Cadet Kelly

Cadet Kelly is a 2002 Disney Channel Original Movie starring Hilary Duff and Christy Carlson Romano. The film premiered with 7.8 million viewers. It is Duff's second starring film role, her first being Casper Meets Wendy. This was Disney Channel's second film filmed in Canada. Plot Kelly Collins (Hilary Duff), is a free-spirited high schooler whose mother marries Brigadier General Joe "Sir" Maxwell (Gary Cole). When her new stepfather becomes the Commandant of a military school, George Washington Military Academy, Kelly and her mom move upstate. Kelly has to enroll at the school, since it is the only school in the area, leaving behind her art school and her best friend Amanda (Sarah Gadon). On her first day at military school, she befriends Carla (Andrea Lewis), a girl who has been there for a long time and shows her the ropes. Kelly, at first, has trouble fitting in and obeying the orders of the officers above her, especially Cadet Captain Jennifer Stone (Christy Carlson Romano), who has a crush on Cadet Major Brad Rigby (Shawn Ashmore). Kelly feels drawn to Brad instantly, and competes with Captain Stone for his attention. Captain Stone does not treat Kelly well, verbally abusing her by calling her "maggot" and destroying her personal belongings. After taking a long time to complete an obstacle course, Captain Stone has Kelly take the course again. After getting all dirty from the course and finishing it, Kelly heads to the dance, but accidentally stumbles and ruins Captain Stone's dress at the dance, much to her anger. Her stepfather talks to Kelly in his office about the incident and what the teachers are saying about her. At home, Kelly is ready to tell her mom about her feelings and opinions of the new school, but before she could even start, her mother reveals to her that Kelly is going to have a half-sibling (implying that her mother and her stepfather are going to have a baby together). Seeing that her mom needs her support, she vows to help her stepfather learn how to take care of a child and make him "ready" to be a dad. To get back at Captain Stone for destroying one of her blankets, Kelly decides to paint Stone's hair in the middle of the night as payback, in the same pattern as a blanket that Stone ruined. The next day, Captain Stone gives Kelly a citation, so she is forced to appear in Cadet Court. In Cadet Court, she is found guilty of many infractions.