The transition from Disney’s child star to adult actress is a challenging feat, and few have managed it with ease. In 2006, Lindsay Lohan attempted this transformation by starring in the romantic comedy Just My Luck, directed by Donald Petrie.
Ashley Albright, the character portrayed by Lohan, is a 20-something employee at a Manhattan PR firm who enjoys incredible good fortune, manifesting itself as success in her professional life and the ability to date desirable men. In stark contrast, Jake Hardin, played by Chris Pine, manages a struggling British pop band McFly and is plagued by bad luck, turning each day into a series of embarrassing disasters. Their paths cross at a masquerade ball, where they share a kiss that seemingly reverses their fortunes. Ashley experiences failure for the first time in her life, losing her job and briefly ending up in prison before realising that the kiss might be responsible for this change. Meanwhile, Jake's career suddenly takes off.
Just My Luck is a textbook example of a "high concept" romantic comedy, with the high concept apparently exhausting all creativity by scriptwriters I. Marlene King and Amy B. Harris. The plot is utterly predictable, and the humor is of poor quality, often relying on repetitive slapstick jokes. One addition to the formula is the use of real British band McFly, whose members play themselves and contribute songs to the soundtrack. However, apart from their fans, it's unlikely this would mean much to the majority of the audience.
Director Donald Petrie, known for his comedies, does a solid job within the limits of the formulaic script but fails to elevate the overall impression of the film.
Lindsay Lohan's youthful charm makes the film watchable despite her character initially seeming unlikeable and shallow, akin to a caricature of Sex and the City heroines. Chris Pine also has some chemistry with Lohan but not enough to make this film very memorable.
Critics were not kind to Just My Luck, and audiences showed little enthusiasm either. Lohan's promising career took a downward trajectory due to her personal life antics that filled tabloid headlines more than attracting audiences to theaters.
As a standalone film, Just My Luck is a safe, formulaic piece of PG-13 fluff that can be enjoyed up to a point but can also be easily and justifiably forgotten.
RATING: 4/10 (+)
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