Today’s Prayer Focus
MOVIE REVIEW

Just My Luck

MPA Rating: PG-13-Rating (MPA) for some brief sexual references.

Reviewed by: Sheri McMurray
CONTRIBUTOR

Moral Rating: Average
Moviemaking Quality:
Primary Audience: Teens
Genre: Comedy Romance
Length: 1 hr. 48 mins.
Year of Release: 2006
USA Release: May 12, 2006 (wide)
Copyright, 20th Century Fox Pictures Copyright, 20th Century Fox Pictures Copyright, 20th Century Fox Pictures Copyright, 20th Century Fox Pictures Copyright, 20th Century Fox Pictures Copyright, 20th Century Fox Pictures
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Sex, Love and Relationships
Learn how to make your love the best it can be. Christian answers to questions about sex, marriage, sexual addictions, and more. Valuable resources for Christian couples, singles and pastors.
Featuring Lindsay Lohan, Chris Pine, Samaire Armstrong, Carlos Ponce, Chris Carmack, Faizon Love, Missi Pyle, Makenzie Vega
Director Donald Petrie
Producer Arnon Milchan, Arnold Rifkin, Bruce Willis
Distributor
Distributor: Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation. Trademark logo.
20th Century Studios
, a subsidiary of The Walt Disney Studios, a division of The Walt Disney Company
Copyrighted, 20th Century Fox Pictures

This one is a fairly easy one to do because this review deals with subjects we all know well. Superstitions and Lindsay Lohan.

All kidding aside, the topic of luck guiding our lives should send a warning out to Christian parents of teen and pre teen kids, mostly girls, who will flock to see this cute, although dopey film. Then, no matter what her personal life has dished out, we tend to be at home with a movie with Lindsay Lohan in it, because customarily it is something we can send our kids to without too much precaution.

That said, “Just My Luck' is the story of Ashley Albright (cheerful but wasted performance by Lindsay Lohan), a bright and perky girl who’s just out of college and working at a celebrity-centered New York public-relations firm. Her boundless good luck is surpassed only by her own obliviousness to the misfortune of others. Happy-go-lucky (smile) and knowing her good fortune, Ashley draws people and handsome young men to her like a magnet. It seems her primary source of stress is party planning for her boss, Peggy Braden (a total caricature of the evil boss by Missi Pyle).

The pretension of her workplace is mirrored in her truly oblivious exchanges with her co-workers, who are also, conveniently, her best friends since High School: Dana (Bree Turner) and Maggie (Samaire Armstrong). Ashley is so used to getting everything she desires and is so conceited about it, we as an audience never connect with her utter horror over how much her life changes when her luck is taken away from her later in the film.

Jake Hardin, (Chris Pine, not quite the charismatic guy he should be) is a self-proclaimed unluckiest man alive, who gets soaked in every rainstorm, slips on every banana peel, trips over every crack in the sidewalk, and ignored by every cab. For some unknown reason Jake has been trusted by an up and coming band (McFly, named after the main character in the Back To The Future trilogy) to handle getting them a break out contract with the hottest studio in New York. Go figure.

Anyway, as luck would have it (smile #2) Jake just happens to meet up and has a dance with Ashley at a high-octane party she has lavished-out for her boss. Their kiss (which happens only 15 seconds after they meet) not only allows their germs to meet cute, it also magically transfers her luck to him!

As the inevitable result, Jake nabs a great job from record mogul Damon Phillips (Faizon Love) and coincidentally that break out music deal for his rock-band friends! He now can hail a cab by lifting his pinky, while Ashley winds up on the receiving end of those pesky rainstorms, trips, dips and all around klutziness Jake once possessed.

The rest of the movie, predictably centers on these two finding one another, getting their kisses exchanged again and hopefully getting their own lives back. The complication, as is expected, is that they fall in love and ultimately want what is best for the other.

“Just My Luck” is a flimsy, formulaic film who’s few saving graces include a drool-worthy wardrobe and a few slapstick giggles that Lindsay is so perfect at. If only her publicity people had spent a fraction of the energy they put out propelling her into the adult world of “dish” and instead finding Ms. Lohan a worthwhile vehicle to launch her new “grown-up” persona, this might be a very different review as she is a fine comedic actress.

The PG-13 rating (for some brief sexual references) is accurate. The idea of sexual relationships starting after the first dance, the first date or the first kiss runs rampant in today’s teen romance comedies and is something parents need to talk over with their teen and pre teen kids. Although subtle, the reference is clear. This is the world’s idea of love and not God’s.

Which brings me to spiritual warfare.

There is an unseen war going on and the main target, if you as Christian parents haven’t already guessed, is the young and ungrounded. Some obvious temptations are drugs, promiscuity, and the general party scene. But lets not loose our focus on the obscure. Luck is not a valid path. No fortune teller, psychic network or tarot card can guide anyone except to the path toward confusion. Cloaked in the cute and just-for-fun guise of teen comedy, the indirect and innuendo is there. The suggestion to the young that luck is real and viable is more dangerous than any outright example such as underage drinking and drug use.

Even though I can advise you as to how many cuss words are used in this film (sh** x 2, holy crap once and several expressions of “SOL”), and sex scenes or nudity (none), it is the ease and matter-of-fact supposition that luck, karma, fortune tellers and superstition are real choices a person can use to guide their lives is of much more concern!

In a world sovereignly controlled by God, there is no “luck,” there are no coincidences. The rules of the game are black and white, light verses darkness, death or life, there is no in-between. Even the most innocent entertainment can manipulate in Satan’s favor. The character’s “luck,” or lack thereof, is so superficial that it’s tempting to chalk most of it up to stupidity and to just plain clumsiness. It also raises the questions: What would either of them do in a situation that was not just inconvenient but actually difficult? Who should they rely on besides the fortune teller, palm reader, personal karma or the idea of blind fate?

Parents tell your kids that every believer is subject to the wiles of the enemy. Satan has crafted deception into an art because he knows it is the most effective way to destroy us. The Bible gives us a heads-up when it comes to Satan’s style of attack. Looking back on the very first deception, Eve was blindsided because she didn’t expect the enemy to deceive her. Here is where you can teach your children to be aware, even in the pages of books or the characters on the screen, that the enemy is there. When we simply expect the unexpected, we can defend ourselves against the wiles of the devil and his subtle messages, even within the harmless concept of luck.

It is important for teens and young adults to recognize they are being watched and tempted by an unseen enemy. The devil wants to attack God’s people from within. Most of us are being shocked and numbed to a point of inactivity. Teach your children to put on the whole armor of God, not just bits and pieces of it. They simply can’t afford to be careless with their Christianity when confronted by ungodly concepts.

“Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand the evil day, and having done all, to stand” (Ephesians 6:13).

I am not saying don’t go see this cute, light hearted movie, what I am saying is for parents to be sure their kids have a strong grasp of the subtle ways the enemy can change their minds. To be grounded in scripture and know when to guard against the devil’s schemes in our lives. Listen to Peter’s warning and listen to your parent’s teachings in scriptural things:

“Likewise you younger people, submit yourselves to your elders” (1 Peter 5:5).

Tweens and teens will love the clothes and the colorful staging. Ground them in God’s word and send them out knowing they will have fun with this movie, and that God (not luck)rules their lives with Power:

“Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace and believing, that you may abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit” (Romans 15:13).

and that God rules with Sound Mind:

“…we can understand these things, for we have the Mind of Christ.” (1 Corinthians 2:16)

Luck doesn’t really exist in our world and Tarot Cards do not tell our future. It is supernatural, however, this force which guides us and that supreme force is The God of Heaven, Jesus Christ.

Violence: None / Profanity: Mild / Sex/Nudity: None

See list of Relevant Issues—questions-and-answers.


Viewer CommentsSend your comments
Positive—I do NOT believe in luck. I believe that God is in control of everything. With that said, I did like the movie; it was clean for the most part. There were a few curse words. What I liked about the movie was the fact that Lindsey Lohan realized that she didn’t need her luck in her life to make her happy, but she needed Chris Pine in her life. Chris Pine is really attractive and acted really well in this movie. Lindsey Lohan did well also.
My Ratings: Good / 4
Aleshia Horner, age 18
Comments from young people
Neutral—I saw this movie with my friends and hoped to laugh myself silly. I was a little disappointed. It wasn’t that bad as far as morality, even though there was a lot of talk about karma, tarot cards, and of course, luck. I can’t really see why it was PG-13 other than the few cuss words. The only thing I was really disappointed with was the movie making. I didn’t think it was very funny. There were funny parts. It was like they were trying to do “I Love Lucy,” but failed without an actress talented enough to pull off what Lucille Ball could. Chris Pine was good as the lovable guy you really wanted to win, but even though I love Lindsay Lohan, it seemed like this role didn’t fit her. As I said before, there wasn’t anything so bad that you couldn’t take a pre-teen to see but it just wasn’t that funny. If you want to go see it, go, but be prepared for a movie that would be better off rented.
My Ratings: Better than Average / 2
Tara, age 17
Negative—I thought this movie was one of the worst I have seen in a long time. The plot was horrible… everyone knows you can’t have luck switched by a kiss… I think the idea is horrible. There is places were they implement they had sex, and Ashley’s neighbor was a male prostitute. They make out a lot. It isn’t an entirely bad movie, but the bad overshadows the good by too much. I went with 10 other people and they all thought it was horrible too. DO NOT WASTE YOUR MONEY ON THIS!!
My Ratings: Offensive / 2
Ashley, age 14
Positive—…I really liked it. It was very funny, and it kept me entertained! Lindsay Lohan and Chris Pine had very good chemistry and worked very good together! There were a few things I didn’t like, though. For example, when her company throws a masquerade ball, they have a fortune teller there. Also Lohan’s character, who is planning the party says that she wants the party to have private rooms so that people can feel like “anything” can happen there. But there were a lot of things I DID like in it, too. Like whenever one of the main characters luck would turn, they always had a great attitude and looked at the situation as something that would make them a better person! Some of my favorite parts are closer to the end, so I can’t mention them or else it would spoil the movie! The language was very mild compared to most PG-13 movies. …I would recommend it to people 12 and older, but probably no younger.
My Ratings: Average / 4
Brooke, age 12
Positive— I liked this movie it was great, not to much sexuality, good moral. The kissing was not too bad, but most of the point was that she kissed a man and the luck went to him. …quite a few swearing in it, but the story was great. I wouldn’t take kids under 10 to it. In a scene Lindsey Lohan answered the door in her briefs, but only stuck her head out the door. Her neighbor was a prostitute…
My Ratings: Better than Average / 5
Megan, age 15
Positive—I loved this film because one of my favorite actresses is Lindsey Lohan, but also there was not any sex scenes or cussing in it, but not only that there was a good storyline when accidentally she gave him her luck, but when things got better with her, she realized there was someone who needed the luck more than her.
My Ratings: Excellent! / 5
Madison, age 12
Negative—This is the stupidest movie I have ever seen. I usually don’t like Lindsey Lohan movies, But, I decided to rent this at the video store. Me and my two sisters ages 10 and 14 saw it. All three of us hated it. Don’t waste your money seeing this movie.
My Ratings: Offensive / 1
Ashley, age 13
Neutral—As an average teenager, I must admit that this movie did catch my eye just from the previews, so I decided to give it a chance when it came out by going to see it. I wasn’t overly disappointed in the movie as a whole, but certain things from a Christian point-of-view did send up a few red flags. For instance, though there is not a ton of language in the movie, there is a moderate amount. This movie also contains, as the MPA rating expresses, some brief sexual references. I won’t go into detail on either of these in my review, but I will let you know that they could constitute as enough to offend some of the Christian viewers out there. I still can’t understand why they put stuff like language and sexual references into movies that could otherwise be really good family films, but I guess you can’t expect non-Christians to act as if they are saved. Aside from these turnoffs to the movie, this movie is a very cute romance movie between the star, Lindsay Lohan, and her co-star, Chris Pine, and showcases some very good morals when it comes to sacrificing something that you want to help out someone else that you love. This is really one of those movies where you should watch it for yourself to decide, so even though I won’t strongly recommend it for you to watch, I will leave it up for you to decide based upon what you may have read in my review and others like mine.
My Ratings: Average / 4
Ashton Kyle, age 14
Positive—For me, I really don’t believe in luck because as a Christian I only rely on how God would control my life. I wholeheartedly trust Him for His plans in my life so I don’t need any luck to feel that I have a good fortune. Instead of believing in those fortune-telling psychics (but I believe in visions, because they also exist in the Bible) and zodiac signs (which I sometimes read and an honest mistake, I almost fall for it), I leave all to God’s hands and if ever something goes wrong, I positively think that it is included in His plan.

I decided to look for another moral I can get in the movie—love. The true meaning of good fortune for me is finding yourself being with your true love and spending the time being with him. With the grace of God you’re on your way to true happiness. For love cannot be measured nor can be contain for one only. It must be shared to everyone and let them feel the magic that once you experienced it, you don’t want to let go and just want to keep holding on. But knowing the consequences, you must be ready to face the pains and sacrifices in loving. (Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs” 1 Corinthians 13:4-8).
My Ratings: Very Offensive / 1½
Hannah, age 15