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BY MAGGIE SCOTT
Tennessee’s favorite son is Al Gore. Can you guess its favorite daughter? No. Not Dolly Parton. It’s 16-year-old Miley Ray Cyrus, Nashville-born, L.A.-bred offspring of country music star Billy Ray Cyrus.

A singing, dancing, composing, strumming, acting, smiling (her childhood nickname was “smiley,” shortened to Miley) teen pop culture juggernaut, courtesy of talent and one of the savviest marketing forces in the entertainment business.

Disney took on the toothsome teen as the perfect wholesome leading lass for its Disney Channel show, “Hannah Montana” three years ago. The explosive popularity of the series and its star made the current release of Hannah Montana: the Movie a strike-while-the-girl-is-hot no-brainer.

The movie’s plot is a back story for Disney’s push promoting Cyrus’s latest album, “Breakout,” featuring Miley as Miley, exploring her roots (a nice brunette when the blonde Hannah wig is gone) in a simpler, family-focused life.

Pulling back from the mania over her alter ego, Miley is having a bit of an identity crisis. Under the influence of fame, Hannah can sink to spoiled brat tactics of going wig-to-weave with the likes of Tyra Banks over a pair of designer shoes (“Do you know who I AM?” “Do you know who I am?”).

Miley Stewart thinks she’s on her way to New York as Hannah to sub for Beyonce at an awards show; but Robby Ray Stewart lands the private jet in the middle of a Tennessee pasture and puts his boot down that his daughter will take some time off and get to know her family again. Celebrity has been spoiling the simpler things of life, like celebrating the sweet sixteen birthday party of her best friend (Emily Osment).

Here in the middle of what looks like a national forest, no mobs of fans are going to wreck the birthday party of Miley’s Grandma Ruby (Margo Martindale). Unless a snoop named Oswald (Peter Gunn) from a British tabloid ordered to “get dirt!” on Hannah gets the picture that proves Miley is Hannah.

Along with the horses, haylofts, hayseeds, hoedowns and hootenannys, Miley gets reacquainted with a boy who had a crush on her in the first grade. Travis (Lucas Till) has heard of Hannah Montana, but would never connect the superstar with Miley. Just as he’s getting his courage up to ask her out, Miley gets caught up in the town’s attempt to keep a developer (Barry Bostwick) from grabbing some pristine open land donated years ago to Crowley Corners. Apartments and a shopping mall could cover the land if the town doesn’t come up with the money for the tax bill.

Travis suggests Miley use her connections to secure Hannah for a fund-raising concert. This leads to a revolving door deception when Travis makes dinner reservations for him and Miley the same evening “Hannah” is the guest of honor at a meal with the town mayor.

Understanding how close she has come to letting Hannah come between herself and the things that mean the most to her, Miley realizes she’s got to make a very important choice about this “best of both worlds.” Some of the cutesy pooh cornpone can be pretty hard to swallow; but father and daughter steal your heart about the third act with their touching duet about a butterfly.

While they’re not in the same league as another fabled father/daughter duo—Sir John Mills and Hayley Mills—who once starred for Disney, the Cyrus sire and chippette off the old block are a force to be reckoned with and unapologetically enjoyed. Hannah Montana: the Movie is rated G.

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