HANNAH MONTANA: POP STAR PROFILE
(TV-G)
MOVIE: *** (out of 5)
DVD EXPERIENCE: *1/2 (out of 5)
STARRING
Miley Cyrus as HANNAH MONTANA/MILEY STEWART
Emily Osment as LILLY TRUSCOTT
Jason Earles as JACKSON STEWART
Billy Ray Cyrus as ROBBIE STEWART
Mitchel Musso as OLIVER OKEN
Studio: Disney Channel
BY KEVIN CARR
In the grand tradition of the Disney Channel cross-pollinating their stars between television and music, “Hannah Montana” incorporates both of these into one show. Miley Cyrus (daughter of Billy Ray Cyrus, who plays her father on the show) plays a mild mannered schoolgirl who lives a double life as the uber-popular pop star Hannah Montana.
In the second DVD single of the series, fans are treated to four episodes, which introduce another child star character named Jake Ryan (a veiled “Sixteen Candles” reference?) to be the nemesis/boyfriend to Miley. There’s also a guest appearance by the freakishly disproportional Dolly Parton.
The show is definitely cute, with Miley Cyrus holding it together. She’s a good singer, and she has presence. Hopefully with her dad on set with her, she won’t wig out like former Disney Channel stars Britney Spears and Lindsay Lohan. Still, the funniest members of the cast are Billy Ray Cyrus and Miley’s brother Jackson. They provide the slapstick comedy and great chemistry, making them more fun to watch than Miley herself.
Bonus features include a candid real-life interview with Miley Cyrus as well as a live concert performance of her song “Nobody’s Perfect.”