NEVER BEEN KISSED - never too tired genre?
If you haven't worked it out by now, there's a certain formula to teen films that often leaves one confused as to which is which if one were to watch them in quick succession. Was it Disturbing Behaviour, 10 Things I hate About You, She's All That or Never Been Kissed that introduce us to the segregation that exists within the school? And what about the Bimbo cliche since Clueless? Dah, we've seen that a million times - so much so that there's this cloning of girls to play the roles - perhaps its the same girls who have come up with the niche of "bimbo losers" (nevertheless, they still manage to look great AND be endearing in their own way - I genuinely feel sorry for them everytime the nasty stuff happens to them in the end - i.e. when the favourite for prom queen doesn't win, or when some disgusting fluid is poured all over her prom dress, or when - wait for it - two of those bimbo types are caught wearing the same dress!!!!!). Nevertheless, of all the films I've seen in this genre, with all the predictable twists and turns, there is something in the familiarity, in the amplified fantasy of many of these pieces of film, that I do not hate them, even though I still shudder at some of the over-the-top acting, mushy dialogue and clearly unrealistic endings. This is fiction though - not reality - and the two shouldn't be confused.
Never Been Kissed is interesting in many ways. Undoubtedly, Drew Barrimore carries this film through even its weakest moments. And it is because she is in it that it carries more than some of the other teen focussed romantic films. While it's hard to distinguish between some of these releases because they're coming out quicker than any other genre (it has replaced Horror as the "profitable=make lots of this genre" movies). If you include teen horror - then you've got a vibrant industry where many stars you find in one film will be in another. Barrimore makes this film more mainstream by appealing to gen xers who remember their high school days. It also appeals to nerds, because she was a nerd - and these type of films are always about revenge of the nerds - because, the film-makers, who were nerds at school, are having a fantasy where in all its laughability, the nerds extract some sort of dignity in the places they are least familiar or successful with (the prom, bagging the best chick, etc.). She is obviously a distinguishable star, making her film "different" from those similar themed movies that have come out prior to this one - and in a way, it is different because of her dynamic. It contains this new found Hitchcockian sense of "voyeaurism" that is seeping into cinema. It's as if they're putting into practice the articles about "looking" and Hitchcock's use of voyeaurism in Rear Window into films. We've seen it in The Truman Show, Ed TV and to a lesser extent in Never Been Kissed. In many ways, it tells you what sort of visionary Hitchcock was, and it comments on society's ever increasing fascination with the private being exposed in public. Very topical in the light of the Clinton Scandal. But I digress by pondering on intellectual parrallels to a film that essentially remains very elemental in structure, plot development or ingenuity. The problem with this type of film is it has been done before - even Shakespeare wrote them. Hence, as a critic, one must really overlook that and gauge the probable entertainment value out of a picture of this nature. I think that Barrimore has an appeal that is not only limited to me, but it crosses over many boundaries. She is an accomplished actor and her emotions never seem forced (a problem with many similar teencomedy/romantic sort of things). Obviously, it's not as well written or as funny as the more adult fare (You've Got Mail) - but its focus is less on the romance but more on the individual interacting in a prescribed society. Most people in the audience found it enjoyable, and it had enough jokes to suit almost anyone. Sometimes a movie that has humour, broad appeal and Drew Barrimore is worth the watch. It's no masterpiece, but I don't think the film makers were under such delusions either.
68/100