Barrymore Shines In Standard Teen Fair

by Jason R. Hewlett

Okay, in my review of "Go" I stated that I'm getting tired of all this teen orientated "entertainment" spewing into our cinemas and already I've got to review another such film, the recently released "Never Been Kissed" starring Drew Barrymore. The genre itself hasn't improved over the course of one film. Not by a long shot. However, worth noting...and watching...is Drew Barrymore's performance and she alone takes this standard tale of high school life and pushes it above a total failure.

To the film's credit it does have something to say. The story details the exploits of Josie Geller, a copy editor for the Chicago Sun Times who is given the chance to do an undercover article on the life of high school students. She is enrolled in school and does her best to fit in but fails at first. It would seem that when Josie was in school originally she was never a very popular student and faced torment and ridicule at every turn by the so called hip students and fate would seem to be doing this to her again. It's not until her cool older brother steps in to lend her a hand that she begins to be accepted by the in-crowd and redeem her first stint in high school. Oh yeah, there's a love story too that develops between Josie and her English professor, played by Michael Vartan.

The bulk of the script, by Abby Kohn and Marc Silverstein, is standard stuff and, unfortunately, not very funny. Either I'm finally getting to the point where I'm out of touch with high school level humor (which I reckon isn't a bad thing if the recent trend in movies is accurate) or Kohn and Silverstein just can't write a good scene. As I've said before: there is nothing as bad as an unfunny comedy. Or maybe director Raja Gosnell just can't find the comedic beats that breath life into motion picture humor. Whatever the case, the film only offers three laughs that I can recall and none of them are really worth mentioning.

What does work really well is Drew Barrymore's performance. She breaths much life and energy into her role, making for a likable and sympathetic heroine. We can all relate to the suffering that people incur at the wrath of others during high school and the pain faced by those who just want to fit in and Barrymore captures that spirit so well. She's been through allot in her life between the drug addiction and alcohol but she has emerged as a strong talent that is well worth watching.

I also have to admit that the speech Josie gives during the prom scene about who you are in high school, popular or otherwise, doesn't matter once you get out in the real world is bang on. There is truth in what she says that I'm sure all you graduates have come to realize. The high school years may be the most influential in a person's life and may also have a lasting impact but they are by no means a sign of who you will be all through life. On that point Kohn and Silverstein have crafted a good piece of work.

However, as a whole we've still got a film that promises to entertain but can't quite do it and in this business that just isn't acceptable.

3 out of 10!