It's not a reality-TV movie, but it is a real musical.
 
"From Justin to Kelly" stars "American Idol" contestants Kelly
Clarkson, who won last year, and Justin Guarini, the
runner-up.
 
Their more-or-less innocent spring-break movie is a structured,
old-fashioned outing not unlike the beach-party movies of 30 years
ago.
 
Today's audiences seem alarmed when strolling players on the
screen break into song - and the dozen or so songs in this movie
are obviously re-recorded or pre-recorded, adding to the
artificiality of it all.
 
But the movie is more talk than music, and the music, which all
sounds alike (urban pop, with a touch of hip-hop), is pleasant
enough.
 
Without a doubt, Kelly is a better singer than Justin. And,
without a doubt, Justin is a better actor than Kelly.
 
Together, they have some chemistry, though the plotting of a
jealous third party, Alexa (newcomer Katherine Bailess), keeps them
apart for most of the movie.
 
The spring-break story line is familiar: Three girls hit town
(Miami Beach), and three boys arrive at the same time. Of the six,
only Kelly and Justin make a pair.
 
Alexa's friend Kaya takes up with a local Cuban restaurant
worker, and one of the boys (the geeky one) spends the entire movie
trying to find his online female geek friend, who is looking
unsuccessfully for him.
 
Another running gag is the series of run-ins the third boy has
with the local beach cop (Theresa San-Nicholas), a stern character
who finally has an off-duty moment near the end of the
flick.
 
Utterly harmless is "From Justin to Kelly," kept squeaky-clean
for a PG rating, which will open it to the junior-high set.
 
Movies are probably not going to be the medium for Kelly
Clarkson, who is upstaged by Anika Rose Noni as Kaya, a young woman
with more personality. But Clarkson is a good singer, and her
recent album, "Thankful," went platinum, so she can laugh all the
way to the bank.
 
We might see more of Justin in movies - who knows? Miami Beach is
the real star of this travelogue with music.
 
From Justin to Kelly
Quality: 1 and 1/2  stars
Stars: Kelly Clarkson, Justin Guarini, Katherine Bailess
Director: Robert Iscove
Rating: PG (sensuality)