More Rocking Than Musical Theater

In true Disney style, Camp Rock delivers the entertainment of High School Musical, but with much better singers. Like High School Musical, this movie was promoted exhaustively, commercials running 6 months before the movie debuted. My girls, 6 and 9, did the countdown, waiting impatiently and moaning about how long they had to wait.

Unlike the original High School Musical, the girls already knew almost all of the actors in Camp Rock- Demi Lovato from Disney's 5-minute mini-show, "As the Bell Rings"; the Jonas Brothers from appearing on Hannah Montanna and just about every music awards show; and Alyson Stoner, at 15 already a veteran dancer and actress, appearing as Sally on Disney's "Mike's Super Short Show", "The Sweet Life of Zack and Cody", and the "Cheaper By the Dozen," Movies.

So my girls' excitement was to be expected, particularly since my girls are both more rock star than musical theater. The premise is simple, with obvious complications to be expected- Mitchie Torres wanted nothing else but to go to the prestigious Camp Rock for the summer, but her family can't afford it. In a surprise move, her mother gets a job cooking at the camp, so Mitchie can attend, but also has to work for her tuition.

Naturally, the high school girl doesn't want everone to know she's the hired help, so she creates a persona to fit in with the popular set, and spends her time hiding the fact that her mother is the cook and she, herself, works in the kitchen.

Enter the famous and brooding Shane Gray, played by the too-adorable Joe Jonas, the middle of the Jonas boys. Gray, an 18-year old Heathcliff, has been sent to teach dance at the camp as damage control for his public bad attitude and reputation. At the end of camp, a singing contest will be held, with Gray's band recording the winner's song.

Early on, Mitchie is cleaning the dining room and breaks into an original song she wrote; Shane overhears it through the window, and it strikes a chord in him, no pun intended, reminding him of the music he wants to do, as opposed to what the record producers want him to spit out. He seeks out the singer, but Mitchie hides in the kitchen, not realizing he heard her singing and not wanting him to know she works there. And thus Shane begins his pursuit to find the girl behind the song, and Mitchie begins her pursuit to win the Final Jam.

And thus the plot unfolds, with the hint of romance between Mitchie and Shane as they become friends, with her never realizing that she is the voice he is seeking. Naturally, after becoming psuedo friends, the popular clique manages to cause trouble for Mitchie, particularly its leader, Tess Tyler, played by Meaghan Jett Martin, who learns Mitchie's true identity and that Mitchie is the girl Shane is looking for.

As always with Disney, the ending is eventually resolved happily, everyone learns a lesson, and all the bad is either forgotten or forgiven.

Camp Rock has excellent songs and singing, and decent dancing. It's not as ensemble-ish as the High School Musicals, but does feature many solos, particularly during the Final Jam. The setting/scenery is pretty simple, but basically authentic for a camp (Disney got by on the cheap setting-wise by making a movie about a camp.)

As soon as my girls saw this movie, High School Musical was finally a memory. The songs are definitely more rolling, and the short appearances by the other two Jonas boys doesn't hurt. The plot is a little more mature than the High School Musicals, but not above my 6-year-olds level of comprehension. While Mitchie's behavior in denouncing her mother and lying to her supposed friends about her identity is unacceptable behavior, she does suffer the consequences of her ill behavior, learns her lesson, and eventually redeems herself.

The ending is adequately resolved, if not tied up a little too neatly for my adult tastes. Being as children tend to favor clearcut resolutions in their happy endings, they liked it just fine.