Movie Review: The Last Song

Isn't this beautiful?  This was taken in my neighborhood yesterday, with my camera phone!  This tree is in full bloom and yesterday was such a sunny, warm day.  I just love spring days like this.

SPOILER ALERT:  I am going to be talking about the movie The Last Song, in detail, so if you don't want to know...don't read.

Last night Daughter, BFF and I went to see The Last Song.  I have read the book, the kids have not. This made for an interesting viewing.  I really loved the book.  I boo-hooed through the end of the book and the movie.  I anticipated the father's illness and death.  I didn't tell them anything about the movie, so Daughter and BFF had no idea, though BFF asked me if someone dies, but I wouldn't tell.  The love story was played wonderfully in both medias.  Miley Cyrus and Liam Hemsworth both made it very believable.  Mercy, he is a handsome guy!    There were parts of the book that are expected not to be in a two-hour movie.  Okay, I get that.  But to change the book so drastically that it changes the story?  I don't like that.  

In the book, the character, Ronnie is furious at her parents (particularly her dad) for splitting up.  Dad left.  Before the split, Dad was a wonderful concert pianist and taught Ronnie, who was a very young, talented protege.  When he left, she quit playing.  She never played again until she forgave her father, and he was dying and not able to finish a song.  In fact, she told him she didn't want to see the piano, so he boarded it up in the living room with plywood so she wouldn't see it.  In the movie, she didn't say a word about the piano, and even played for her boyfriend when they were sharing secrets.  It was such a vital part of the book, but when I talked with Daughter and BFF, they liked the fact that she played for Will.

Another part of the movie was the changing of secondary characters.  There was a "bad boy" that was stalking Ronnie, but they never really got that out in the open.  He did a lot more bad things that was never mentioned.  You just have to read the book to get the real scoop.

All in all, we all loved the movie.  Daughter has already asked for the DVD when it comes out.  I will see it again.  I loved it.  We recommend it with six thumbs up!