Hillary Duff is probably one of the best role models for really young girls ever. She seems so completely innocent, pure, sweet, horrendously down to earth and just an all around cute kid...no matter how old she is. Raise Your Voice showcases exactly those talents from her. She's not a great actress, I have yet to see her in anything overtly impressive or even with any real passion. I think her best work is still the really campy Lizzie McGuire series. Raise Your Voice is also very, very disproportionately cheesy and campy. It is intensely nice and clean, and uplifting in a toned down, mild kind of way which is not a bad thing at all. I wouldn't want to ever bad mouth something that tries to be cheery and sweet but for me...it was a little too sweet.
Hillary Duff tends to be a little bland to the average adult I think. For young girls which is the demographic she is meant for she is pure gold. Duff is simply normal, she is the girl next door, she is quiet, uncertain of herself and she always manages to shine in the end and that's what makes her films so inspiring. She does a decent job in Raise Your Voice but certainly nothing outstanding. The one opportunity she has to shine would be singing considering the bulk of the movie is all about musical talent but every single song she sings is pre-recorded and it does indeed really hurt this film. I don't doubt she CAN sing but the fact that the songs are pre-recorded don't help the case. Oliver James plays English musician and Duff's love interest Jay Corgan. He's definitely type casting him in this Disney Love Interest type role after being boy toy to Amanda Bynes in the far better film What A Girl Wants. James is alright in this role opposite Duff and they make a cute couple but for the most part he comes across kind of sleazy and not very trust worthy. Next to Duff's angelic purity he looks like a demon. Johnny Lewis plays Duff's friend Kiwi who is a unique musician of sorts. His role is fairly small but he adds some spice to an otherwise dull main cast. I think he is one of the stronger young members of the film but his role is too small to make a difference. Truly the one redeemable aspect of Raise Your Voice is the cameo and supporting adult cast. James Avery, Jason Ritter, John Corbett, David Keith, Rita Wilson and Rebecca De Mornay do an incredible job in their small individual roles. David Keith is a powerful presence as Duff's overbearing father. Rita Wilson could have done great things with a bigger part as her mother. Jason Ritter is awesome as her late brother. If only these characters and these terrific actors had more of an impact on the story and film.
Director Sean McNamara is a pre-teen directing star. He knows how it's done and this film is done in such a way that it is meant precisely for it's demographic and nobody else. Adults will likely hate it, and young girls will love it with all it's corny pre-recorded music, light, mushy romance, and friendships. It was just done so subtly that the story never takes off. Even when Duff's character gets her shining moment...you barely care which is unfortunate. The single greatest thing about it is it's intense morality which is awesome. There is absolutely nothing wrong with a sweet, and completely appropriate film like this. I just found it too cheesy. If only the music were real and the story was stronger, there was some serious potential here. 6/10
Hillary Duff tends to be a little bland to the average adult I think. For young girls which is the demographic she is meant for she is pure gold. Duff is simply normal, she is the girl next door, she is quiet, uncertain of herself and she always manages to shine in the end and that's what makes her films so inspiring. She does a decent job in Raise Your Voice but certainly nothing outstanding. The one opportunity she has to shine would be singing considering the bulk of the movie is all about musical talent but every single song she sings is pre-recorded and it does indeed really hurt this film. I don't doubt she CAN sing but the fact that the songs are pre-recorded don't help the case. Oliver James plays English musician and Duff's love interest Jay Corgan. He's definitely type casting him in this Disney Love Interest type role after being boy toy to Amanda Bynes in the far better film What A Girl Wants. James is alright in this role opposite Duff and they make a cute couple but for the most part he comes across kind of sleazy and not very trust worthy. Next to Duff's angelic purity he looks like a demon. Johnny Lewis plays Duff's friend Kiwi who is a unique musician of sorts. His role is fairly small but he adds some spice to an otherwise dull main cast. I think he is one of the stronger young members of the film but his role is too small to make a difference. Truly the one redeemable aspect of Raise Your Voice is the cameo and supporting adult cast. James Avery, Jason Ritter, John Corbett, David Keith, Rita Wilson and Rebecca De Mornay do an incredible job in their small individual roles. David Keith is a powerful presence as Duff's overbearing father. Rita Wilson could have done great things with a bigger part as her mother. Jason Ritter is awesome as her late brother. If only these characters and these terrific actors had more of an impact on the story and film.
Director Sean McNamara is a pre-teen directing star. He knows how it's done and this film is done in such a way that it is meant precisely for it's demographic and nobody else. Adults will likely hate it, and young girls will love it with all it's corny pre-recorded music, light, mushy romance, and friendships. It was just done so subtly that the story never takes off. Even when Duff's character gets her shining moment...you barely care which is unfortunate. The single greatest thing about it is it's intense morality which is awesome. There is absolutely nothing wrong with a sweet, and completely appropriate film like this. I just found it too cheesy. If only the music were real and the story was stronger, there was some serious potential here. 6/10