Search - Never Been Kissed (Ws) on DVD

B.J. W. (analogkid01) from CHICAGO, IL
Reviewed on 7/5/2025...

Never Been Kissed is a 1999 rom-com starring Mike Stoklasa, Rich Evans, and featuring a blink-and-you-miss-it cameo by Drew Barrymore. The film's director, Raja Gosnell, has an impeccable track record with films like Smurfs 2, Scooby Doo 2, and Home Alone 3.

A common trend among romantic comedies is assuming the audience is educated. References to Proust, using the Maxwell equations as punchlines, that one movie based on the life of John Nash starring Tom Hanks and Meg Ryan...fortunately, "Never Been Kissed" avoids these pitfalls to an impressive degree. The film's comedy comes instead from our main character finding herself in contrived situations and resolving them by pratfalling. Hil. Air. E. Us.

Our Shakespearian plot involves a young copy editor (Barrymore) at the Chicago Sun-Times who is ordered to go undercover as a high school student. Her own real-life high school experience leaving her with nothing but traumatic memories, she decides to "do it right this time."

If you're still reading this...I'm being held hostage. Please call anyone, please won't somebody help me...I can't keep watching this movie, I just can't...how much longer--oh god, there's 45 minutes left, oh Jesus save me...I needed a movie that began with "N", I could've been watching Nasty Baby, or Network...why did I choose this stupid-ass movie??

Not only is there a love triangle (will Josie go after the cute new age-inappropriate boy, or the hot young age-appropriate teacher with a girlfriend and a plan to move to New York?), but also a ticking clock - Prom is coming!!!!!1 Will Josie win Prom Queen?? I won't spoil the ending for you, but of course she fucking does, what the fuck do you think this is, fucking Lars Von Trier? It's fucking Drew fucking Barrymore, of course she's going to fucking be the fucking prom queen at the end of a Drew fucking Barrymore vehicle!!

I will give a tiny bit of credit for the presence of Leelee Sobieski, Molly Shannon, and John C. Reilly. The last two would reappear together in Jeff Baena's 2016 film The Little Hours. Please see The Little Hours.

Grade: straight D

"Fuck that movie, Never Been Kissed! Fuck that movie!" --Mike Stoklasa

Kendra C. from CLEARWATER, FL
Reviewed on 8/9/2012...

As a lover of fun, and even silly, rom-coms, I thought this movie was great. It is light, and sure a little unreal, but truly cute and romantic. Here the main character gets sent into high school to write a story (she's a reporter) and she totally gets wrapped up in the craziness of high school, popular/mean girls and boys, and the other "politics" that go with it. Having a hot teacher helps of course, and it's definitely an end to sigh over.

Bridgett A. (Anya) from BALTIMORE, MD
Reviewed on 10/9/2010...

I am a big Drew fan and I just loved this movie. It's a movie you can really relate to and the ending makes me cry.