This shift aligns the film with modern sensibilities. Young audiences today value ambition and "the hustle." Finley’s struggle resonates because it mirrors the gig economy mindset—she is willing to do the grunt work (shoveling hay, playing a cow in the background) to get to where she wants to be. Madison’s performance is the anchor of the film; her expressive face and natural charisma make it easy to root for her success, not just her romance.
Madison, a former child star from The Bridge to Terabithia and Once Upon a Time , has the most demanding role. She isn’t just playing a dowdy servant girl; she has to play Finley, and then Finley playing the outrageous alter-ego “Harlow.” Harlow is all heavy eyeliner, accented speech, and theatrical hand gestures—a conscious parody of divas like Lady Gaga or Björk. Watching Madison switch between insecure Finley and bombastic Harlow mid-sentence is the film’s comedic engine. It’s a physical, vocal, and emotional showcase that proves she should headline more comedies. A Cinderella Story- Starstruck
Any Cinderella story centered on pop music lives or dies by its soundtrack. Starstruck delivers. The songs, co-written by the film’s director, Michelle Johnston, and various pop songwriters, have an undeniable earworm quality. The standout track, “The Kind of Girl I Am,” serves as Finley’s “Let It Go” moment—a power ballad about rejecting perfection and embracing one’s messy, authentic self. Jackson’s corporate pop anthem, “The Gold,” is intentionally generic, but when he duets with Finley on the acoustic “I Just Wanna Be With You,” the chemistry ignites. The final masquerade concert, where Finley performs as herself—not as Harlow—is a genuinely moving moment of catharsis. This shift aligns the film with modern sensibilities
But the true scene-stealer is Richard Harmon as the manager, Trevor. Harmon, known for darker roles in The 100 , plays Trevor as a manic, social-media-obsessed puppeteer. In one brilliant montage, he orchestrates a “bad boy” image for Jackson by staging a fake trash-can-kicking tantrum. He’s the face of the industry’s soul-crushing machinery, and you love to hate him. Madison, a former child star from The Bridge