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'Just My Luck': Typical tween fare

In the new Lindsay Lohan movie "Just My Luck," opposites attract. Literally. And sometimes almost lethally.

Smart young New Yorker Ashley Albright (Lohan) leads an existence that's, well, all bright. When she leaves her apartment building, rainy skies turn sunny and at least two cabs are waiting at the curb. If she scratches a raffle ticket, she always wins. If something sticks to her shoes, it's probably a $20 bill. Forget 911; her cellphone speed dials Bergdorf's, Bendel's and a chi-chi sushi place.

20th Century Fox 'Just My Luck' C+ The verdict: Fun fluff for younger teens. Director: Donald Petrie Starring: Lindsay Lohan, Chris Pine, Samaire Armstrong, Faizon Love, Bree Turner Run time: 92 minutes Release date: May 12, 2006 Rating: PG-13 for some brief sexual references. See showtimes On the web Official movie site View the trailer    Trailers require Quicktime [an error occurred while processing this directive]

By contrast, Jake Hardin (Chris Pine) can't win for losing. It clouds up when he steps out the door. His umbrella always blows inside out. And cabs never stop for him. He carries around Band-Aids and a poncho in his backpack as a matter of course.

Their paths cross at a masquerade ball for a billionaire record producer (heartily played by Faizon Love) that Ashley has helped plan and Jake has crashed. His motive: to get the mogul to listen to the tape of a band (real-life Brit boy band McFly) he's handling. By chance, the planner and the crasher kiss, and along with exchanging saliva they switch luck. Sort of like "Prelude to a Kiss," except no one becomes an octogenarian or Meg Ryan.

It's a thin premise stretched paper thin into a feature-length romantic comedy. (Clue No. 1: It took five people to pull together the script.) But it's harmless enough and targets its tween audience perfectly.

Lohan has had a tabloid party-girl image in real life but never in her movies. "Just My Luck" is being billed as her first so-called "adult" role, so she kisses a lot of boys while she's trying to find Pine. And while she's no Lucille Ball, she handles her "I Love Lucy"-ish unlucky streak smoothly. As for Pine, he's a likable presence, though he's called on to do little more than hide his Brad Pitt good looks behind glasses, dark hair and geek clothes.

With "Mystic Pizza," "Miss Congeniality" and "How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days" on his résumé, director Donald Petrie can probably do this kind of thing in his sleep. It's to his credit he apparently kept at least one eye open here.