Hannah Montana & Miley Cyrus: Best of Both Worlds Concert

NEW YORK (CNS) -- For a film that's literally a scream, check out "Hannah Montana & Miley Cyrus: Best of Both Worlds Concert" (Disney). Audiences in this exuberant, refreshingly innocent live-performance feature greet the 15-year-old singing star with a series of high-decibel blowouts even Lennon and McCartney might have envied.

For the benefit of those few graybeards not yet in the know, here's the back story: Since 2006, Miley Cyrus, daughter of country music singer-songwriter Billy Ray Cyrus, has appeared on the Disney Channel program "Hannah Montana" in the dual role of ordinary teen Miley Stewart and her alter ego, famed pop diva Montana.

The plot rests on the premise that Miley the TV character keeps her show business persona a secret in order to lead a normal life. Thus her titular anthem "The Best of Both Worlds."

So Miley Cyrus gets to sing both in and out of character. Other than a transformation of hair color, though, it may be difficult for the uninitiated to recognize the difference. In any case, the cognoscenti seem equally frenzied whoever's on stage.

But we shouldn't quibble. With a hit cable series, a double platinum album and a 69-city concert tour to her credit, Miley remains a wholesome role model. The quiet ballad that marks the film's emotional high point, for instance, was written to honor the memory of her late grandfather.

In addition to her onstage singing and dancing, director Bruce Hendricks' film follows Miley's life behind the scenes: practicing guitar with her father, rehearsing routines with her backup performers and dashing through a breakneck costume change.

The excited fans and wannabes sport blond Montana wigs, but if further evidence of the young lady being a genuine show business phenomenon is needed, watch the score or so of young fathers -- their feet duct-taped into ladies' shoes -- competing in a radio station's "high heel derby" simply to win concert tickets for the little ones.

Resistance is apparently futile.

The film contains a few short skirts and a bit of crass language. The USCCB Office for Film & Broadcasting classification is A-I -- general patronage. The Motion Picture Association of America rating is G -- general audiences. All ages admitted.

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Copyright (c) 2007 Catholic News Service/U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops