“Raise Your Voice” (New Line Cinema)
Hilary Duff maintains her squeaky clean image in her new film “Raise Your Voice.” Parents of pre-teenage children can take their kids to see this film with no fear they are going to have their morals corrupted. Britney Spears and Lindsay Lohan may aim for the sex kitten slot of fame, but Hilary is more Sandra Dee – lightful.
Terri Fletcher (Duff) lives in Flagstaff, Arizona (described in this movie as being a place you want to leave, and leave fast), with her brother Paul (Jason Ritter) and her mother and father (Rita Wilson and David Keith). She also has a favorite aunt named Nina (Rebecca DeMornay) who is around a lot.
Terri’s dream is to go to a music camp in Los Angeles for the month of August, but her father is totally against it. Unknown to her, Paul submits a DVD that features Terri singing and being charming. When she gets accepted she and her mother concoct a false trip to visit Aunt Nina. Actually she is heading for LA and the camp.
Of course there is a talent night/scholarship event at the end of the camp and Terri enters hoping to win the scholarship. She and fellow student Jay Corgan (Oliver James) co-write and perform a song. It sounds like a Hilary Duff hit.
The film is a lot like “Fame” for the pre-teen set. There are no drugs or alcohol on the premises at this school. And a kiss is as far as the romance goes. Did you think anyone outside the Disney Studio made movies like this any more
Duff is coming along as an actress. She has an engaging personality and manages to make Terri a believable person. She gets good support from Wilson and Keith as her parents, and especially by Ritter’s turn as her brother. DeMornay has built her career on wicked roles and so she is totally of it of it as the doting aunt.
The movie is rated PG for mild profanity.
‘Raise Your Voice” is a sweet little film that showcases Duff’s talent. For her fans, and there are a lot of them, this will be enough.
I scored “Raise Your Voice” a quiet 5 out of 10.
