First of all, let me say I'm the same age as Billy Ray Cyrus and, although I never cared for the man after the atrocious "Achy Breaky Heart", once I discovered Hannah Montana on ABC Kids on Saturday morning, and even after trying out the show once when I was in a motel with all the cable channels, I actually liked him as an actor. And my opinion on his one hit song has improved over the years.
But except for the music, I've found Miley Stewart and her friend Lily adorable. It would be nice if the ABC broadcast network could have shown us more than the one season, but that was enough for me to develop a taste for these characters. Sure, it's corny Disney fluff, but that's my kind of entertainment.
Robby Ray has strong family values, and he's not going to put up with any more nonsense from his daughter. It's a good message, especially in a world where teenage girls walk all over their clueless sitcom fathers. Well, this sitcom father has had enough.
Margo Martindale gives a fine performance, especially in one scene. She's not going to put up with her granddaughter thinking she's too good for small town life and the friends she has grown up with.
We have the stock Disney villain in Barry Bostwick. But I saw him in "Spin City" and know he's better than this. And of course the tabloid reporter who is a villain in his own way, going out of his way attempting to discover Hannah's secret. He has bubbly teen daughters who are obsessed fans who he has put in a strict Catholic school, and they're good for a few laughs.
And eventually the message gets through to Miley. But of course we have the standard deception story lines and the frantic switching back and forth between characters which I've seen done better, but it's still entertaining. I particularly liked seeing an attempt to make Lily pass as Hannah.
There's not much here that I would call music, but there's a lot that I would. I have mixed feelings about Miley Stewart's attempt to mix rap with banjos. The banjos I like. And in a scene that embarrasses Miley, family and friends perform what I would call good country music. There are a couple of good country songs. Even Taylor Swift does something that passes for country. Then we have Rascal Flatts, who sound surprisingly country on their instruments, but I can't get past the fact that their atrocious vocals sound like 'N Sync.
No one's winning awards for this. It's just fun.
