Year: 2006
Runtime: 103 min
Language: English
Director: Donald Petrie
Ashley's charmed life in New York City takes an unexpected turn after a kiss at a masquerade ball. She inadvertently exchanges luck with Jake, a hapless romantic. Suddenly, Ashley's glamorous existence unravels as misfortunes pile up, while Jake finds himself experiencing incredible success. Determined to reclaim her fortune and restore balance, Ashley embarks on a journey of self-discovery and romance, navigating a whimsical world where fate is anything but predictable.
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In New York City, Ashley Albright, Lindsay Lohan, a public relations executive at Braden & Co., has enjoyed extraordinary good fortune since childhood, while Jake Hardin, Chris Pine, an aspiring music producer who works as a janitor, endures a string of daily misfortunes. Jake manages the British band McFly and has been struggling to get their demo into the hands of Damon Phillips, a sharp record executive who could change the band’s fate.
At a glamorous masquerade ball hosted by Ashley’s firm, Jake sneaks in hoping to meet Phillips. A mysterious fortune teller at the event prophesies that Ashley’s luck will soon shift. During the ball, the two share a dance and a kiss, and unknowingly swap their fortunes—their lives begin to tilt in opposite directions.
After the kiss, Jake saves Phillips from a dangerous collision, and Phillips takes the McFly demo seriously, deciding to work with the band. Meanwhile, Ashley’s world falls apart: she’s arrested with her boss, Peggy, when an invited guest is revealed to be a prostitute; she loses her job, and her apartment is condemned due to flooding and mold. With nowhere else to go, she moves in with friends Maggie and Dana.
Desperate to reverse the reversal of fortune, Ashley contacts the fortune teller, who explains that someone else’s luck is needed to restore balance. She concludes that the masked stranger she kissed must hold that luck. Jake’s life begins to improve, while Ashley desperately tries to reclaim her luck by kissing every male dancer from the ball—without success. A breakdown at a diner leaves her drained, and Jake—unaware of who she truly is—offers her a job at the bowling alley he just left.
The two become friends, and Ashley introduces Jake to Maggie, a singer-songwriter. He decides to feature Maggie’s song in an upcoming McFly concert at the Hard Rock Cafe. Ashley overhears Jake telling someone that his luck changed after the masquerade; realizing he was the masked dancer, she kisses him again and regains her own luck.
Peggy offers to rehire Ashley if she helps with a crucial client meeting. Ashley discovers Maggie’s song has been pulled from the concert lineup, and Jake and McFly begin to suffer more misfortune. Ashley skips the meeting and goes straight to the concert venue, where she kisses Jake and transfers the luck back to him. The concert goes on, and Maggie’s song is performed to cheers.
With departure looming, Ashley prepares to leave New York. Jake finds her at Grand Central Terminal and admits that he was the lucky masked dancer; he says he’s willing to give up his luck to be with her. They kiss again, and their fortunes continue to shift in tandem. When their friend Katy arrives, they all kiss her on the cheeks, transferring some of the luck to her. Katy ends up winning a $25 lottery ticket. As Jake and Ashley walk outside together, a burst water pipe erupts, bursting around them as they step into the next chapter of their intertwined lives.
Last Updated: October 09, 2025 at 15:37
Discover curated groups of movies connected by mood, themes, and story style. Browse collections built around emotion, atmosphere, and narrative focus to easily find films that match what you feel like watching right now.
Stories where magical forces playfully trade the fortunes of unlikely characters.If you enjoyed the magical luck exchange in Just My Luck, you'll love these movies where whimsical forces turn lives upside down. Discover similar fantastical comedies and romantic stories that explore destiny, chance, and the hilarious chaos of traded fortunes.
The narrative typically begins with an unexpected magical event that reverses the circumstances of two characters, often a fortunate and an unlucky person. The plot then follows a series of escalating, fast-paced mishaps and windfalls as each character adapts to their new reality. The central conflict involves the quest to understand or reverse the swap, which ultimately leads to self-discovery and a resolution that reinforces the value of authenticity over sheer luck.
These films are grouped together because they share a core playful premise of metaphysical exchange, a consistently whimsical and lighthearted tone, and a narrative structure that uses fantasy to explore themes of personal growth and romantic connection without heavy emotional stakes.
Energetic love stories where a single event triggers a cascade of humorous mishaps.Fans of the energetic and chaotic fun in Just My Luck will enjoy these fast-paced romantic comedies. Find movies with similar lighthearted chaos, charming romantic leads, and a series of humorous misunderstandings that lead to love and self-discovery.
The plot is set in motion by a single, often improbable, event that creates immediate and ongoing complications for the protagonist. The story unfolds through a rapid sequence of comedic set pieces and escalating situations, maintaining high energy. The character arcs are straightforward, focusing on learning a simple but important life lesson about love or authenticity by the time the chaos resolves into a happy ending.
These movies are united by their fast pacing, light emotional weight, and a structure built around a central comedic premise that generates continuous, playful tension. They deliver a consistently charming and upbeat experience centered on romance and humorous misfortune.
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Track the full timeline of Just My Luck with every major event arranged chronologically. Perfect for decoding non-linear storytelling, flashbacks, or parallel narratives with a clear scene-by-scene breakdown.
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