It was 2009. Tybee Island, Georgia, was sweltering. Miley Cyrus was trying to shed the "Hannah Montana" wig, and Liam Hemsworth was just some guy from Australia who had recently lost out on the role of Thor to his brother, Chris. Nobody knew then that The Last Song would become the most analyzed, obsessed-over, and dissected movie in modern celeb history.
Look, if you watch the miley and liam movie today, it feels like a total time capsule. You’re literally watching two people fall in love in real-time. It’s not just acting; that’s the crazy part. Miley has even said in recent TikToks that the chemistry was "undeniable" because it was actually happening. It wasn’t just a job for them. It was the start of a ten-year rollercoaster that basically redefined how we look at young Hollywood romance.
Why The Last Song Still Matters (Kinda)
Honestly, if you strip away the real-life drama, the movie is pure Nicholas Sparks schmaltz. You’ve got the rebellious teen, the beach house, the piano prodigy stuff, and the inevitable tragic twist. But it works. It grossed nearly $90 million on a $20 million budget. That’s a massive win for Disney’s Touchstone Pictures at the time.
People usually forget that Miley was only 16 when they started filming. Liam was 19. He was the "charming guy" who helped her character, Ronnie, through her grief. Off-camera, they were dodging paparazzi in Savannah. The movie basically served as a $20 million home video for their relationship. When you see Ronnie and Will's first kiss on that beach, you aren't seeing a scripted moment. They actually liked each other. Like, really liked each other.
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The Nicholas Sparks Factor
Sparks actually wrote the screenplay specifically with Miley in mind. That’s rare. Usually, a book is written, it becomes a hit, and then a studio options it. Here, the movie and the book were developed at the same time.
- The Setting: Originally supposed to be North Carolina (Sparks' favorite spot), but they moved it to Tybee Island because of Georgia’s tax incentives.
- The Soundtrack: "When I Look At You" became a massive hit, and it’s still the definitive song of that era.
- The Cast: Greg Kinnear as the dad was actually the best part of the acting, if we're being totally honest. He grounded the whole thing.
What Most People Get Wrong About the Set
There’s this myth that it was all rainbows and sunblock. It wasn't. There was a lot of pressure on Miley to prove she could do "serious" drama. Critics were pretty brutal. The movie has a 22% on Rotten Tomatoes. They called the script clunky. They said Miley was miscast. But the fans? They didn't care. They saw the spark between her and Liam, and that was enough.
Liam was a total unknown. Imagine being him—fresh off a plane from Melbourne, landing a lead role opposite the biggest teen star in the world. He later told Details magazine that you’d have to be "not human" to not feel something when filming those scenes. That’s a pretty heavy statement for a nineteen-year-old kid.
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The Breakup-to-Makeup Cycle
The miley and liam movie didn't just end when the credits rolled. Their real life started mirroring the film's "will they/won't they" energy almost immediately.
- August 2010: First breakup. The world gasped.
- September 2010: Back together eating lunch in L.A.
- 2012: The big engagement.
- 2013: The Bangerz era split.
It went on like this for a decade. Every time they got back together, fans went back to re-watch The Last Song. It was the "proof" that they were soulmates. They eventually married in 2018, only to divorce less than a year later. It's a bit of a bummer, but it makes the movie feel even more poignant now. It’s a record of a specific kind of innocence they both lost.
The Legacy of Tybee Island
If you visit Tybee Island today, you can still see the spots where they filmed. The pier is still there. The beach where they protected the sea turtle eggs? Still there. It’s become a pilgrimage site for fans of the miley and liam movie.
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The film also proved that Miley had a career beyond the Disney Channel. Even if the critics hated it, she showed she could carry a film. It was the bridge between her childhood and the "Wrecking Ball" era. Without this movie, we might not have the Miley we know today. She learned how to be a leading lady on that set.
Is It Actually Good?
Depends on who you ask. If you're looking for an Oscar-winning masterpiece, no. If you're looking for a nostalgic, tear-jerker that captures the specific vibe of the late 2000s, it's a 10/10. It’s a movie that relies entirely on the charisma of its leads. Without the real-life chemistry, it probably would have flopped and been forgotten.
Actionable Insights for Fans
If you’re planning a re-watch or a trip to see where it all started, here’s the move:
- Watch for the Unscripted Moments: Pay attention to the scenes where they are just hanging out on the beach. You can see them laughing at things that clearly weren't in the script.
- Check Out the Soundtrack: Don't just stick to "When I Look At You." The score by Aaron Zigman is actually really solid and underrated.
- Visit Tybee Island: It's a short drive from Savannah. You can visit the Tybee Island Light Station and the beach areas used in the film. It's way more low-key than most movie locations.
- Read the Book: If the movie felt "rushed" to you, the Nicholas Sparks novel fills in a lot of the gaps regarding Ronnie's relationship with her mother and her past in New York.
The miley and liam movie remains a staple because it’s one of the few times we’ve seen a genuine, life-altering romance start on a film set and actually play out in the public eye for years. It’s messy, it’s dramatic, and honestly, it’s exactly what a Hollywood story should be.