NEVER BEEN KISSED

US, 1999, 108 minutes, Colour.
Drew Barrymore, David Arquette, Michael Vartan, Molly Shannon, John C. Reilly, Garry Marshall.
Directed by Raja Gosnell.

Never Been Kissed is a story about an ugly duckling – at least Josie Geller, played by Drew Barrymore, considers herself an ugly duckling after being persecuted at school. She has become a journalist and is commissioned to write an expose of life in contemporary high schools. She poses as a student, enrols in a class, is attracted to the most handsome boy in the class – which reminds her of her traumatic days at school. She is befriended by a brainy student, played by Molly Shannon. She also flirts with the English teacher, played by Michael Vartan. John C. Reilly is her editor. David Arquette plays her brother.

Ultimately, Josie is successful at school, becomes the Prom Queen, but is finally exposed. There is the difficulty that the teacher was attracted to a school student, a rival newspaper gets her story. Instead, she writes a confessional piece for the paper and apologises to everyone.

This is a pleasing comedy, a good vehicle for Drew Barrymore who has the opportunity to make a transformation from dumpy ugly duckling to Princess Charming. The film was directed by Raja Gosnell, editor with John Hughes on the early Home Alone films. Gosnell went on to make the Scooby Doo feaures.

1. A kind of Cinderella story in the contemporary US? The ugly duckling story? Emerging as a swan? The world of newspapers? High schools?

2. The Chicago setting, the city, the newspaper headquarters, the school? Authentic atmosphere? The musical score and the range of songs included?

3. The title, Jessie’s memories, being ridiculed at school, her becoming very prim? Her work at the paper, going to school – and being attracted to the young men, to the teacher – and being kissed? A variation on the romantic genre?

4. Drew Barrymore as Jessie, age, appearance, able to pass as a teenager? Strait-laced and prissy? Her behaviour in the office, correcting people, her correcting copy? Her relationship with Gus and his commissioning her to get the report on the school? His urging her to keep going on the assignment?

5. The newspaper board, the chairman, plans, ideas, allowing Jessie to girl undercover?

6. Jessie in herself, the scenes at work, scenes at home? Her relationship with her brother, Rob? Going to the school, her being twenty-five but passing for a teenager? The plans, her study? Arrival, clothes, the reaction of the students in horror? Her harsh judgment of them? Her finding her friend? The bond between the two? The club, activities? Her relationship with the teachers, especially Sam? Shakespeare and the infatuation with the subject and the teacher? The sports sessions, the push-ups? The infatuation with Guy, the memories of being pelted? Her being prone to accidents?

7. The camera, the photos, the reaction of the editor, the staff? Anita and the friendship? Watching, the bet, the final cheer?

8. Rob, his going to the school, his being popular? His past career, becoming a slacker? His willingness to help Jessie? His rediscovering himself and becoming a sports coach?

9. The build-up to the prom, the invitations, the dare? Guy and the other students? The studying of As You Like It – and the Shakespearian theme of disguises and true love? The hypocrisy, the opening up? The princesses and glamour? Anita, the accident? People’s spite, Josie coming clean and revealing the truth? The vacuous students, their comeuppance?

10. Sam, teaching, love for Shakespeare, infatuated with Josie? The prom? The outburst and his being hurt?

11. The melodrama of the outburst, the points that Josie made? The effect on Rob?

12. The editor, her having to confess failure, another journalist and paper scooping her story? Her confessional article? Everybody reading it? The game, the dialogue? The final kiss?

13. The touches of an American fairy tale?