much as he? Forget 500 Days of Summer trying to explore the complexities of falling in love with a Hall and Oates dance sequence and an Expectations vs. Reality analysis. Instead he always remembers to kill off a protagonist at the end. M. Night Shyamalan calls HIMSELF the master of unpredictable twists? Puh-lease! Mr. Sparks's death sequences are so surprising, that you could almost say they're completely unrelated to the genre that the previous two hours were aiming to be.
And when a movie like Precious thinks its portrayal of a teenage girl in emotional turmoil is accurate, it's alarmingly mistaken. There, the leading lady is impregnated by her own dad, sadistically beaten down by her mother, all while dealing with obesity and illiteracy on a daily basis. Ha! Like THAT happens in real life. It's really the Last Song's Ronnie who deserves our sympathy. I mean, she has to spend the entire summer in an intimidatingly adorable Georgia beach house, embrace the pressure of getting accepted into one of the country's most respected art schools and endure the creepy smile of her overly kind father. Now that's plausible drama – I only wish I had the guts to sullenly disregard MY dad whenever he greets me with genuine concern. This vision of teen angst fantastically brought to life by none other than Miley Cyrus.
Now there are those jealous haters out there, determined to bring her acting career down. But they don't understand the effort it takes from a performer to purse your lips and cross your arms for 90% of a film. Like me and my fellow Miley fans said – she's just playing herself. It's really those hacks like Johnny Depp and Meryl Streep who are destroying everything classic cinema stood for. Who do they think they are to disappear into the heart and soul of characters they don't relate to or resemble in reality? When I'm watching a character on screen, I want to see the actor playing them. That's what made the most recent, Valentine's Day, so brilliant was that I could watch Jessica Alba being Jessica Alba the whole time yet grow blissfully unaware to her character's traits, abilities...heck, I couldn't even remember her name.
And mad props go out to Greg Kinnear in the role of a lifetime as the "antagonistic" father. A previous family drama of his called Little Miss Sunshine featured too much family and like drama. It acted like each member had their own ambition and obstacle to deal with at the same time. What a load! This movie knows better, rather by making every other character's problems bow down to Ronnie's. In the Last Song, he delivers this performance, deserving the praise that Mo'Nique received playing Mary Jones. Never mind the fact Ronnie frequently shoplifts and snubs Julliard just to make a point. It's really him who's to blame for everything. How dare you fall out of love and pursue a career that makes you happy, only to have the audacity to want to mend the wounds of your broken hearted family? I rooted throughout for Ronnie as she continuously tried to reconstruct the layers of guilt and avoidance upon his shoulders. That leads me to my one grievance of this movie; a rebellious teenage girl visiting her estranged dad and blames one of her separated parents for breaking the family apart. Really Nick? That's all just too unfamiliar of a premise for me. At best, the closest Ronnie ever came to resembling a character from one of your previous features was Diane Keaton's daughter from Nights in Rodanthe (pauses) Ohhh!
Touching story of a father reconnecting to his children
the-movie-guy30 March 2010
(Synopsis) "The Last Song" is set in a small Southern beach town in Tybee Island, Georgia, where Steve (Greg Kinnear), a divorced father, gets a chance to spend the summer with his teenaged daughter Ronnie (Miley Cyrus) and his young son Jonah (Bobby Coleman). Ronnie would rather be in New York City than be in this hick town, especially with her father, who she believes abandoned her three years earlier. Steve tries to reconnect with Ronnie through their love of music. Steve was a concert pianist who loved teaching Ronnie how to play the piano. Ronnie became so good at playing, that Juilliard has offered her a scholarship. This is a story of family secrets that revolves around first loves and second chances.
(My Comment) This is a touching story of a father reconnecting to his children, and of his children learning the lesson of life. It shows how different types of relationships can end up breaking your heart and giving you pain and what you must do to mend your heart. I thought it was slow at the beginning of the movie, but it drew me in and I began to accept the characters. This is a good movie that shows all the trials and tribulations that teenagers go through in life. And you may even shed a tear at the end. (Touchstone Pictures (Disney), Run Time 1:50, Rated PG) (6/10)
(My Comment) This is a touching story of a father reconnecting to his children, and of his children learning the lesson of life. It shows how different types of relationships can end up breaking your heart and giving you pain and what you must do to mend your heart. I thought it was slow at the beginning of the movie, but it drew me in and I began to accept the characters. This is a good movie that shows all the trials and tribulations that teenagers go through in life. And you may even shed a tear at the end. (Touchstone Pictures (Disney), Run Time 1:50, Rated PG) (6/10)
Waste of time and money
blueeyedbeauty77631 March 2010
I'll admit I was excited at first to see this movie. I had just finished the book a couple days ago and was psyched to see such an incredible book brought to the theater. The book was amazing: funny, romantic, sad, cheerful, pretty much everything you could want in a book. Well, everything that made the book great was taken out in this appallingly horrible movie. It felt torturous to watch what with Miley Cyrus absolutely slaughtering the character of Ronnie. After finishing the book, I realized I couldn't see her as the character, but I figured she couldn't be too horrible. Oh how wrong I was.
I didn't believe Miley Cyrus for a second during the real pivotal scenes in the movie. Her tears/crying scenes were laughable. Her attitude problem phase was obnoxious. The only relationship I believed was the one between her and the guy and that's because they're dating off screen. Oh how difficult it must be to act like you're in love with you're real life boyfriend. I wouldn't even call her performance mediocre.
And then comes the fact that this movie didn't even somewhat resemble the book. They took out the best scenes. They changed nearly EVERYTHING. They cut the preacher and the important back-story of her father. They didn't introduce the slightly similar sub plot with Scott very well at ALL. It was hinted at throughout the book, but in the movie it was sudden and not very well done at all. Actually, the majority of the scenes were done opposite of how they were done in the book, making them really bad.
Scott was more important in the book. Marcus was WAY more important in the book and he was one of those characters that was really kind of creepy. He was supposed to be a sociopath in the book, but in the movie he was just an annoying jerk.
They completely changed Ronnie's reasoning,the reason Will fell for Ronnie, and many more things. In the book they really showed how Ronnie was different than other girls. In this movie,Miley Cyrus made Ronnie seem like every other girl but with an attitudeproblem. Miley played her as such a clingy, needy girl instead of the independent, self-assured, and intelligent girl she was.
Then again, they changed more than they kept. If you want to know the GOOD story of The Last Song, do yourself a favor and buy the book. This movie wasn't worth the time and money.
I didn't believe Miley Cyrus for a second during the real pivotal scenes in the movie. Her tears/crying scenes were laughable. Her attitude problem phase was obnoxious. The only relationship I believed was the one between her and the guy and that's because they're dating off screen. Oh how difficult it must be to act like you're in love with you're real life boyfriend. I wouldn't even call her performance mediocre.
And then comes the fact that this movie didn't even somewhat resemble the book. They took out the best scenes. They changed nearly EVERYTHING. They cut the preacher and the important back-story of her father. They didn't introduce the slightly similar sub plot with Scott very well at ALL. It was hinted at throughout the book, but in the movie it was sudden and not very well done at all. Actually, the majority of the scenes were done opposite of how they were done in the book, making them really bad.
Scott was more important in the book. Marcus was WAY more important in the book and he was one of those characters that was really kind of creepy. He was supposed to be a sociopath in the book, but in the movie he was just an annoying jerk.
They completely changed Ronnie's reasoning,the reason Will fell for Ronnie, and many more things. In the book they really showed how Ronnie was different than other girls. In this movie,Miley Cyrus made Ronnie seem like every other girl but with an attitudeproblem. Miley played her as such a clingy, needy girl instead of the independent, self-assured, and intelligent girl she was.
Then again, they changed more than they kept. If you want to know the GOOD story of The Last Song, do yourself a favor and buy the book. This movie wasn't worth the time and money.
How can anybody not be touched by this?
goodguy-1624 July 2010
And how can it have the score of 3.2?
It was one of the most touching and real movies I have ever seen, and I've seen my share of great touching movies (Casablanca, Wuthering Heights, The Notebook, It's A Wonderful Life, Rain Man).
I'm not comparing this movie with the greatest movies of all time, I'm only saying that it has the heart and soul to be a film that you remember and cherish in your heart.
When this world becomes more and more apathetic with each day passing, I think this film brings back the feelings that we forgot and neglected, and that's just not a bad thing.
I give this movie 10/10, because it crawled underneath my skin and into my heart. And that's what a great film supposed to do, in my opinion.
It was one of the most touching and real movies I have ever seen, and I've seen my share of great touching movies (Casablanca, Wuthering Heights, The Notebook, It's A Wonderful Life, Rain Man).
I'm not comparing this movie with the greatest movies of all time, I'm only saying that it has the heart and soul to be a film that you remember and cherish in your heart.
When this world becomes more and more apathetic with each day passing, I think this film brings back the feelings that we forgot and neglected, and that's just not a bad thing.
I give this movie 10/10, because it crawled underneath my skin and into my heart. And that's what a great film supposed to do, in my opinion.
The rare time that the story, script is the best part of a Sparks movie
CubsandCulture13 February 2021
The story is pretty standard trope driven melodrama that Sparks does. If you like his other movies-I largely do!-this one should work for you. The script is better than a lot of the other adaptations because it is missing off-putting elements or ad hoc climaxes that can crop up in Sparks' work. Indeed, I think the blend of romance with family dealing with illness is one of the more competent stories Sparks has put together.
Sadly through, where other films make up for the weaker writing with casting, cinematic treatment this one is hamstrung by the cinematic elements. Cyrus and Hemsworth are ill-matched as lovers. Cyrus is not a gifted actress and the central performance is borderline hilarious. Add in that the film does not have any of the escapist fantasia of the other films and this plays like a lifetime film.
Sadly through, where other films make up for the weaker writing with casting, cinematic treatment this one is hamstrung by the cinematic elements. Cyrus and Hemsworth are ill-matched as lovers. Cyrus is not a gifted actress and the central performance is borderline hilarious. Add in that the film does not have any of the escapist fantasia of the other films and this plays like a lifetime film.
One thumb down, One as confused as Miley Cyrus
lilholik3 April 2010
Alright, first I shall note that I have not read the book. I hadn't even seen a trailer for this film before I had gone. I went with my mother and sister who had both read the book and more than enjoyed it. I really had no idea what this story was even about. I walked in with a completely open mind.
The acting in this movie was wonderful. On almost every account also. Greg Kinnear was amazing in the movie and the boy who played the son I was even impressed with. Miley Cyrus seemed to be the only exception. I hated her acting from the moment the movie began. As the movie went forth, I started to change my mind at times. She had no problem changing it back though. She was so off and on through out the entire film. She looked confused at times and when she actually had to show emotion like anger it was as if she didn't know what to do. But enough of that.
The story at times seemed rushed and misunderstood. Everything was predictable. The portions of the movie where I actually felt as though I was supposed to cry seemed to happen so fast that I felt like I didn't have time to understand how the characters felt. There were major holes in the plot that I still had questions about and it drove me nuts at times. There were a couple of times where I actually felt like I was enjoying it but they came and went quickly also. The whole movie, and please remember that I absolutely knew nothing about this story before hand, I felt like I had nothing to look forward to.
In the end I would say that I wouldn't suggest paying to see this in theaters. I definitely wouldn't buy it on DVD and I probably wouldn't even recommend renting it later. If by some chance you get an opportunity to see it for free and you're curious then go for it. I'd also like to mention that, from what I understand from my mother and my sister, this movie completely differs from the book so don't expect what you've read and definitely don't get to excited for this.
The acting in this movie was wonderful. On almost every account also. Greg Kinnear was amazing in the movie and the boy who played the son I was even impressed with. Miley Cyrus seemed to be the only exception. I hated her acting from the moment the movie began. As the movie went forth, I started to change my mind at times. She had no problem changing it back though. She was so off and on through out the entire film. She looked confused at times and when she actually had to show emotion like anger it was as if she didn't know what to do. But enough of that.
The story at times seemed rushed and misunderstood. Everything was predictable. The portions of the movie where I actually felt as though I was supposed to cry seemed to happen so fast that I felt like I didn't have time to understand how the characters felt. There were major holes in the plot that I still had questions about and it drove me nuts at times. There were a couple of times where I actually felt like I was enjoying it but they came and went quickly also. The whole movie, and please remember that I absolutely knew nothing about this story before hand, I felt like I had nothing to look forward to.
In the end I would say that I wouldn't suggest paying to see this in theaters. I definitely wouldn't buy it on DVD and I probably wouldn't even recommend renting it later. If by some chance you get an opportunity to see it for free and you're curious then go for it. I'd also like to mention that, from what I understand from my mother and my sister, this movie completely differs from the book so don't expect what you've read and definitely don't get to excited for this.
Seriously people?!
tylerkaiser30 May 2010
Grow up. The only reason why this movie has an average of 3.1 is because of Miley Cyrus. People wont give her a chance and they feel they can only bring her down is by sitting behind a computer screen. But guess what people - I'm sure she don't care! There is people who love this movie, like myself. People are going to watch it and people are going to buy it. So you giving it a 1 star rating is no harm. This movie needs at least a 6 or 7 star rating.
For the people who actually want this real review, this is it. Miley Cyrus isn't that bad, weird facial expressions at time but no harm. It's a really good tear jerker and a good story.
For the people who actually want this real review, this is it. Miley Cyrus isn't that bad, weird facial expressions at time but no harm. It's a really good tear jerker and a good story.
Not that bad. Good family-friendly film
joel-6284 September 2019
It was just so..... flat
blackbriar2462 April 2010
I didn't read the book, didn't want to. A bunch of my friends went to go see this movie, and I went with them. There are a few things wrong with this movie. First, Miley Cyrus cannot act. I mean, at all. It's painful to watch. Second, there is no originality. Just mix up a bit Twilight and most of Dear John, and you've got rather predictable The Last Song. Third, the characters. Ronnie is annoying enough without Cyrus, unbearable with her. She was such a brat at the beginning that I felt no pity the rest of the movie. Will makes several idiotic mistakes that cause Ronnie to have another temper tantrum. The little brother is cute, but irritating at times. Overall, this is just a flat, overrated chick flick that has the depth of a Disney Channel movie.
Everyone's just hating on Miley
juliawsc21 June 2018
Warning: Spoilers
In reality I would probably give this movie a 7, but I'm giving it a 10 to attempt and bring up its score because everyone giving it a 1-3 rating has only cited how Miley is a bad actress who need to give up. Just stop. This movie had some good performances, great character chemistry and a tear jerking story. If you CAN'T feel something during the scene where she finally finishes her Dad's song and it's the last thing he gets to hear before he dies, you have no heart. The songs are great. The messages were great. Yes it's a sappy-chick-flick-romance-tragedy-drama and I know you have to be in the mood for those things. But it's got a great 3 act structure, stayed turned in for it and you won't be dissatisfied.
Underrated
nagyovamonika9 January 2019
I think this movie is underrated, its an amazing story line if anyone says otherwise they must be heartless, coz its not just a love story, its mostly about love between father and daughter. People are not giving miley cyrus any chance, she might not be oscar actress but i defo seen worse in hollywood and she has some serious voice . This movie deserves more credit
Where do we start...
TVfan19 April 2010
It's been 5 years since I've reviewed a movie on IMDb, but oh... I am compelled! Where do we start? One of the producers has the last name of Cyrus, so I guess that explains a lot. But let's forget Miley's "acting" and address the story itself. I've always thought Sparks overuses death to illicit emotion in his readers/viewers (even though The Notebook and Message in a Bottle are two of my favorite films). But that aside, was there a single un-contrived moment in this film? They (whoever "they" is) tried to squeeze every type of plot device imaginable into this movie. So many cliché conflicts going on, I laughed more times than I can count. Hope I didn't disturb the other two people (both teen-aged girls) in the theater. However, hats off to Kinnear for an honest performance.
Heart Warming and Heart Breaking
treakle_19781 April 2019
To me this movie had it all. Good cast with very good characters. The story was predictable at some points in the film but the 3rd act was by far the best in the movie. Cyrus and kinnear were the best in the movie. Hemsworth was good and the son was good to. Definitely grab some tissue and enjoy this delightful entertain movie.
A really poor storyline and poor acting
tsmithjr31 January 2011
Miley Cyrus fans might hate me for saying this, but the makers of "The Last Song" should have hired a real actress for the lead role. Miley obviously doesn't have the talent or know how to act. I had nothing against her, but in this, the first role I've seen her act in, it seemed like she was just playing herself and not playing any part that was written for her.
That said, "The Last Song" is a bust. It's a set of tired old recycled and clichéd experiences and really isn't worth the 107 minutes it takes to watch it. For the most part the storyline is so tired and old. And after watching it I was also disappointed that Greg Kinnear had signed up for it. That I can remember, I've always liked his acting and the roles he chose. But in this case, the writing was so, so poor that even if the makers of "The Last Song" signed up the best actors in Hollywood it couldn't save this film. They'd have to find some writers who were at a minimum mediocre-ish in order to improve this story.
All I can say is save yourself and watch something else.
That said, "The Last Song" is a bust. It's a set of tired old recycled and clichéd experiences and really isn't worth the 107 minutes it takes to watch it. For the most part the storyline is so tired and old. And after watching it I was also disappointed that Greg Kinnear had signed up for it. That I can remember, I've always liked his acting and the roles he chose. But in this case, the writing was so, so poor that even if the makers of "The Last Song" signed up the best actors in Hollywood it couldn't save this film. They'd have to find some writers who were at a minimum mediocre-ish in order to improve this story.
All I can say is save yourself and watch something else.
This movie is amazing
ifyogwude14 July 2019
This is a lovely movie. It's a clean love story for the whole family. Yes N. Sparks uses the same formula.....yes it's not entirely original but it's damn effective and it works here. I love it. It doesn't hurt that Miley Cyrus and Liam Hemsworth are the main characters either. I love it.
i'm very disappointed
kriztinoiz_918 May 2010
Warning: Spoilers
first of all, i'm sorry for my English, i'm from Mexico and i just saw the last song on the theathre, i red the book a month ago, so, the first thing i want to say is that the movie is so different than the book, first, blaze never went on fire, the characters of Scott, Marcus and pastor Harris were so important in the book but in the movie they didn't were, miley's acting was painful, the characther of Ronnie had so much potential and miley destroyed it, it was my favorite character, in the movie it didn't show how Ronnie and blaze met, you just had to figured out that they were friends, in the movie they didn't put that Marcus was responsible of the fire in the church, in the book it explain that will and Ronnie had 2 almost time to get intimus but like was a Disney movie and miley was a main character obviously it cut it out, in the book blaze put CD's on Ronnie's bag and in the movie were earrings, in the book at the middle of it, was about Ronnie stoled the CD's and she went to court, but in the movie it did't, the dad just talk to the owner shop and that's it. the few scenes that was a little bit funny, miley killed it, it supposed to be a comedian from Hannah Montana, so, that shows that she's not funny, and the worst of all, the character of Jonah was more believable that the character of Ronnie. in the book it says that at the beginning when will crashes into Ronnie and split her milkshake, Ronnie bought a nemo shirt and in the movie, there was no nemo shirt and i was looking for it. the only thing that saves this movie is Liam hems worth if you are a woman or you're gay or whatever you can see it but he act awful to. so i'm very disappointed of this movie, and other thing, it's supposed to be a breakout performance to miley so what the hell was she singing in the movie? it was an acting performance not a singer performance, it was a romantic movie not a musical.
Amazingly awful
katelawrence95-706-1558157 April 2010
Warning: Spoilers
Well, I am a pretty big book worm, so when I found out that this was being made into a movie, I made an effort to read the book. I'd already read a few of Nicholas Sparks' books, and their adaptations were typical - missing plot lines etc. - but surprisingly good. But this book was incredible. The plot lines showed major attention to detail, and the twists and turns that this writer takes you on are so convincing.
But enough about the amazing book. Let's just say, my positivity basically ends there. Because the movie was horrible. I was pretty convinced when it began that it would turn out to be a good movie, but as soon as Miley Cyrus appears on the screen, it turns for the worst.
Miley Cyrus just doesn't fit the part. She doesn't actually make an effort to fit into the shoes of Ronnie Miller. Ronnie, in the book, is hardly Miss. Princess, and neither is the character that Miley chooses to play, but there is a huge difference between the two. But overall, I just don't think that she's actually capable of playing a character as deep as Ronnie. And it looks as though she hasn't actually tried.
I give positive reviews for the brother Jonah, and the father. Jonah was quirky and funny without being too dumb. He was funny at the right times and serious at the right times. I thought that the father definitely portrayed the character in the book to a really good standard. In both the book and the movie, these two have a really good bond, and I'm glad to see that this has been maintained.
Now, Marcus and his crew are hardly featured in the movie, which is a real letdown. In the book, Marcus basically stalks Ronnie, but in the movie, he is barely even featured. Blaze is pretty good, but they definitely could have involved her more.
Will, played by Liam Hemsworth, was pretty good, I found. I'm probably a bit biased seeing that I'm an Aussie myself, but as soon as he spoke, I was a bit sad. Most Aussie actors these days ditch their rightful accent, and the only time where I noticed his was when he tried to sing. I suppose you can't keep it out all the time. The way he played Will was... alright. Not brilliant, but probably better than his gf.
Overall, this movie lacked the feeling of the book, as it left out major scenes and plots. It was a real letdown, because I walked into the cinema expecting an experience true to the book, and if it had been, it would have been absolutely amazing.
But without a doubt, this was amazingly awful. My only advice - sit down and read the book instead of wasting your money on a ticket and the unnecessary popcorn.
But enough about the amazing book. Let's just say, my positivity basically ends there. Because the movie was horrible. I was pretty convinced when it began that it would turn out to be a good movie, but as soon as Miley Cyrus appears on the screen, it turns for the worst.
Miley Cyrus just doesn't fit the part. She doesn't actually make an effort to fit into the shoes of Ronnie Miller. Ronnie, in the book, is hardly Miss. Princess, and neither is the character that Miley chooses to play, but there is a huge difference between the two. But overall, I just don't think that she's actually capable of playing a character as deep as Ronnie. And it looks as though she hasn't actually tried.
I give positive reviews for the brother Jonah, and the father. Jonah was quirky and funny without being too dumb. He was funny at the right times and serious at the right times. I thought that the father definitely portrayed the character in the book to a really good standard. In both the book and the movie, these two have a really good bond, and I'm glad to see that this has been maintained.
Now, Marcus and his crew are hardly featured in the movie, which is a real letdown. In the book, Marcus basically stalks Ronnie, but in the movie, he is barely even featured. Blaze is pretty good, but they definitely could have involved her more.
Will, played by Liam Hemsworth, was pretty good, I found. I'm probably a bit biased seeing that I'm an Aussie myself, but as soon as he spoke, I was a bit sad. Most Aussie actors these days ditch their rightful accent, and the only time where I noticed his was when he tried to sing. I suppose you can't keep it out all the time. The way he played Will was... alright. Not brilliant, but probably better than his gf.
Overall, this movie lacked the feeling of the book, as it left out major scenes and plots. It was a real letdown, because I walked into the cinema expecting an experience true to the book, and if it had been, it would have been absolutely amazing.
But without a doubt, this was amazingly awful. My only advice - sit down and read the book instead of wasting your money on a ticket and the unnecessary popcorn.
I am not a fan of Miley
sharonlaughlin27 February 2019
The movie actually surprised the heck out of me. I purposely did not watch it because I am not a fan of Miley. But tonight for whatever reason I decided to watch it. It is the first movie to make me cry in a very long time. I thought that she and Chris Helmsworth had great chemistry and the love was believable. Then I look at IMDB and 9 years after the movie came out Miley and Chris are newlyweds. The little brother was amazing, I thought his acting was great. Of course it goes without saying that Greg Kinnear play the part fantastic. I do agree that most of the bad reviews were because they were not a fan of Miley. This was a lesson to a 55 yr old woman to never judge a book or in this case a movie by its cover or to judge it for the girl that has made some poor choices in her life. Shame on me for judging....
It's never going to be as good as the book...
acforshage2 April 2010
Warning: Spoilers
Well while I didn't think this was the best movie ever, I thought it was a great tear-jerker and it was a good story.
I do think people need to quit complaining about it not being as good as the book... IT NEVER WILL BE. 2 hours is simply not enough time to develop the characters you know and love or include all the events that happen in the book. So that needs to be put aside, or you people need to not read the book before you go see it. I quit doing that mid-Harry Potter series... I realized re-reading the book right before would only add to my disappointment when I saw the movie. Why not be pleasantly surprised when you read the book after seeing the movie?
On the note of the actors, Miley has her moments in this movie, but her more tearful moments I found to be laughable. Pushing "Will" away? What was that? I do think the scenes she was good in, the scenes with Liam where she is happy, were easy for her, considering she's dating him. In my opinion, she should focus more on music, rather than her acting career. Liam did a good job, he was that cute volleyball player that every girl hopes to have a summer romance with. I didn't love the poor little rich boy approach, I feel like that is fairly overused. That isn't his fault though. The dad and the brother I LOVED. I thought the dad did a good job at being funny and being sick. The brother was that great comedic relief that the movie needed. Very cute. "Blaze" and her boyfriend couldn't have annoyed me more, I think that whole extra plot line could have been left out.
This movie is a Nicholas Sparks movie, so don't expect something happy, it's not gonna happen. However, I recommend seeing it, but don't go in with all these expectations for it being another The Notebook. It's a good movie, not great.
I do think people need to quit complaining about it not being as good as the book... IT NEVER WILL BE. 2 hours is simply not enough time to develop the characters you know and love or include all the events that happen in the book. So that needs to be put aside, or you people need to not read the book before you go see it. I quit doing that mid-Harry Potter series... I realized re-reading the book right before would only add to my disappointment when I saw the movie. Why not be pleasantly surprised when you read the book after seeing the movie?
On the note of the actors, Miley has her moments in this movie, but her more tearful moments I found to be laughable. Pushing "Will" away? What was that? I do think the scenes she was good in, the scenes with Liam where she is happy, were easy for her, considering she's dating him. In my opinion, she should focus more on music, rather than her acting career. Liam did a good job, he was that cute volleyball player that every girl hopes to have a summer romance with. I didn't love the poor little rich boy approach, I feel like that is fairly overused. That isn't his fault though. The dad and the brother I LOVED. I thought the dad did a good job at being funny and being sick. The brother was that great comedic relief that the movie needed. Very cute. "Blaze" and her boyfriend couldn't have annoyed me more, I think that whole extra plot line could have been left out.
This movie is a Nicholas Sparks movie, so don't expect something happy, it's not gonna happen. However, I recommend seeing it, but don't go in with all these expectations for it being another The Notebook. It's a good movie, not great.
A very pointless and inconsistent movie overall. Biggest problem: plot. Or lack thereof.
kuromicherri551 April 2010
Warning: Spoilers
I just saw this movie today with a friend. Let me start off by saying I'm totally impartial toward Miley Cyrus b/c I think a lot of bad reviews on this movie will only make a point of how bad she is. I really didn't find this to be the case. Honestly, the problem with this movie lies in the story. It was very random from start to finish (as my friend pointed out, starting off slowly and then rushing sloppily to an end to try to tie things together) and had very expected 'twists'. During the whole movie, my friend and I kept predicting the next sequence of events. {The perfect 'everyone's-together-Dad-finally-accepted-my-boyfriend' scene: i turn to my friend, "someone's going to die". Dad gets up: my friend says "oh, something's gonna happen to him", the fact that Will ends up considering Columbia, that they end up together, etc. etc.} Also, this was full of clichés {the fact that Ronnie believed whatever the stupid blonde girl told her and then got all angry with Will for it on a dime, the separated couple gets back together, a child is resentful and rebellious over her parents' divorce, there's a character who's filthy rich but still has problems in his life--all big shocks} And so many random parts of the plot. For instance, Will lost his brother. We can already tell from his mother that his family/life isn't perfect. Why did they even need that? I mean, his father only mentions that brother once during dinner with Ronnie I think. It was very useless to me. And the way that Will was actually connected to the church fire thing through his friend and that's why the stained-glass window is so important and also what eventually causes Ronnie to reject Will was SO sloppily done. It was as if everything was supposed to be connected but it just came out jumbled and messy. THEN we have Ronnie and the acting. I don't blame Miley Cyrus. I don't blame *any* of the actors. Their lines were horrible and awkward. Their emotional ranges were so random I couldn't get in tune with any of the characters. The actors were so close to fitting the molds of their characters but then something would happen and it would get awkward again. And the way they had Ronnie transition from 'rebellious' to softened was choppy and strange. The actors did what they could with their dialogue and characters but in my opinion this was just badly written. I did cry at the end b/c they really do pull at your emotions, what with the song and the light and close-ups of the brother crying, it was hard to watch. But the whole time I was thinking "this really is a bad movie". And that's how I left. Feeling that I had just seen a bad movie. What I will say is that I at least appreciated the acting (making due with those choppy scenes) and a few transition techniques of some scenery shots which were actually quite beautiful and artistic. The highlights were definitely just the settings and scenery, as well as Cyrus' piano playing. But not a movie I'd recommend. Just skip it.
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