Drew Barrymore

Never Been Kissed
$14.98
I love Drew Barrymore, but there is a reason that she has Never Been Kissed, and it is because of her horrible acting. The Executive Producer should have fired her on the spot, but wait a minute. She WAS the executive producer. That explains a lot. This is the first film in Drew's producer resume, and her acting is OK in parts, but she only partially redeems herself, because when she is bad, she is very bad.

She is playing a copy editor at Chicago Sun Times who has been given a chance to be a reporter. Her assignment: go back to High School posing as a student and dig up a scandal. Her return to High School triggers all kinds of painful flash backs, because she was a major geek. They all called her Josie Grossie. As an uptight copy editor, always correcting everyone's grammar, she is OK. When she goes back to High School, she is really bad. The script was not her BFF, either:

---------------
Guy Perkins: Hi, I'm Guy.
Josie Geller: Yes, you are a guy. Quite a guy. Oh my. Hey, that rhymes! Yikes. Bikes!
Guy Perkins: Are you in special-ed? I mean, are you?
Kristin Davis: A Geek?
Gibby Zerefski: You totally just said that out load.
==========================================

David Arquette plays her brother. He was popular in High School, where he was a talented baseball player, but since he never made it to the Big Leagues, his High School years were the highlight of his life, and it was downhill fast from there. He goes back for another shot, and also to help her infiltrate the cool kids. Once Josie gets to drop the geek act, then she does much better. But still, that is not enough to save this movie from the terrible story. It just doesn't work, and it doesn't allow her to really get back at the guy who asked her to the prom only to drive by in the limo and egg her. That, or something similar, would have made the catharsis complete.

You'd think that after so many movies have been done in this whole High School genre, what works and what don't work would be obvious. Yet, the writers decided unwisely to reinvent the wheel, and that is why this vehicle never goes anywhere. They didn't plan to fail, they just failed to plan.

On the bright side, Molly Shannon as Anita, and John C. Reilly as Gus, were both funny, as usual. Shannon especially. Sean Whalen shows the makings of a good character actor, as Merkin, Josie's assistant. Leelee Sobieski as Aldys, a girl from the outcast math club, The Denominators, who befriends Josie early on, is someone to watch for. A couple of small parts were played by actors who went on to bigger and better things, so don't miss James Franco and Jessica Alba.

At the prom there are slow dances to "Please, Please, Please, Let Me Get What I Want" (Written by Johnny Marr and Steven Patrick Morrissey and performed by The Smiths) and "Don't Worry Baby" (Written by Brian Wilson and Roger Christian and performed by The Beach Boys). "Please, Please, Please, Let Me Get What I Want" was also in the prom scene in Pretty in Pink.

Bottom line, Never Been Kissed is a weak addition to the High School movie genre, but nevertheless you still might enjoy it if you like Drew Barrymore enough to put up with her less than stellar performance.

10 Movies That Are WAY Better Than Never Been Kissed (1999)

Heathers - 20th High School Reunion Edition (1988)
Mean Girls (Special Collector's Edition) (2004)
Pretty in Pink (1986)
The Breakfast Club (1985)
Sixteen Candles (1984)
10 Things I Hate About You (1999)
Romy and Michele's High School Reunion (1997)
Grosse Pointe Blank (1997)
Down to You (2000)
She's All That (1999)

-----------
Josie Geller: Somebody once said, "To write well, you have to write what you know." Well, here is what I know...
==========================

Grey Gardens (HBO)
$26.98
so glad I saw this movie! I then went on to also see the documentary and the extra footage! a very unique pair!

Little Girl Lost
$7.99
A fascinating look into the world of a troubled 14-year-old girl and the ghost writer who sucks almost as bad as she does at making sentences.

I gave it five stars because really, don't you know what you're getting here? This book is review proof.

Happily Ever After: The Drew Barrymore Story
$15.00
xcellent read for fans of Drew Barrymore. This book shows the hard times she has had in her life and the new beginning that have been brought about. Drew is a very talented actor, and I'm sure she will be around for a very long time.

BTW, Gerry Hixon...after reading your message I checked out your other reviews, I must say I actually laughed out loud...funny guy!