It is hard to resist singing along to a machine that provides both the musical accompaniment and lyrics to a famous song. I will always remember my one and only experience with karaoke. I was at the Kentucky Fairgrounds in Louisville in 1993, and the karaoke machine there offered one of my favorite songs, “Secret Agent Man.” I figured, “why not?” While I didn’t make anyone forget Johnny Rivers, I received applause for my efforts.

For most people, performing is good, harmless fun which hardly anyone takes very seriously. The new film “Duets” has us believe that for some misguided people, karaoke is life itself. Writer/producer John Byrum introduces us to a world where some people will sell their souls to win a $50 first prize in a karaoke. While you may have heard of pool and poker hustlers, writer Byrum makes us aware of a new type of nefarious individual: the karaoke hustler. I feel safer now that I’ve been warned.

I could even buy into some of these ridiculous premises if the acting, script, and overall direction were better. The crux of “Duets” is how a number of disparate individuals are thrown together by fate, just in time for that grand $5,000 winner-take-all karaoke showdown in the big town: Omaha, Nebraska.

Let’s meet the characters. There is Ricky Dean (Huey Lewis), a guy whose schtick is looking like a nerdy businessman in a bar and then striking up an insulting conversation with the reigning karaoke king. Ricky always goads the local champ into making a sizable wager on who can win the crowd over most, a contest which Ricky the Ringer always wins. Huey Lewis, of course, is best known as the handsome lead singer of the platinum-selling band, Huey Lewis & The News. Lewis can sing, which makes him a natural for this role. Unfortunately, Lewis is completely wooden, and it is unbearable to watch him deliver dialog. When it comes to acting, Huey Lewis makes Neil Diamond look like Al Pacino.

After pulling off a Karaoke hustle in Tulsa, Ricky is summoned to Las Vegas to attend the funeral of an old flame. Once there, Ricky learns from the deceased woman’s mother that he has a grown daughter, Liv (Gwyneth Paltrow), who was born after the two had split up. Bad acting must be contagious. The film comes to complete stop whenever Paltrow and Lewis share screen time, which unfortunately is quite frequent. Paltrow recites her lines in such an unconvincing manner that I had to check her press kit bio to make sure she really did win that Oscar for her performance in “Shakespeare In Love.” If there is any justice in this world, she will earn the Golden Raspberry Award this year for worst lead actress. It was obvious that she only took this role as a favor to her father. Bruce Paltrow has not directed many films, and I am certain that the Disney folks would only green light this flick if he could get his famous daughter to co-star in it.

If it is any consolation to Lewis and Paltrow, their lousy work is matched by that of Maria Bello and Scott Speedman. Bello plays a tough-as-nails woman named Susie Loomis, who will prostitute herself in any way imaginable to win a karaoke contest. She is befriended by a dim-witted, kindhearted cab driver named Billy Hannon (Scott Speedman). Bello is a grating presence, while Matthew McConaughey look-alike Scott Speedman sleepwalks through his part.

The only actors who make it through unscathed are Paul Giamatti and Andre Braugher. Giamatti’s Todd Woods is a real estate developer on the verge of a nervous breakdown who accidentally wanders into a karaoke bar and is encouraged by an attractive patron to give it a try. Woods is so exhilarated by the experience that he decides to chuck his old life behind and take a road trip across the country to visit more karaoke bars. While driving, he picks up a hitchhiker, Reggie Kane (Andre Braugher), who has just busted out of prison. Despite the vast differences in their backgrounds, the two hit it off. Braugher gives his character a dignity which is sadly missing almost everywhere else in this film. It is too bad that the filmmakers try to strip him of it by making him sing an a capella version of Lynyrd Skynyrd’s “Free Bird” as the law inevitably closes in. It doesn’t get more hokey that that.

The ironic parts of “Duets” is that all of the actors sing quite well even though none of them were ever known for carrying a tune. Paul Giamatti shines on Todd Rundgren’s “Hello It’s Me” and the old chestnut, “Try A Little Tenderness,” while Maria Bello would make Bonnie Raitt proud on “I Can’t Make You Love Me.” Gwyneth Paltrow has limited range but gets more than just a passing grade on “Bette Davis Eyes” and Cruising.” I have a feeling that Bello and Paltrow concentrated so much on their singing for this film that they forget what their days jobs were.

“Duets” is a dud to watch but a joy to listen to. My advice is to skip this film and buy the soundtrack album.