# Never Been Kissed (1999)

### reviewed by
Jamie Peck

    NEVER BEEN KISSED
    Reviewed by Jamie Peck

Rating: *** (out of ****) 20th Century Fox / 1:46 / 1999 / PG-13 (language, brief drug use, sexual discussion) Cast: Drew Barrymore; David Arquette; Michael Vartan; Molly Shannon; John C. Reilly; Leelee Sobieski; Garry Marshall Director: Raja Gosnell Screenplay: Abby Kohn; Marc Silverstein

What kind of movie combines a preposterous premise with improbable casting, confusing character treatment and an overdose of gloppy sentimentality? In the case of "Never Been Kissed," a thoroughly charming one. It's rare when a film coasts on pure star power alone, but this lightweight if extremely pleasant romantic fantasy is downright unthinkable without the talents of totally game lead Drew Barrymore. Her perfectly sunny performance elevates what could have been grade-C schmaltz into quite the springtime charmer. Only gruff cranks will leave the theatre unsatisfied - at least with Barrymore.

She plays Josie Gellar, an ambitious, mid-20s copy editor at "The Chicago Sun-Times" who suffers from the titular lack of passion in her too-rigid life, let alone a nerdy facade, stuffy wardrobe and unflattering hair-don't that keeps Barrymore's spunky sexuality successfully under wraps. Fate tosses her a second chance when her grumpy superior (Garry Marshall) orders her to enroll undercover at the local high school to get the scoop - any scoop. Exactly how this is done is never revealed, and it would be a major enjoyment roadblock had "Never Been Kissed" already made us so eager to watch Barrymore's ugly duckling become a swan.

Flashbacks confirm Josie's past nightmarish educational experience - where she was dubbed "Josie Grossie" by cruel classmates and made the victim of a vicious prank - and here she is out of her element again, trying her darndest to make friends with the in-crowd. They, of course, reject Josie at first, only to later embrace her following some story twists best described as unlikely. But so what if practically nothing in this movie rings true? Barrymore, in a role that definitely goes against type (come on, who _wouldn't_ want to be her buddy - or more?), performs with such conviction that even the biggest leaps in logic are pretty irrelevant.

Also ultimately mattering little by the time "Never Been Kissed" arrives at its grandly melodramatic - yet wholly satisfying - ending are the occasionally iffy relationships Barrymore has with some of her co-stars. As a new student, Josie becomes friends with a math clubber (Helen Hunt lookalike Leelee Sobieski) also spurned by the hip kids, but she disappears for a long while following an odd bonding sequence that moves all too quickly from tears to giggles. And when Josie finally clicks with an ambiguously-written trio of Miss Popularities and one Mr. Cool, "Kissed" can't decide if it wants to hiss or laugh at them.

Better luck is had with supporting actors David Arquette, as Josie's underachieving brother, and "Saturday Night Live" ace-pratfaller Molly Shannon, as an oversexed "Times" co-worker. They exist to prod the story along (sometimes plausibly, sometimes not), which includes Josie's potential - and potentially reciprocated - attraction to a handsome, young English teacher (Michael Vartan). Since she's working under the guise of a 17-year-old, this subplot sounds full of the Mary Kay LeTorneau heebie-jeebies, but pulling it off is Barrymore and Vartan's welcome subtlety in some surprisingly tender scenes that addresses its implications.

The big prom finale has been seen before in every recent bit of teen-oriented fare (from "She's All That" to "10 Things I Hate About You" - take your pick), and "Never Been Kissed" assuredly follows suit. This time, though, the formula doesn't feel old because of an interesting literary couples theme - bonus points for Josie's smashing Renaissance costume and the visual references to Raoul Duke and Dr. Gonzo references - and a treacly moment-of-truth that actually works. The related monologue is delivered by Barrymore's Josie, of course, and her emotional strength make this preachiness, this person and this movie utterly embraceable.

© 1999 Jamie Peck E-mail: jpeck1@gl.umbc.edu Visit The Reel Deal Online: http://www.gl.umbc.edu/~jpeck1/ "Upon hearing word of this outrage, ‘Star Wars' creator George Lucas (in the throes of developing scripts for the two remaining "Star Wars" films) quickly removed all references to an upcoming character allegedly named Stingy MacHaggis, a kilt-wearing alien who was to spend a good portion of ‘Episode II' drinking, picking fights and playing an alien musical instrument that strongly resembled a set of bagpipes. He is to be replaced by another alien character - a formless, colorless and mute creature who in no way resembles any culture or individual that ever existed or ever will exist. -AAlgar on "The Phantom Menace"'s race-stereotyping controversy

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