Ladies and gentlemen: Angelina Jolie's lips. And a platinum dye job. That's really the star of this film. Director Stephen Herek knows it and makes no bones about it when filming the piece. Jolie is a property and Herek gives her a real chance to shine - or maybe that should be, gloss.

"Life or Something Like It" has a really tired plot. A myopic and career-oriented, female television journalist named Lanie Kerigan (Jolie) doing a piece on a homeless psychic (Tony Shaloub, who is wasted here) is told she will die in a week. When his other less horrific predictions come true, Lanie is convinced she is doomed. Thrown into the mix is Lanie's opportunity for a promotion to a national show and a goofy but loveable hunk cameraman (Ed Burns).

The premise is simple: What would you do if you knew you only had a week to live? Scripter John Scott Shepard doesn't even attempt new ground. Lanie attempts a reconciliation with her sister and parties a lot. How do we know she is in the throws of depression? She puts on a Social Distortion t-shirt, listens to her old punk records and stops showering. Furthermore, she questions her shallow relationship with a pro baseball player and wonders about sleeping with the camera guy.

There are no huge issues at stake here. The film keeps it simple and offers up the most transparent platitudes. Most obviously failing in the script is Lanie's reconciliation with her father, where the old man does a 180 from his previous appearance (where he ignores Lanie and allows her sister to goad her) and turns into a good guy.

But for all its obvious failings, "Life or Something Like It" works okay. Jolie is awesome and turns in a performance that really makes you care. Her climactic scene with Stockard Channing is one of the most raw and honest moments to be seen in a big-budgeted Hollywood flick in a long time.

Herek must be given credit here. It is his insistence on truth that often makes the film work. In addition to the aforementioned interview scene, there are several moments that run a little long and a little slow. But Herek has a point and is trying to tell a story. I bet he had to fight to keep some studio blockhead from making him cut earlier on a few segments.

Of course, Herek can be just as easily cheesy and contrived. Of particular disgust is the score by David Newman ("American Beauty") which continually insists on being "magical" at every opportunity. It's is often forced and glaring.

"Life or Something Like It" is no masterpiece. But when you combine the talents of Jolie, Herek and Channing, you can't help but get something watchable. Still, it might be better to take the film's theme to heart and simply go out and live for awhile; stop and smell some roses, rather than waste 90 minutes on a story we've seen far too many times.

Report Card Script: C+ Acting: B+ Cinematography\Lighting: B Special Effects\Make Up: B+ Music: D- Final Grade: C+

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