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Hannah gets back to her roots

Sara Yin

Miley Cyrus, the star of Disney's hit television show Hannah Montana, is heading to Tennessee in the first - and long-awaited - feature film spin-off from the popular show.

Directed by Peter Chelsom (Serendipity, Shall We Dance) and co-starring Emily Osment, sister of Sixth Sense wunderkind Haley Joel, and Billy Ray Cyrus, Miley's real dad, Hannah Montana: The Movie is shaping up to be one of the biggest hits of the year. When it opened in the United States last month, it grossed more than any movie musical ever.

Cyrus plays Miley Stewart, a 'normal' teenager by day and a glamorous pop star called Hannah Montana by night.

When the film opens, we see how Hannah's fame begins to overwhelm down-to-earth Miley. Egged on by her gung-ho publicist (Vanessa Williams), Miley consistently chooses fame over family. She misses her best friend Lily's (Osment) sweet 16, her brother's college send-off and even her grandma's birthday party.

When a catfight with Tyra Banks (starring as herself) over a pair of heels is caught on tape and shown online, Miley's dad forces her to return home to remember who she is. Disgusted at first, Miley quickly revels in the freedom of wearing trainers and baggy shirts instead of Hannah Montana's blonde wig and heels. But life isn't that simple. Miley has to dodge a savvy reporter who has followed her across the country, and things get complicated when she starts to fall for her childhood friend-turned-hunk Travis (Lucas Till).

Unlike the show, the movie uses music to develop its characters. Miley performs 12 new songs, each expressing her emotional state. Teen pop star Taylor Swift advised on the soundtrack and contributes Crazier, a country waltz. Billy Ray Cyrus performs Back to Tennessee, the title track from his latest album.

But the musical climax is undoubtedly the song-and-dance number Hoedown Throwdown, which filmmakers nicknamed Miley's Macarena.

'I wanted a song that taught a dance in the lyrics ... such as Macarena or Funky Chicken,' says director Chelsom. 'I wanted to maximise Miley's real silliness physically.'

While the story is fictional, it is grounded in fact, with many actors playing themselves. What's more, half the movie was filmed on Miley's actual childhood farm in Tennessee.

'When audiences walk away from the movie, I hope they feel like they've been to my home,' says Miley. 'I hope they feel like they understand Nashville, because Nashville is my everything.'

Hannah Montana: The Movie opens tomorrow

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