WITH A LITTLE LUCK

Superstitious young woman has doubts about her latest boyfriend.

Cute Los Angeles DJ Berry Lambert has a lot going for her. There is the semi-cool job at a classic-rock station, her hip restaurateur best friend Nat and her sweet dog Moose. But she also lives by an ironclad set of rules based on her own notion of good and bad luck. Black cats, even numbers—you name it—all portend certain doom to her. With a view of the world shaped by her professional gambler father, an affable degenerate with few misgivings about taking money from his “good luck charm” daughter, Berry sees traps everywhere. That is why, after quickly losing two different guys, she figures that her next man (rule of threes) will soon be history as well, leaving her ready to meet her soul mate. Enter Ryan Riley, who hosts a Loveline-style show at her sister station. They go on a date as part of a radio stunt, and their bantering chemistry is enough for their bosses to offer them a morning talk-show gig. Berry takes it to please Ryan, in spite of her misgivings about their future together. Morning Mayhem with Riley and Lambert is a hit, and off duty they continue to grow close, with all the highs and lows associated with any new relationship. But a thoughtless on-air comment by Ryan ribbing her about her idiosyncrasies gives Berry the perfect excuse to cut and run. It is a decision she quickly regrets until a new guy shows up who seems more her type, complicating everything. Crane (Family Affair, 2009, etc.) has once again built a story around an adorable/annoying girl with a self-conscious set of quirks. But she does not ignore the very real repercussions of Berry’s self defeating behavior, leaving room for real character growth.

Satisfying romantic comedy minus a too-sweet aftertaste.