MOVIE NIGHT
NEVER BEEN KISSED (1999)
Never Been Kissed is still considered by many as one of Drew Barrymore's best performances and a true chick flick classic; I have to say I can only agree! Josie Geller is a shy but bright 25-year-old who works as a copy editor at the Chicago Sun Times newspaper. She receives the opportunity to take on an exciting writing assignment which requires her to go back to high school. With her youthful looks, Josie will easily pass for a teenager, but she is mostly worried about the fact that during her high school experience she was considered a nerd, nicknamed 'Josie Grossie' by her classmates. Luckily, her younger brother Rob (a great role played by David Arquette) decides to join her at the school and help her get in with the popular crowd. However, it doesn't take long before Josie gets caught between the world of high school and reality, especially when she gets closer to one of her teachers, and she will have to decide who it is she truly wants to be.
The film has a classic and entertaining plotline at its core and is said to be loosely based on Shakespeare's play As You Like It. One of the absolute strengths of the film is its heroine, Josie, who many viewers will be able to relate to or easily fall in love with. The supporting cast consists of a compelling mix of characters, including Josie's brother Rob and nerdy girl Aldys (played by Leelee Sobieski). The film includes a main character who is trying to find out who she really is and whether she can forget her past and live for the here and now, and this is translated into a fun and thoroughly entertaining story. Never Been Kissed is a truly sweet, funny and heart-warming comedy with Drew Barrymore at her best.
Movie reviewed by Jody Hoekstra