Casting Hilary Duff for the role of Terri Fletcher in “Raise Your Voice” may have seemed like an excellent idea, but her good looks and current popularity could not rise above her lack acting talent.

Sixteen-year-old Terri Fletcher (Hilary Duff) can’t get her father’s approval on a music summer program in Los Angeles. Being from Los Angeles himself, the father (David Keith) knows exactly what the “scene” in L.A is like, completely discarding the idea.

When an unexpected tragedy strikes her family, Terri feels responsibie and puts aside her dreams of attending Bristoll Hilman Music Conservatory. Terri’s mom (Rita Wilson) and her sister-in-law (Rebecca De Mornay) were determined to help Terri participate in it despite her guilt of what happened.

Convincing the father to let Terri spend the summer with her aunt in Palm Desert, she was able to attend the music conservatory without him knowing. When she first arrived it appeared as if everything was going against her favor.

From her rude outspoken roommate to her heart throb love interest and his protective territorial ex girlfriend, Jay, played by Oliver James, played the role of her guardian angel.

When Terri couldn’t handle the hardships anymore, Jay convinced her to stay and participate in a duet with him at the final performance.

Writer Sam Schreiber and director Sean McNamara originally offered the roles of Terri Fletcher and Jay to Evan Rachel Wood, star of critically acclaimed movie “Thirteen” and Jonathan Jackson from the magical story tale “Tuck Everlasting.”

Unfortunately, dropping out because of production changes, casting them in the movie could have potentially saved it from bombing in the box office, as well as making it a deeper movie targeting older teens.

Aimed at girls aged anywhere from 9 to 18 years old, the movie deals with issues most teenagers can relate to, but on a very scaled down version. The plot itself is well thought out and very convincing, but the actors are not. With the corny lines and very obvious lip-synching, Hilary Duff’s performance is disappointing.

The remaining cast mostly consists of new comers to the movie screen and are not impressive either. The young cast, with its monotone voices and overdone reactions, help contribute to the almost mind-numbing movie. The film tries to put too much attitude and personality into actors who had insignificant parts and not enough into the main characters.

The ending, although very predictable and cheesy, was a prefect finale for this teen pop movie. “Raise Your Voice” is playing in theaters now.