Camp Rock
By Laura YoungMPAA Rating: TV-G
Genre: Comedy/Musical
DVD Release Date: August 19, 2008
Running Time: 1 hour and 38 minutes
Plot Synopsis: Mitchie (Demi Lovato) gets a dream opportunity to attend an ultra-exclusive music summer camp where her mom is hired as the caterer. But when she arrives at camp, she tells one small lie that evolves into a big problem. The question is, will her fib destroy the trust of her friends and family, and also ruin her shot at winning the end of camp talent show?
Sex/Nudity: None. Not even a peck on the cheek--just some longing glances between Mitchie and Shane (Joe Jonas).
Violence/Gore: None
Profanity: A few instances of kids calling each other "a jerk." Tess tells one of the other girls to "shut up" during a heated argument.
Which Kids Will Like It?
Superstars-in-training will love the peppy music, the energetic dance numbers, and the idea of attending a camp where it's not only OK to rock out, it's encouraged. Grade school fans of the Jonas Brothers especially enjoy the handful of scenes featuring the Disney star trio, and girls age 8 and up will find a new idol in the cheery Demi Lovato.
Will Parents Like It?
Yes. Adults will appreciate the high production value of the film and the spunk of its two bright young stars, but some may find some of the predictable storylines and character arcs a bit tiresome.
Special Features: Featurettes "How to be a Rock Star," "Jonas Brothers: Real Life Rock Stars," "Introducing Demi Lovato," "Camp Rock Memory Book." Production behind-the-scenes footage "From Rehearsal to Final Jam: 'Hasta La Vista'," "Setting the Stage for 'Too Cool'." Sing along mode and karaoke mode for a selection of songs in the film and two music videos featuring "We Rock" and "Start the Party."
Kaboose Review:
Mitchie (Demi Lovato) is an aspiring musician who longs to spend her summer singing away at the music camp, Camp Rock, except her caterer mom and hardware shop owner dad can't afford the pricey tuition. But luckily, Camp Rock needs a full-time caterer and they hire Mitchie's mom to cook the food, allowing Mitchie to go to Camp Rock on a discounted rate in exchange for her helping out in the kitchen.
You would expect the heroine of this Cinderella tale to be a pious goody goody, but Mitchie has real-teen insecurities and character flaws. Although she is talented, Mitchie isn't comfortable in her own skin--she is desperate to fit in with the camps privileged attendees and when she runs into Tess Tyler (played by Meaghan Jette Martin), daughter of a pop star and reigning queen bee of the camp, Mitchie ingratiates herself to Tess by purposely lying and saying her mother is the high-powered president of the Hot Tunes TV China.
Although it's good for kids to see a less-than-perfect lead character, the rapid speed at which Mitchie's lies and low self-esteem are addressed and resolved don't do justice to the more sophisticated tween viewer. It's an unfortunate missed opportunity for the filmmakers to thoughtfully tackle some of the complex problems of real teens. In a fashion that is all too familiar to viewers of movies made for kids, Mitchie's woes are shellacked over in the last act of the film, and she hardly suffers any consequences for her bad behavior.
In real life, a girl who goes months lying about her identity would surely needs more than a quick 2-minute heart-to-heart and a hug from her mom--but in this movie, that is all the counseling that is necessary. Instead, the movie chooses to devote its time to cheerful (yet cheesy) performance numbers that serve as dialogue intermissions rather than essential vehicles for character or plot development.
But if you can make it past the glaring moral issues, and take the film at face value, it's a fluffy, fun, feature with some good performances from some talented kid actors and singers. Newcomer Demi Lovato is sometimes painfully cheery in her debut leading role, but certainly possesses an "it" factor that Disney seems to be banking on. Joe Jonas is sufficiently brooding, yet likeable as rock star Shane Gray, and Alyson Stoner shows impeccable comedic timing as Caitlyn Geller, Mitchie's level-headed friend.
Directed by: Matthew Diamond
Cast: Demi Lovato (Mitchie Torres), Joe Jonas (Shane Gray), Meaghan Jette Martin (Tess Tyler), Maria Canals-Barrera (Connie Torres), Alyson Stoner (Caitlyn Geller), Daniel Fathers (Brown Cesario), Anna Maria Perez de Tagle (Ella), Jasmine Richards (Peggy), Kevin Jonas (Jason), Nick Jonas (Nate)
Laura Young is the Crafts/Holidays & Fun editor on Kaboose.com
Star Rating
3.5 Stars
