I am a sucker for romantic comedies. I will always love them, no matter how cheesy they get sometimes. A few months ago I was reminded that one of my favorite rom-coms of all time had just celebrated its anniversary: Never Been Kissed (coincidentally the name of my very first blog from way back) is now 20!
I can’t believe that it’s been 20 years since the world was introduced to Josie Geller of the Chicago Sun-Times. I can still remember loving this character who had a second chance with high school by going undercover to try to get the inside story on the lives of teenagers. This was also the movie where I fell in love with Michael Vartan, whose career I followed up to his most recent TV show, The Arrangement. I also can’t forget to mention that this is one of the earlier movies of Jessica Alba and James Franco.
Looking back now that I’m older, I do realize that my hopeless romantic side sort of glazed over the fact that the teacher was interested in his supposedly 17-year-old student (which in hindsight is a bit of a red flag when you think about it). I know she really wasn’t 17 and just pretending to be one but still, it is a little disturbing how it was a bit ignored here in favor of getting the romance in. Maybe if they didn’t frame the relationship around that, it would be less of a disturbing thing but I really have no idea if there was any other way they could have done it. Oh and there’s also that thing where Josie dated a high school guy, who I am assuming is also underage and 17. Also not OK.
The age thing aside, this was one of my favorite movies because it was about a woman finding her voice and her identity. It was about connecting with people and about finding the kind of love that you wanted. Josie always wanted to be a successful writer and that article she wrote at the end of the film helped her to be that. She wanted to fall in love in the way that she dreamed of, and in the end, she took a risk and got the man she wanted.
Drew Barrymore was such a sweetheart in this movie, it was hard not to root for her and want her to succeed. I love how even in the end while she did grow as a person, she was still that lovable and charmingly awkward person that she was at the beginning of the film.
There were so many quotable lines from the movie. I loved the scene where Josie described the kind of kiss that she wanted to have, to which her co-worker (played by now Oscar-winner Octavia Spencer) remarked that she should be a writer.
Another memorable line (or should I say lines) in the movie was from Josie’s article, where she talks about the people you meet in high school. The girls, the athletes, the smart kids, your teachers, and your friends. And yes, of course, that one guy that makes you want to go to school in the morning.
I have to agree with her, although for me it could relate to people I have met in college as well. I guess it has something to do with being young — experiencing things and meeting people at that age, people tend to make a big impression on a person. Things are different when you’re young -- when all things are new. It just makes everything extra special and memorable in that way.
Of course, I cannot discuss this movie without mentioning that final line where Josie finally gets her man and he tells her he’s sorry he took so long to get there and she replies that she knows what he means…that was just a classic scene for me. Then that Beach Boys song plays and everything just feels so happily ever after…to this day that song from the end reminds me of this movie and brings a smile to my face when I hear it!
Never Been Kissed is one of those movies that I’d watch again in a heartbeat if given the opportunity. It’s a classic rom-com and I’d recommend it to anyone who enjoys the genre. This whole pretending to be someone else in the age of the internet and social media would not have worked in the same way today as it did in the 90s, but it’s nice to go back to a time when social media didn’t matter.
If you haven’t seen it, it’s probably in at least one of the major streaming services out there. It’s worth the watch!
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