THE AISLE SEAT - "NEVER BEEN KISSED"

by Mike McGranaghan

We all know someone just like Josie Geller - that person who was an outcast in high school and never got over it. It's a cruel testament to the power of adolescence that one can become a successful, attractive adult but still look in the mirror and see that gawky teen staring back. The new comedy Never Been Kissed stars Drew Barrymore as Josie, a copy editor for a Chicago newspaper. She longs to be a reporter, and finally gets her chance when she is assigned to write a major story. Her assignment: go undercover in a suburban high school to see what today's kids are really like.

Although excited about the story, Josie is also panicked about returning to high school. She finds herself flashing back to her teen years when she was an ugly-duckling outcast nicknamed "Josie Grossie." Everyone made fun of her bad hair and braces, and on her prom night, she was the victim of a cruel prank. Because she retains such little self-esteem, Josie finds it hard to fit in with the kids the second time around. She reverts right back into geek mode, finding herself on the outs with the very teenagers she's supposed to be hanging with. After being chewed out by her superior, Josie enlists the help of her brother (David Arquette), who was Mr. Popularity in school. He helps her make inroads with the kids, but can't do much when she falls in love with her teacher (Michael Vartan).

I think that Drew Barrymore is probably my favorite actress. She consistently takes varied and interesting parts in all kinds of films. Never Been Kissed follows this trend. Although lightweight, the movie is smarter than it seems, with a lot of insight into how teenage angst can carry over into adult insecurity. Barrymore gives a winning performance, filled with charm and humor; the story works primarily because she's so good. Although looking at her, you'd be hard pressed to believe Barrymore could ever have been geeky in high school, she is nonetheless convincing in her role. The actress is made to look awkward in flashback scenes. Then, when she returns to high school as a (beautiful) adult, I believed that she still carried her insecurities. This is really a good performance. Never Been Kissed is an example of how the right star can illuminate an entire project.

I also enjoyed the little subplots that run through the movie. One of the best involves Josie's friendship with another outcast, an academically gifted girl played by Leelee Sobieski. They hit it off immediately, in part because of their less-than-popular standing in the clique system. Once Josie cons her way into the in-crowd, she begins to view her friend in a more condescending way. The ease with which popularity changes her views frightens her.

I have always enjoyed high school movies. They comprise a genre all to themselves. The best ones have an obvious intelligence through which they filter little observations about adolescence. Never Been Kissed takes a new approach to the material by adding a more adult element. This isn't just another movie about how hard it is to be popular. Instead, it's about the way high school life shapes who you are and how you view yourself in the years to follow. Despite having a degree, and a job, and a lot of success in life, Josie is still paralyzed by self-doubt stemming back to her school days. Only by reliving the experience is she able to gain the confidence she so badly needs. If the movie has a point, it's that it doesn't matter how popular you were in high school as long as you turn out okay as an adult.

That's a useful message, and Never Been Kissed delivers it with humor and sweetness. I smiled all through this movie, partly because it had something worthwhile to say, and partly because Drew Barrymore brings such a wonderful energy to it.

( out of four)

Never Been Kissed is rated PG-13 for language and a scene of drug use. The running time is 1 hour and 47 minutes.