To thine own self be true

Camp Rock, the latest Disney Channel Original Movie that rocked the US featuring the world’s hottest band The Jonas Brothers (Joe, Kevin and Nick) and introducing Demi Lovato (touted as the next Miley Cyrus), will premiere tomorrow, 7:30 p.m., on Disney Channel.

Some critics may have called the film cheesy or mushy, but who cares? The movie’s target audience overwhelmingly gave it a seal of approval, with a US chart-topping TV debut, plus DVD debut at No. 1.

Alyssa Ignacio, a 12-year-old Fil-Am from Edison, New Jersey, said Camp Rock is a “must-see movie every person, young and old, can relate to.”

“Lying is bad, that’s the big lesson,” Alyssa said. “Don’t do something dumb that you will regret later. We’ve all heard that before, but it’s the Jonas Brothers who are sending the message...so we’re all listening.”

There’s really nothing spectacular about the plot, which you can easily guess from the title. But what makes Camp Rock an endearing fare is its powerful message to the youth camouflaged in catchy tunes that address questions of adolescent angst. It also has a touch of Cinderella and Little Mermaid (with some rock and roll twist), a feel of a Filipino movie, plus of course, the presence of its fresh and gorgeous stars — from the Jonas Brothers and Demi Lovato, to smokin’ hot Maria Canals-Barrera, the Cuban-American actress who plays Demi’s mother and who is an Eva Longoria look-alike in person.

In the tradition of Disney’s monster hit High School Musical, Camp Rock showcases a bunch of America’s fast-rising teen artists including two Filipino-American sensations Anna Maria Perez de Tagle (yes, the pretty and talented Hannah Montana co-star and granddaughter of the legendary Sylvia la Torre), and the adorable Roshan Fegan, whose dance moves with partner Jordan Francis will blow you away. Roshan and Jordan also have an electrifying song and dance number with Anna Maria with Hasta La Vista. The three also provide some of the movie’s funniest moments.

Directed by Emmy winner and Oscar nominee Matthew Diamond and executive produced by Emmy winner Alan Sacks, Camp Rock centers around aspiring singer-songwriter Mitchie Torres (Demi Lovato), whose working class parents can’t afford to send her to a prestigious summer camp for musically gifted musicians. A dutiful daughter who understands her parents who are hard up, she bids her Camp Rock dream goodbye until her mother, Connie (Maria Canals-Barrera), lands a job as the camp cook that entitles Mitchie to a discounted tuition. Mitchie’s mom allows her to attend camp on condition that she will help in the kitchen.

At the camp, Mitchie feels intimidated by the privileged kids and thinks she doesn’t fit in. To gain acceptance by the camp’s most populargirl — the rich, mean blonde Tess Tyler (remarkably played by Meaghan Jette Martin) — Mitchie introduces herself as the daughter of a music mogul overseas, hiding the fact that her mother is the camp cook and that she’s also working in the kitchen. Along the way, Mitchie meets Shane Gray (Joe Jonas), lead singer of the hugely-popular band Connect 3, who has been banished to Camp Rock as a punishment for being too egotistical and, yes, jerk. His bandmates (Kevin and Nick) want him to change and rediscover his passion for music by working as a counselor at Camp Rock, where Connect 3 started.

Mitchie and Shane develop a beautiful friendship and their innocent encounters are filled with kilig moments; for parents, think of the early Sharon Cuneta-Gabby Concepcion movies Dear Heart, P.S. I Love You and My Only Love.

But Tess Tyler also wants Shane. And whatever Tess wants.

Using her friends Ella (Anna Maria Perez de Tagle) and Peggy (Jasmine Richards), Tess makes it her mission to make Mitchie’s life hell. Luckily, Mitchie finds a loyal ally in Caitlyn (Alysson Stoner) and helps Mitchie give Tess a fair fight. How Tess will find out Mitchie’s true identity and the pain and humiliation Mitchie will endure when Shane and Mitchie’s moms learn about her lies are some of the highlights enough to put young viewers at the edge of their seats. (By the way, Kleenex, please!)

In between, the viewers are treated to superb Disney tunes one after another. Among our personal favorites are This Is Me (Demi/Joe), the finale song We Rock (cast), the rousing Start The Party (Jordan Francis) which sounds a lot like Justin Timberlake’s Dirty Pop, Gotta Find You (Joe), and the bouncy What It Takes (Aaryn Doyle) and Hasta La Vista (Roshon and Jordan).

Filipinos, in general, love the underdogs and they will surely find themselves rooting for Mitchie, a role played over and over in Philippine movies and TV series. Remember Regal Films’ ‘80s teen musical-romance, 14 Going Steady, where a young and beautiful Gretchen Barretto, who comes from a poor family, pretends to be the daughter of wealthy parents to win respect and acceptance in campus? Gretchen’s role learns great lessons in life when it was discovered who she really is.

Those who may be in Mitchie’s shoes will find a deeply inspiring message that acknowledging who you really are and believing in yourself is the only way to gain genuine acceptance, according to Demi Lovato at the New York press junket for Camp Rock at Manhattan’s Le Parker Meridien Hotel.

“Just be yourself and not try to be someone else will help you fit in well,” says Demi, who just turned 16 last Aug. 20. “I think that’s the real secret of winning your peers’ approval.”

The platinum-certified and multi-millionaires Jonas Brothers, whose feet are firmly planted on the ground in spite of their galactic success in the music business, said they have great respect for young people who don’t pretend to be what they are not.

“Just let people understand who you are,” said Kevin, who has a striking resemblance in person to Matt Evans. “You just can’t pretend to fit in. You have to love and accept yourself before others can accept you, or else.”

“Stay focused, work hard and reach for your dreams,” said the handsome Joe. “Don’t waste time thinking of what others think of you. What matters is you believe in yourself and that you are surrounded by people who care for you, like your parents or best friends.”

The powerful lines in the song This Is Me (sung beautifully by Demi, and also in a duet with Joe) say it all: I’ve always been the kind of girl that hid my face, so afraid to tell the world what I’ve got to say. But I have this dream right inside of me. I’m gonna let it show, it’s time to let you know. This is real, this is me I’m exactly where I’m supposed to be now. Gonna let the light shine on me. Now I’ve found who I am, there’s no way to hold it in. No more hiding who I want to be. This is me.”

Not a bad message when you consider all of the other wrong signals today’s youth are getting.