# The Last Song

> 2010 film directed by Julie Anne Robinson

**Wikidata**: [Q900362](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q900362)  
**Wikipedia**: [English](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Last_Song_(2010_film))  
**Source**: https://4ort.xyz/entity/the-last-song

## Summary
The Last Song is a 2010 American romantic drama film directed by Julie Anne Robinson, based on the Nicholas Sparks novel of the same name. It stars Miley Cyrus and Liam Hemsworth in their first on-screen roles together, marking the beginning of their real-life relationship.

## Key Facts
- Directed by Julie Anne Robinson, released in 2010
- Based on the Nicholas Sparks novel of the same name
- Stars Miley Cyrus and Liam Hemsworth in their first film together
- Genre: romance film, teen film, drama film
- Production companies: Touchstone Pictures, Offspring Entertainment
- Country of origin: United States
- IMDb ID: tt1294226
- Rotten Tomatoes rating: 21%
- Metacritic score: 33/100
- Box office gross: $89.9 million worldwide
- Runtime: 107 minutes
- MPAA rating: PG
- Language: English
- Wikiquote page: The Last Song (film)
- Wikipedia title: The Last Song (2010 film)
- Publication dates: March 31, 2010 (premiere), April 29, 2010 (US release), June 3, 2010 (UK release)

## FAQs

**What is The Last Song about?**
The Last Song follows Veronica "Ronnie" Miller, a rebellious teenager sent to spend the summer with her estranged father in a small Southern beach town. Through her experiences there, including a romance with local boy Will Blakelee, she reconnects with her father and discovers her passion for music.

**Who stars in The Last Song?**
The film stars Miley Cyrus as Ronnie Miller, Liam Hemsworth as Will Blakelee, Greg Kinnear as Steve Miller (Ronnie's father), and Kelly Preston as Kim Miller (Ronnie's mother). It marked the first on-screen pairing of Cyrus and Hemsworth, who later began a real-life relationship.

**Is The Last Song based on a book?**
Yes, The Last Song is based on the 2009 novel of the same name by Nicholas Sparks. Sparks wrote the screenplay simultaneously with the novel, making it one of his few works adapted directly from his own screenplay.

**How was The Last Song received by critics?**
The film received generally negative reviews from critics, with a 21% rating on Rotten Tomatoes and a Metacritic score of 33/100. Critics often cited the predictable plot and melodramatic elements, though some praised the performances of the lead actors.

**What was the commercial performance of The Last Song?**
Despite mixed reviews, The Last Song was a commercial success, grossing $89.9 million worldwide against a production budget of approximately $20 million. It performed particularly well with its target teenage audience.

## Why It Matters
The Last Song matters as a significant entry in the Nicholas Sparks film adaptation canon and as a cultural touchstone for early 2010s teen romance. The film launched the real-life relationship between Miley Cyrus and Liam Hemsworth, which became one of Hollywood's most publicized romances. It also represented a transitional moment in Cyrus's career, moving her from her Disney Channel image toward more mature roles. The film's commercial success demonstrated the continued viability of Sparks adaptations and teen romance films in the early 2010s marketplace, even as the genre was beginning to evolve with changing audience tastes.

## Notable For
- Launching the real-life relationship between Miley Cyrus and Liam Hemsworth
- Marking Miley Cyrus's transition from Disney star to adult actress
- Being one of the few Nicholas Sparks adaptations written directly as a screenplay
- Achieving commercial success despite negative critical reception
- Featuring the first on-screen pairing of Cyrus and Hemsworth
- Representing a key example of early 2010s teen romance cinema
- Grossing nearly $90 million worldwide on a $20 million budget
- Being part of Touchstone Pictures' final years as an active production label

## Body

### Production and Development
The Last Song was developed as a collaboration between Nicholas Sparks and Disney, with Sparks writing both the novel and screenplay simultaneously. The project was produced by Offspring Entertainment, the production company founded by Adam Shankman and Jennifer Gibgot. Touchstone Pictures, Disney's adult-oriented label at the time, served as the primary production company. Filming took place primarily in Savannah, Georgia, and Tybee Island, capturing the Southern coastal setting that plays a crucial role in the story.

### Cast and Characters
Miley Cyrus stars as Veronica "Ronnie" Miller, a troubled teenager sent to spend the summer with her father. Liam Hemsworth plays Will Blakelee, the local volleyball player who becomes Ronnie's love interest. Greg Kinnear portrays Steve Miller, Ronnie's father and a former Juilliard professor, while Kelly Preston plays Kim Miller, Ronnie's mother. The supporting cast includes Bobby Coleman as Jonah Miller (Ronnie's younger brother), Hallock Beals as Scott, and Nick Searcy as Tom Blakelee (Will's father).

### Plot Summary
The story follows Ronnie Miller, a rebellious 17-year-old who resents her parents' divorce and her father's move from New York to a small Southern town. Sent to spend the summer with her father, she initially resists connecting with him or the community. She meets Will Blakelee while he's trying to rescue turtle eggs on the beach, and despite their different backgrounds, they begin a relationship. Through her romance with Will and her growing bond with her father, Ronnie discovers her passion for music (she had been a piano prodigy before her parents' divorce) and learns to forgive and reconnect with her family. The film includes a significant plot twist involving her father's terminal illness.

### Music and Soundtrack
The film's soundtrack features music performed by Miley Cyrus, including the song "When I Look at You," which she performed and co-wrote. The soundtrack also includes contributions from OneRepublic, The Raveonettes, and other artists. Music plays a central role in the narrative, with Ronnie's rediscovery of her piano playing serving as a key element of her character development and reconciliation with her father.

### Critical Reception
Upon release, The Last Song received predominantly negative reviews from critics. The Rotten Tomatoes score of 21% reflected widespread criticism of the film's predictable plot and melodramatic elements. Many reviewers noted that while the film delivered what its target audience expected from a Nicholas Sparks adaptation, it offered little innovation within the romantic drama genre. However, some critics praised the chemistry between Cyrus and Hemsworth and the performances of the supporting cast, particularly Greg Kinnear.

### Cultural Impact and Legacy
The Last Song's most significant cultural impact was launching the real-life relationship between Miley Cyrus and Liam Hemsworth, which became one of Hollywood's most followed celebrity romances. Their on-screen chemistry translated into a relationship that lasted on and off for nearly a decade, including an engagement and marriage. The film also represented a pivotal moment in Cyrus's career transition from Disney Channel star to adult actress, though her subsequent career choices proved more controversial than this relatively conventional romantic drama. As a Nicholas Sparks adaptation, it continued the author's successful formula of Southern-set romantic dramas, though it came during a period when the genre was beginning to face changing audience preferences.

### Distribution and Release
The film premiered on March 31, 2010, in Los Angeles, followed by its theatrical release in the United States on April 2, 2010, through Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures. It opened in the United Kingdom on June 3, 2010. The distribution strategy targeted the film's primary audience of teenage girls and young women, with marketing emphasizing the romance between Cyrus and Hemsworth and the film's beach setting.

### Technical Specifications
The Last Song has a runtime of 107 minutes and was shot in color with a 2.35:1 aspect ratio. The cinematography by John Lindley captures the coastal Georgia setting, using the beach and marsh landscapes as visual elements that reflect the story's emotional tone. The film's production design creates a contrast between the urban environment of New York (shown in flashbacks) and the slower-paced Southern setting where most of the story unfolds.

## References

1. [Source](http://www.nytimes.com/2010/03/31/movies/31last.html?ref=movies)
2. [Source](https://www.filmaffinity.com/en/film817192.html)
3. [Source](http://www.metacritic.com/movie/the-last-song)
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5. [Source](http://stopklatka.pl/film/ostatnia-piosenka)
6. [Source](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1294226/fullcredits)
7. The Movie Database
8. The Last Song. Rotten Tomatoes
9. Freebase Data Dumps
10. [IMDb](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1294226/releaseinfo)
11. [Source](http://nmhh.hu/dokumentum/158992/2010_filmbemutatok_osszes.xlsx)
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13. [ResearchGate](https://www.researchgate.net/publication/262787801_Cancer_on_the_big_screen_How_and_when_movies_deal_with_oncological_diseases)
14. BBC Things
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19. Cineplex
20. [Source](https://jmkextern.bmb.gv.at/app/detail.aspx?FILID=14697)
21. Bechdel Test Movie List
22. mymovies.it
23. [Source](https://ui.eidr.org/view/content?id=10.5240/7490-EB8A-3C0C-8E83-BD7A-P)
24. Danish Film Database
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