studioAT Drew Barrymore brings immense likability to any role she plays, and this romantic comedy from 1999 is a prime example of this.It's a decent film, backed up by some good supporting actors who have gone onto bigger things.I think it's a bit slow in places though, and that the first five minutes don't really grab you.It's a sweet enough film though and if you're a fan of Barrymore then this is a good example of how good she can be in this sort of goofy/sweet hearted role.

Wuchak Released in 1999, "Never Been Kissed" is a cross between a romantic comedy and high school drama. Drew Barrymore stars as Josie Gellar, a geeky copy editor for the Chicago Sun-Times who lands her first journalistic gig masquerading as a 17 year-old at a local high school. With the help of her hip brother (David Arquette) Josie hopes to be a popular kid rather than a persecuted outcast, as she was when she was in school. Complications arise when Josie hits it off with one of her teachers (Michael Vartan).The movie is filled with peripheral stars or up-and-coming stars: John C. Reilly plays her boss at the Sun-Times and Molly Shannon her best friend while Leelee Sobieski, Jeremy Jordan, Marley Shelton, Jessica Alba, Jordan Ladd and James Franco play teens at the school. Marley Shelton, by the way, wins the Best Babe award.The first time I saw the film I was a little disappointed, but I saw it again last night and enjoyed it more. I must not have been in the mood for a romcom the first time I viewed it. While I'm not big on romcoms, I do enjoy high school or college dramedies now and then and "Never Been Kissed" delivers the goods. It's not great, but it's certainly good enough. The cast is great and it's fun seeing all the up-and-comers. It features quality subtexts as well.The film runs 108 minutes and was shot in the greater Los Angeles area and Chicago.GRADE: B

flemmi225-1 Like Drew's character, as she stated in the voice-over in her article at the end, I have never fully recovered from what happened to me back in high school. That was over a quarter-century ago! I'm 44, married and have a beautiful daughter with my best friend, my wife! I left the state I grew up in for the final time in 1999; to this date, never to return. Unfortunately, the bitches and bastards who tortured Drew; and later the same ones who nearly succeed in torturing Sobieski are all too commonplace in real life! In a sense, I should congratulate myself for the very fact that I'm alive! If my nemeses had succeeded in their goals, I would be long dead! They tried valiantly to drive me to suicide! Some of those same people went on to succeed to a reasonable degree in adult life. This may sound evil and un-Christian, but I found out that one of the girls who gave me the most grief in junior/senior high school is now a drug addict and has several mugshots available for view on line. Apparently, she has committed a lot of fraud offenses to get money for drugs. I smiled from ear to ear and jumped for joy when I realized the tables had turned! One guy is now a crooked public servant in a major Kentucky city and also an obsessive body builder. He's more than likely still a sadistic and evil horse's ass! Again, it may sound ugly and un-Christian, but I would jump for joy and dance in the street if I found out he somehow died -- violently, at that!Back to the movie: I think the Barbie bitches and the hunks got off far too easy! I'd like to have seen Jessica Alba's boyfriend, the one with the dog food can in his hand, get his arm broken since his intent was to use it to humiliate poor Leelee!! Unfortunately, I'd still like to see that comeuppance be delivered to the real-life meanies (Barbies and hunks alike)! Just the image, real or imagined, of the nerd triumphing over the bully, and I mean standing tall over the crumpled figure of the bully, spirit broken beyond repair, still appeals to me!

Chefeetaboopers Never Been Kissed is a cute little movie with a silly plot- A newspaper editor named Josie Gellar, played by Drew Barrymore, dreaming of becoming a reporter is given a story to go undercover and to write about the high school scene.Having been a nerd and taunted a lot in high school, she sees this as a second chance to be "cool". With a makeover by her brother, she enters the high school scene. Her brother starts to get excited and decides to go undercover as well. Josie manages to become friends with both the popular and geeky kids and her second chance in high school becomes the life she always dreamed of.She becomes well liked in the school and starts to fall for her teacher.As school life and fun as a teen starts to get to her head, she begins to get closer to her deadline and must make a decision between blowing her cover and possibly dating the teacher or simply just writing her story and being done with high school forever.And to top it all off, she hasn't been kissed and would love for her teacher to be her first kiss. This leads to complications. If you're into girly movies and high school movies and feel good movies, you will LOVE Never Been Kissed. I was a big nerd in high school who wasn't really popular and thus, I hated high school like Josie did. While I wouldn't want a second chance, it was fun seeing Josie relive her high school days and having fun. It's one of those movies you really don't have to take too serious mainly cause the plot is kind of unrealistic. Other than that, you'll enjoy the movie. It's got a "Romy and Michelle's High School Reunion" feel to it!