About Kelly :
The stepfather decides Kelly needs some discipline in her life, and her mother agrees, so she goes to the military school. Kelly at first has trouble fitting in, but gradually she improves and even helps the school win second place at a drill competition. Many critics and viewers have commented that Kelly is one of the most appealing characters in a Disney film because of her great love for her family and her willingness to do anything for them. For example, although she is frightened of heights in the end of the film, she climbs down a cliff to rescue her biological father and thus also wins the love and respect of her stepfather. Many have also commented on the chemistry between Duff and Christy Carlson Romano who plays tough cadet captain Jennifer Stone. Although the captain at first views Kelly as a "little maggot", the two eventually develop a bond of respect demonstrated by the routine that they perform at the end of the film. The producers and directors of Cadet Kelly used actual military personnel as technical advisors especially during the drill team sequences.
