Oops . . . I did it again. A couple of weeks ago I vowed to stop wasting my time and money on teeny-bopper flicks, but my masochistic streak reared its ugly head and I did it again. Let's face it, there's no ignoring Britney.

I waited in line Friday night, along with the entire population of State College's middle school and junior high.

Yes, Britney's slaves were out in full-force for the opening of her first feature film Crossroads.

I was pushed, I was shoved, I was even subjected to listening to 13-year-olds practicing their Spanish lesson of the day. I witnessed a few anxiety attacks, a couple of nervous breakdowns -- there's nothing quite like a whiny preteen. Apparently, the drama came from the fact that if one did not see Britney's film he or she just wasn't cool. What would you talk about in Spanish class on Monday? Or more importantly, at the bus stop?

While the grandmas and daddies tried to subdue their traumatized teens, the doors to the theater opened. The crowd erupted with so much screaming and shrieking I thought Britney herself had ventured to Benner Pike to do the honors.

Once in the theater, the situation only got worse. Kids ran down the isle of the theater vying for the perfect seat, many dressed in their favorite Britney-inspired ensemble.

When the film began, another outpouring of emotion came from the audience. By this time, I had one hell of a headache. The crowd was subdued by the film's opening -- a soft porn version of Britney singing Madonna's "Open Your Heart." Britney danced and jumped on a bed wearing a tiny tank top and boy's underwear. I couldn't help but wonder when filmmakers will realize that girls don't dance in boys underwear -- it was stupid in Charlie's Angels when Cameron Diaz did, it didn't work in Uncle Kracker's "Follow Me" video, and it didn't help Britney either.

Britney Spears plays Lucy, who's not a girl but not yet a woman. Lucy is the valedictorian of her high school, her mother has abandoned her and her father (Dan Aykroyd) is very overprotective. Lucy, along with two of her best friends, planted a box of wishes when she was eight years old. The girls vowed to dig up the box the night of their high school graduation.

But by high school none of the girls are friends. Kit (Zoe Saldana) is popular and engaged to her high school sweetheart; Mimi (Taryn Manning) is pregnant and an outcast; Lucy is too perfect for anyone.

But the three do end up meeting and digging up the box. When they see their wishes -- Kit wanted to get married, Mimi wanted to see the world, and Lucy wanted to find her mother -- they plan a road trip to make all their dreams come true.

The strongest part of the movie is the road trip -- they travel from rural Georgia to Los Angeles. Each actress plays her respective role well, plus the film has good music along the way -- a necessity for any successful road trip.

Anson Mount plays Ben, the guy who drives them to California. Mount's character offers some humor along the way. Eventually Ben and Lucy hook up.

The film's ending is pure cheese. The entire theater was laughing; it was that bad. The film itself, however, was not too bad. It was light-hearted, quick and fun.

Director Tamra Davis, who also directed Half Baked and Billy Madison, took the film just seriously enough -- parts of the movie are a little heavy while most of it is pretty superficial.

Kim Cattrall, of Sex and the City, cameos as Lucy's mom, while Spears' younger sister, Erinn Hughes, cameos as a young Lucy.

At the end of the film, Lucy, Mimi and Kit are stronger than yesterday. I, too, felt stronger, just knowing I made it through.