00:00:07Introduction to Never Been Kissed
00:02:41Historical Context of the Film
00:05:58Plot Overview of Never Been Kissed
00:10:35Disturbing Themes in the Movie
00:14:03Recommendations for Better Rom-Coms
درباره این اپیزود
In this episode of "Explaining the Joke," I take a critical look at the 1999 romantic comedy, "Never Been Kissed." While nostalgic for some, the film reveals underlying themes that haven't aged well over the years. From questionable romantic dynamics to concerns over character representation to the ickiest teacher in movie history, this episode unpacks why this beloved Drew Barrymore movie stirs such polarizing views today.
Dive into the background of its creation, explore how it fits into the broader spectrum of rom-coms, and wonder as to why this movie is available to watch on Disney+.
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WEBVTT
00:00:00.017 --> 00:00:03.597
If all you need is for one person to think you're cool, and you're in,
00:00:03.797 --> 00:00:06.337
everyone else will be scared to question it.
00:00:07.237 --> 00:00:13.337
Never Been Kissed This 1999 rom-com starring Drew Barrymore has captured the
00:00:13.337 --> 00:00:17.457
hearts and attentions of the teenagers who saw it in the late 90s.
00:00:18.057 --> 00:00:24.037
People love this fish-out-of-water story because how can you possibly hate Drew Barrymore?
00:00:24.637 --> 00:00:29.997
However, as the years have gone by, people have looked at this film and realized,
00:00:30.457 --> 00:00:37.617
oh my god, this is a disturbing picture, and yet for some reason it is still available on Disney+.
00:00:38.337 --> 00:00:42.077
But for those who've never seen Never Been Kissed, I bet you're wondering,
00:00:42.397 --> 00:00:44.617
well, what's so disturbing about it?
00:00:44.797 --> 00:00:47.677
Isn't it just a cute Drew Barrymore rom-com?
00:00:48.357 --> 00:00:51.677
Well, it's a little more than that. Let's explain the joke.
00:00:54.377 --> 00:00:58.037
Ever watch a comedy movie only realize it's not as funny as you remember?
00:00:58.557 --> 00:01:02.797
I'm Parker Miller, and so many of these types of movies have been introduced to me by my father.
00:01:03.077 --> 00:01:07.677
When I look back on some of these movies, I find myself curious as to why my dad was left.
00:01:08.257 --> 00:01:12.717
And that's kind of the point of the podcast. We will be diving into a certain
00:01:12.717 --> 00:01:15.397
movie and analyzing its history and content.
00:01:15.857 --> 00:01:20.457
We will dive into certain parts that age well and parts that may not be seen in a positive of life.
00:01:20.777 --> 00:01:27.877
In a sense, we are Explaining the Joke. Join me every week for a serious discussion on funny business.
00:01:30.797 --> 00:01:35.977
Hello, and welcome to Explaining the Joke, the only podcast that Drew Barrymore
00:01:35.977 --> 00:01:37.957
is not currently listening to.
00:01:38.417 --> 00:01:40.497
Neither are any other celebrities.
00:01:41.577 --> 00:01:46.637
I'm Parker Miller, and today we are talking about Never Been Kissed from 1999.
00:01:47.677 --> 00:01:52.577
Now, before I begin today's podcast, I must bring up an elephant in the room
00:01:52.577 --> 00:01:55.217
for one specific person.
00:01:55.937 --> 00:02:00.277
I will not name this person, but let it be known that they are a good friend of mine.
00:02:01.517 --> 00:02:05.637
Basically, I was telling them the list of movies that I wanted to cover for
00:02:05.637 --> 00:02:13.557
this podcast, and when I brought up Never Been Kissed, they did not agree with me that it was a comedy.
00:02:13.897 --> 00:02:19.697
They thought it was a romance. And while I'm not trying to start any ill will
00:02:19.697 --> 00:02:23.177
between you, I must say this.
00:02:23.837 --> 00:02:31.177
Never Been Kissed is a romantic comedy. There's comedy in the genre title.
00:02:31.677 --> 00:02:36.277
I think this counts just as much as Zoolander and Austin Powers.
00:02:36.957 --> 00:02:40.757
If you want a romance, go watch The Notebook.
00:02:41.477 --> 00:02:45.397
Well, now that I've got my passive aggressiveness out of the way,
00:02:45.717 --> 00:02:48.337
let us discuss the history of never been kissed.
00:02:49.650 --> 00:02:55.010
In 1992, Shan Jones, an investigative reporter for the San Francisco Chronicle,
00:02:55.610 --> 00:03:01.450
went undercover as a senior student at George Washington High School to investigate
00:03:01.450 --> 00:03:08.610
the impact of California's school funding cuts as a result of the Proposition 13 tax reduction.
00:03:09.870 --> 00:03:15.830
The real-life event of journalistic espionage inspired screenwriters Abby Kahn
00:03:15.830 --> 00:03:21.230
and Mark Silverstein to write a romantic comedy based on it.
00:03:21.430 --> 00:03:24.950
That romantic comedy, of course, becoming Never Been Kissed.
00:03:26.130 --> 00:03:30.270
Silverstein and Conn always had a knack for creating these romantic comedies,
00:03:31.030 --> 00:03:35.050
especially in the present day, whether it's The Vow from 2012,
00:03:35.550 --> 00:03:43.070
How to Be Single from 2016, or I Feel Pretty from 2018, starring Amy Schur.
00:03:44.070 --> 00:03:48.930
Side note, whoever thought it was a good idea to give Amy Schumer a movie career,
00:03:49.850 --> 00:03:55.010
you have devolved cinema for generations and generations to come.
00:03:55.510 --> 00:04:02.030
The film was also directed by Raja Gaznel, best known for the live-action Scooby-Doo
00:04:02.030 --> 00:04:06.970
movies from 2002 and 2004, Home Alone 3,
00:04:07.790 --> 00:04:15.390
the Smurfs duology from the early 2010s, And Beverly Hills Chihuahua.
00:04:16.342 --> 00:04:20.782
In looking at the critical and public responses to his filmography,
00:04:21.042 --> 00:04:25.422
it looks like the Scooby-Doo-ology is the most praise he's ever gotten.
00:04:26.342 --> 00:04:30.942
So when the best thing you've directed is Scooby-Doo of all things,
00:04:30.962 --> 00:04:35.202
I think it's a telltale sign of what we're in for for this movie.
00:04:35.922 --> 00:04:40.742
The film was released by 20th Century Fox and Drew Barrymuller's own production
00:04:40.742 --> 00:04:48.002
company, Flower Films Inc., on April 9th, 1999, and became number three at the box office,
00:04:48.362 --> 00:04:53.322
right behind the Eddie Murphy film Life and The Matrix.
00:04:54.182 --> 00:04:59.962
Something interesting that I'm looking at right now as I'm looking at boxofficemojo.com.
00:05:00.142 --> 00:05:05.082
This is where I'm gaining my information on what was top of the box office that time.
00:05:05.462 --> 00:05:09.182
The number four film, the film that was behind Never Been Kissed,
00:05:09.322 --> 00:05:11.562
was Ten Things I Hate About You.
00:05:12.142 --> 00:05:15.302
So it's sort of like a rival rom-com.
00:05:16.182 --> 00:05:19.702
It's kind of a shame that this was number four while Never Been Kissed was number
00:05:19.702 --> 00:05:25.302
three because I'm going to be real with you, 10 Things I Hate About You is superior,
00:05:25.982 --> 00:05:29.662
and ages much better than Never Been Kissed.
00:05:30.342 --> 00:05:35.882
Anyway, the film released in theaters and had a mixed reception from critics,
00:05:36.142 --> 00:05:40.002
yet audiences, especially teenagers, fell in love with the film.
00:05:40.742 --> 00:05:44.602
The film still kind of holds a legacy, especially to Drew Barrymore,
00:05:44.842 --> 00:05:50.142
who reprised Whirl in 2021 to promote her new TikTok account.
00:05:50.462 --> 00:05:58.042
While Barrymore still has a fondness for this movie, I can safely say many others don't.
00:05:58.322 --> 00:06:03.002
And I'm gonna explain to you why right now, because I'm gonna dive into the
00:06:03.002 --> 00:06:06.002
plot of Never Been Kissed.
00:06:06.202 --> 00:06:08.622
I probably should have done that earlier, but...
00:06:09.366 --> 00:06:15.406
Here we are. So the film stars Barrymore as Josie Geller, a 25-year-old copy
00:06:15.406 --> 00:06:17.686
editor for the Chicago Sun-Times.
00:06:18.146 --> 00:06:23.366
In an opportunity to prove herself as a real journalist, her boss sends her
00:06:23.366 --> 00:06:30.026
undercover at a local high school to investigate and report on teenage high school life.
00:06:30.406 --> 00:06:34.086
This proves to be a little difficult for Josie, as she did not have the best
00:06:34.086 --> 00:06:39.146
time in high school, and she was a target of ridicule by her fellow classmates.
00:06:39.806 --> 00:06:43.806
There are legitimate moments in this movie where Josie's having panic attacks,
00:06:43.906 --> 00:06:48.306
anxiety attacks, based on her trauma from her original high school days.
00:06:48.706 --> 00:06:52.426
And now she has to, more or less, live through them again.
00:06:53.026 --> 00:06:58.726
The film also stars David Arquette as Josie's brother, Rob, who was popular
00:06:58.726 --> 00:07:02.806
in high school, and enrolls himself into the high school with a fake ID just
00:07:02.806 --> 00:07:06.766
to help Josie and to relive his high school days.
00:07:07.426 --> 00:07:12.406
Now, in describing the film, I understand it doesn't sound too awful just yet.
00:07:12.786 --> 00:07:19.006
But that's because I am leaving out a huge chunk of what happens in this movie.
00:07:19.426 --> 00:07:23.486
And this chunk of the movie is why people have been talking about it.
00:07:23.566 --> 00:07:26.346
Why people are all like, ooh, that did not age well.
00:07:26.526 --> 00:07:28.706
And it's why I'm talking about it today.
00:07:29.426 --> 00:07:35.146
During the film, Josie meets Sam Coulson, played by Michael Varton.
00:07:36.026 --> 00:07:39.866
Sam is the high school English teacher, and he's teaching Shakespeare to his
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students, with Josie being really enthusiastic about it. This is where things get bad.
00:07:46.026 --> 00:07:49.006
Sam is Josie's love interest in the movie.
00:07:49.506 --> 00:07:55.766
I want you to know that Sam fully believes Josie is a 17-year-old girl.
00:07:56.306 --> 00:07:59.426
And the way it's framed grosses me out.
00:07:59.626 --> 00:08:04.826
Like, it's framed to be all cute and romantic. No. No.
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This grown man is falling in love with a student who he believes is a teenager.
00:08:13.206 --> 00:08:20.406
There's a certain scene in the movie where there's a student fair that's raising funds for the prom.
00:08:20.746 --> 00:08:24.546
And somehow, Josie and Sam are sitting on the Ferris wheel together.
00:08:24.846 --> 00:08:28.946
And Sam talks about his relationship problems with his girlfriend.
00:08:29.646 --> 00:08:33.646
Now, to be fair, he does realize that he probably shouldn't be talking about
00:08:33.646 --> 00:08:38.806
this with a student, which when he said that, I was yelling, you shouldn't.
00:08:38.966 --> 00:08:41.726
You shouldn't. I was literally yelling at the TV.
00:08:42.286 --> 00:08:46.626
But then he finished those things up by saying, when you're my age,
00:08:46.906 --> 00:08:49.886
guys will be lined up around the block for you.
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Ew. Oh, sorry.
00:08:55.052 --> 00:09:01.432
You're a teacher, and you're talking to somebody who you believe is 17 years old.
00:09:02.052 --> 00:09:06.012
Don't be making those comments around children.
00:09:07.212 --> 00:09:11.832
Anyway, towards the end of the movie, the prom happens, because it's a high
00:09:11.832 --> 00:09:14.512
school movie. Of course, there has to be a prom. It's law.
00:09:14.992 --> 00:09:18.372
And Josie has this romantic dance with Sam.
00:09:18.952 --> 00:09:23.632
Now, still in the movie, Sam still believes Josie is a teenager.
00:09:24.452 --> 00:09:25.632
And yet, for some reason, this
00:09:25.632 --> 00:09:30.692
dance is the least disturbing thing Sam Coulson has done in this movie.
00:09:31.172 --> 00:09:36.672
Anyway, through some form of chicanery or another, Josie reveals to the entire
00:09:36.672 --> 00:09:41.652
high school that she was undercover this whole time. She's actually a 25-year-old
00:09:41.652 --> 00:09:43.972
reporter for the Chicago Sun-Times.
00:09:44.872 --> 00:09:50.052
Obviously, this reveal is very shocking to people, especially Sam Coulson,
00:09:50.192 --> 00:09:54.132
who responds, I just can't look at you in the same way.
00:09:55.132 --> 00:09:58.772
Quick question. Sam, what's that supposed to mean?
00:09:59.312 --> 00:10:03.072
What does it mean when you say you can't look at her the same way?
00:10:03.452 --> 00:10:06.212
Did you still wish she was 17?
00:10:06.932 --> 00:10:10.892
Is that what you mean, Sam? Were you hoping that she was a minor?
00:10:11.272 --> 00:10:15.952
I am to believe there is a recent Kendrick Lamar rat that describes you.
00:10:16.652 --> 00:10:20.412
Anyway, towards the end of the movie, Josie writes an article about how she
00:10:20.412 --> 00:10:25.472
accidentally made the teacher fall in love with her ill and then Josie and Sam
00:10:25.472 --> 00:10:33.872
have a final kiss in the end whoop-de-doo they live happily ever after Josie is dating a predator.
00:10:35.068 --> 00:10:38.728
Now that I got the well-deserved Sam Coulson hate out of my system,
00:10:38.728 --> 00:10:45.408
here are some other moments in the movie that kind of made me realize, oh, this is icky.
00:10:46.008 --> 00:10:50.268
Throughout the movie, I find it kind of disturbing how teenagers are more or
00:10:50.268 --> 00:10:53.248
less sexualized by adult characters.
00:10:53.748 --> 00:10:58.588
Not just Sam Coulson, people like Rob, Josie's brother, who,
00:10:58.808 --> 00:11:03.668
and I quote, said, got some underage hotties here.
00:11:04.228 --> 00:11:09.488
Josie doesn't even bat an eye. Even some of the people Josie works with at the
00:11:09.488 --> 00:11:12.128
Chicago Sun-Times feel irredeemable.
00:11:12.608 --> 00:11:16.288
For example, Josie's talking to her superior, played by John C.
00:11:16.388 --> 00:11:20.748
Reilly, about the types of stories she's trying to gather at the high school.
00:11:21.028 --> 00:11:26.348
And John C. Reilly's character is not impressed, saying, Journalism is about
00:11:26.348 --> 00:11:31.808
stories with sex scandals, people killing themselves, and things journalism isn't about.
00:11:32.528 --> 00:11:39.248
I know this is like a joke, but it made me wonder, is the Chicago Sun-Times a real newspaper?
00:11:39.608 --> 00:11:41.528
I looked it up, it is.
00:11:42.088 --> 00:11:47.728
You think the Chicago Sun-Times gave this film the permission to use their name and likeness?
00:11:47.948 --> 00:11:55.328
Just for John C. Reilly to call the Chicago Sun-Times nothing more than a cheap gossip column?
00:11:55.548 --> 00:11:59.928
I don't think that will reflect well on the Chicago Sun-Times brand image.
00:12:00.488 --> 00:12:04.088
Another gross moment in the movie is from a character named George,
00:12:04.108 --> 00:12:07.828
who is helping Josie with her undercover investigation.
00:12:08.188 --> 00:12:14.828
George has set up some hidden cameras on Josie's clothes and is monitoring said cameras.
00:12:15.308 --> 00:12:21.468
And what's disturbing is that George sees the high school girls with the camera and calls them hot.
00:12:21.788 --> 00:12:26.408
Is every adult character in this movie even allowed near that high school?
00:12:26.948 --> 00:12:33.608
Now, I could honestly go on and on and on, but I think you guys get the point right now.
00:12:34.208 --> 00:12:39.208
Now, I have never seen Never Been Kissed before until I had to watch it for this podcast.
00:12:40.469 --> 00:12:46.569
And with all honesty, I did not care for it. There are zero likable characters.
00:12:47.009 --> 00:12:51.189
It's such a stupid, twisted, perverted plot.
00:12:51.509 --> 00:12:55.629
Honestly, how did this even get greenlit? That's what I want to know.
00:12:56.129 --> 00:13:01.029
Now, if there's one thing that I could say positively about this movie,
00:13:01.269 --> 00:13:08.069
is that some scenes were directed pretty well, which was kind of surprising
00:13:08.069 --> 00:13:12.989
for me, because this is directed by the guy who made two Smurf movies.
00:13:13.729 --> 00:13:19.429
Some of the main standout scenes come from Josie as she flashes back to her high school days.
00:13:19.649 --> 00:13:23.469
The transitions were, in my opinion at least, creatively done.
00:13:23.689 --> 00:13:27.709
And there was like this one moment towards the beginning of the film where Josie
00:13:27.709 --> 00:13:30.549
is looking in the mirror at her teenage self.
00:13:30.849 --> 00:13:33.809
I was decently surprised by this.
00:13:34.549 --> 00:13:40.729
I feel like a lot of rom-coms tend to not take advantage of the cinematography and the camera work.
00:13:40.909 --> 00:13:46.969
So to see a movie like Never Been Kissed take these creative liberties was kind of surprising.
00:13:47.569 --> 00:13:52.269
Especially since this comes from the director of Beverly Hills Chihuahua.
00:13:52.589 --> 00:13:54.729
So I guess good on him, I guess.
00:13:55.529 --> 00:14:01.069
But outside of these few creative shots, I was not having a happy time with
00:14:01.069 --> 00:14:03.169
this movie. It was disturbing.
00:14:03.749 --> 00:14:07.029
It was... Honestly, I won't be done talking about this movie,
00:14:07.049 --> 00:14:12.809
so I'm going to recommend some good chick flicks, some good high school movies, some good rom-coms.
00:14:13.069 --> 00:14:19.049
10 Things I Hate About You, that is much better, as the late great Heath Ledger.
00:14:19.489 --> 00:14:21.769
Mean Girls, of course, that movie's iconic.
00:14:22.409 --> 00:14:27.789
And Heathers, it kind of subverts expectations with your average high school movie.
00:14:28.029 --> 00:14:30.969
But I cannot, for the life of me,
00:14:30.969 --> 00:14:34.109
recommend never been kissed and i
00:14:34.109 --> 00:14:37.089
cannot find any future where i
00:14:37.089 --> 00:14:43.009
re-watch this movie and frankly that makes me happy never been kissed will never
00:14:43.009 --> 00:14:50.289
be missed well that wraps up another episode of explaining the joke thank you
00:14:50.289 --> 00:14:54.169
guys so much for listening if you guys have any movie recommendations you want
00:14:54.169 --> 00:14:56.909
me to check out please let me know i'd be happy to hear that.
00:14:56.880 --> 00:15:23.917
Music.
00:00:00.017 --> 00:00:03.597
If all you need is for one person to think you're cool, and you're in,
00:00:03.797 --> 00:00:06.337
everyone else will be scared to question it.
00:00:07.237 --> 00:00:13.337
Never Been Kissed This 1999 rom-com starring Drew Barrymore has captured the
00:00:13.337 --> 00:00:17.457
hearts and attentions of the teenagers who saw it in the late 90s.
00:00:18.057 --> 00:00:24.037
People love this fish-out-of-water story because how can you possibly hate Drew Barrymore?
00:00:24.637 --> 00:00:29.997
However, as the years have gone by, people have looked at this film and realized,
00:00:30.457 --> 00:00:37.617
oh my god, this is a disturbing picture, and yet for some reason it is still available on Disney+.
00:00:38.337 --> 00:00:42.077
But for those who've never seen Never Been Kissed, I bet you're wondering,
00:00:42.397 --> 00:00:44.617
well, what's so disturbing about it?
00:00:44.797 --> 00:00:47.677
Isn't it just a cute Drew Barrymore rom-com?
00:00:48.357 --> 00:00:51.677
Well, it's a little more than that. Let's explain the joke.
00:00:54.377 --> 00:00:58.037
Ever watch a comedy movie only realize it's not as funny as you remember?
00:00:58.557 --> 00:01:02.797
I'm Parker Miller, and so many of these types of movies have been introduced to me by my father.
00:01:03.077 --> 00:01:07.677
When I look back on some of these movies, I find myself curious as to why my dad was left.
00:01:08.257 --> 00:01:12.717
And that's kind of the point of the podcast. We will be diving into a certain
00:01:12.717 --> 00:01:15.397
movie and analyzing its history and content.
00:01:15.857 --> 00:01:20.457
We will dive into certain parts that age well and parts that may not be seen in a positive of life.
00:01:20.777 --> 00:01:27.877
In a sense, we are Explaining the Joke. Join me every week for a serious discussion on funny business.
00:01:30.797 --> 00:01:35.977
Hello, and welcome to Explaining the Joke, the only podcast that Drew Barrymore
00:01:35.977 --> 00:01:37.957
is not currently listening to.
00:01:38.417 --> 00:01:40.497
Neither are any other celebrities.
00:01:41.577 --> 00:01:46.637
I'm Parker Miller, and today we are talking about Never Been Kissed from 1999.
00:01:47.677 --> 00:01:52.577
Now, before I begin today's podcast, I must bring up an elephant in the room
00:01:52.577 --> 00:01:55.217
for one specific person.
00:01:55.937 --> 00:02:00.277
I will not name this person, but let it be known that they are a good friend of mine.
00:02:01.517 --> 00:02:05.637
Basically, I was telling them the list of movies that I wanted to cover for
00:02:05.637 --> 00:02:13.557
this podcast, and when I brought up Never Been Kissed, they did not agree with me that it was a comedy.
00:02:13.897 --> 00:02:19.697
They thought it was a romance. And while I'm not trying to start any ill will
00:02:19.697 --> 00:02:23.177
between you, I must say this.
00:02:23.837 --> 00:02:31.177
Never Been Kissed is a romantic comedy. There's comedy in the genre title.
00:02:31.677 --> 00:02:36.277
I think this counts just as much as Zoolander and Austin Powers.
00:02:36.957 --> 00:02:40.757
If you want a romance, go watch The Notebook.
00:02:41.477 --> 00:02:45.397
Well, now that I've got my passive aggressiveness out of the way,
00:02:45.717 --> 00:02:48.337
let us discuss the history of never been kissed.
00:02:49.650 --> 00:02:55.010
In 1992, Shan Jones, an investigative reporter for the San Francisco Chronicle,
00:02:55.610 --> 00:03:01.450
went undercover as a senior student at George Washington High School to investigate
00:03:01.450 --> 00:03:08.610
the impact of California's school funding cuts as a result of the Proposition 13 tax reduction.
00:03:09.870 --> 00:03:15.830
The real-life event of journalistic espionage inspired screenwriters Abby Kahn
00:03:15.830 --> 00:03:21.230
and Mark Silverstein to write a romantic comedy based on it.
00:03:21.430 --> 00:03:24.950
That romantic comedy, of course, becoming Never Been Kissed.
00:03:26.130 --> 00:03:30.270
Silverstein and Conn always had a knack for creating these romantic comedies,
00:03:31.030 --> 00:03:35.050
especially in the present day, whether it's The Vow from 2012,
00:03:35.550 --> 00:03:43.070
How to Be Single from 2016, or I Feel Pretty from 2018, starring Amy Schur.
00:03:44.070 --> 00:03:48.930
Side note, whoever thought it was a good idea to give Amy Schumer a movie career,
00:03:49.850 --> 00:03:55.010
you have devolved cinema for generations and generations to come.
00:03:55.510 --> 00:04:02.030
The film was also directed by Raja Gaznel, best known for the live-action Scooby-Doo
00:04:02.030 --> 00:04:06.970
movies from 2002 and 2004, Home Alone 3,
00:04:07.790 --> 00:04:15.390
the Smurfs duology from the early 2010s, And Beverly Hills Chihuahua.
00:04:16.342 --> 00:04:20.782
In looking at the critical and public responses to his filmography,
00:04:21.042 --> 00:04:25.422
it looks like the Scooby-Doo-ology is the most praise he's ever gotten.
00:04:26.342 --> 00:04:30.942
So when the best thing you've directed is Scooby-Doo of all things,
00:04:30.962 --> 00:04:35.202
I think it's a telltale sign of what we're in for for this movie.
00:04:35.922 --> 00:04:40.742
The film was released by 20th Century Fox and Drew Barrymuller's own production
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company, Flower Films Inc., on April 9th, 1999, and became number three at the box office,
00:04:48.362 --> 00:04:53.322
right behind the Eddie Murphy film Life and The Matrix.
00:04:54.182 --> 00:04:59.962
Something interesting that I'm looking at right now as I'm looking at boxofficemojo.com.
00:05:00.142 --> 00:05:05.082
This is where I'm gaining my information on what was top of the box office that time.
00:05:05.462 --> 00:05:09.182
The number four film, the film that was behind Never Been Kissed,
00:05:09.322 --> 00:05:11.562
was Ten Things I Hate About You.
00:05:12.142 --> 00:05:15.302
So it's sort of like a rival rom-com.
00:05:16.182 --> 00:05:19.702
It's kind of a shame that this was number four while Never Been Kissed was number
00:05:19.702 --> 00:05:25.302
three because I'm going to be real with you, 10 Things I Hate About You is superior,
00:05:25.982 --> 00:05:29.662
and ages much better than Never Been Kissed.
00:05:30.342 --> 00:05:35.882
Anyway, the film released in theaters and had a mixed reception from critics,
00:05:36.142 --> 00:05:40.002
yet audiences, especially teenagers, fell in love with the film.
00:05:40.742 --> 00:05:44.602
The film still kind of holds a legacy, especially to Drew Barrymore,
00:05:44.842 --> 00:05:50.142
who reprised Whirl in 2021 to promote her new TikTok account.
00:05:50.462 --> 00:05:58.042
While Barrymore still has a fondness for this movie, I can safely say many others don't.
00:05:58.322 --> 00:06:03.002
And I'm gonna explain to you why right now, because I'm gonna dive into the
00:06:03.002 --> 00:06:06.002
plot of Never Been Kissed.
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I probably should have done that earlier, but...
00:06:09.366 --> 00:06:15.406
Here we are. So the film stars Barrymore as Josie Geller, a 25-year-old copy
00:06:15.406 --> 00:06:17.686
editor for the Chicago Sun-Times.
00:06:18.146 --> 00:06:23.366
In an opportunity to prove herself as a real journalist, her boss sends her
00:06:23.366 --> 00:06:30.026
undercover at a local high school to investigate and report on teenage high school life.
00:06:30.406 --> 00:06:34.086
This proves to be a little difficult for Josie, as she did not have the best
00:06:34.086 --> 00:06:39.146
time in high school, and she was a target of ridicule by her fellow classmates.
00:06:39.806 --> 00:06:43.806
There are legitimate moments in this movie where Josie's having panic attacks,
00:06:43.906 --> 00:06:48.306
anxiety attacks, based on her trauma from her original high school days.
00:06:48.706 --> 00:06:52.426
And now she has to, more or less, live through them again.
00:06:53.026 --> 00:06:58.726
The film also stars David Arquette as Josie's brother, Rob, who was popular
00:06:58.726 --> 00:07:02.806
in high school, and enrolls himself into the high school with a fake ID just
00:07:02.806 --> 00:07:06.766
to help Josie and to relive his high school days.
00:07:07.426 --> 00:07:12.406
Now, in describing the film, I understand it doesn't sound too awful just yet.
00:07:12.786 --> 00:07:19.006
But that's because I am leaving out a huge chunk of what happens in this movie.
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And this chunk of the movie is why people have been talking about it.
00:07:23.566 --> 00:07:26.346
Why people are all like, ooh, that did not age well.
00:07:26.526 --> 00:07:28.706
And it's why I'm talking about it today.
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During the film, Josie meets Sam Coulson, played by Michael Varton.
00:07:36.026 --> 00:07:39.866
Sam is the high school English teacher, and he's teaching Shakespeare to his
00:07:39.866 --> 00:07:45.326
students, with Josie being really enthusiastic about it. This is where things get bad.
00:07:46.026 --> 00:07:49.006
Sam is Josie's love interest in the movie.
00:07:49.506 --> 00:07:55.766
I want you to know that Sam fully believes Josie is a 17-year-old girl.
00:07:56.306 --> 00:07:59.426
And the way it's framed grosses me out.
00:07:59.626 --> 00:08:04.826
Like, it's framed to be all cute and romantic. No. No.
00:08:05.346 --> 00:08:12.766
This grown man is falling in love with a student who he believes is a teenager.
00:08:13.206 --> 00:08:20.406
There's a certain scene in the movie where there's a student fair that's raising funds for the prom.
00:08:20.746 --> 00:08:24.546
And somehow, Josie and Sam are sitting on the Ferris wheel together.
00:08:24.846 --> 00:08:28.946
And Sam talks about his relationship problems with his girlfriend.
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Now, to be fair, he does realize that he probably shouldn't be talking about
00:08:33.646 --> 00:08:38.806
this with a student, which when he said that, I was yelling, you shouldn't.
00:08:38.966 --> 00:08:41.726
You shouldn't. I was literally yelling at the TV.
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But then he finished those things up by saying, when you're my age,
00:08:46.906 --> 00:08:49.886
guys will be lined up around the block for you.
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Ew. Oh, sorry.
00:08:55.052 --> 00:09:01.432
You're a teacher, and you're talking to somebody who you believe is 17 years old.
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Don't be making those comments around children.
00:09:07.212 --> 00:09:11.832
Anyway, towards the end of the movie, the prom happens, because it's a high
00:09:11.832 --> 00:09:14.512
school movie. Of course, there has to be a prom. It's law.
00:09:14.992 --> 00:09:18.372
And Josie has this romantic dance with Sam.
00:09:18.952 --> 00:09:23.632
Now, still in the movie, Sam still believes Josie is a teenager.
00:09:24.452 --> 00:09:25.632
And yet, for some reason, this
00:09:25.632 --> 00:09:30.692
dance is the least disturbing thing Sam Coulson has done in this movie.
00:09:31.172 --> 00:09:36.672
Anyway, through some form of chicanery or another, Josie reveals to the entire
00:09:36.672 --> 00:09:41.652
high school that she was undercover this whole time. She's actually a 25-year-old
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reporter for the Chicago Sun-Times.
00:09:44.872 --> 00:09:50.052
Obviously, this reveal is very shocking to people, especially Sam Coulson,
00:09:50.192 --> 00:09:54.132
who responds, I just can't look at you in the same way.
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Quick question. Sam, what's that supposed to mean?
00:09:59.312 --> 00:10:03.072
What does it mean when you say you can't look at her the same way?
00:10:03.452 --> 00:10:06.212
Did you still wish she was 17?
00:10:06.932 --> 00:10:10.892
Is that what you mean, Sam? Were you hoping that she was a minor?
00:10:11.272 --> 00:10:15.952
I am to believe there is a recent Kendrick Lamar rat that describes you.
00:10:16.652 --> 00:10:20.412
Anyway, towards the end of the movie, Josie writes an article about how she
00:10:20.412 --> 00:10:25.472
accidentally made the teacher fall in love with her ill and then Josie and Sam
00:10:25.472 --> 00:10:33.872
have a final kiss in the end whoop-de-doo they live happily ever after Josie is dating a predator.
00:10:35.068 --> 00:10:38.728
Now that I got the well-deserved Sam Coulson hate out of my system,
00:10:38.728 --> 00:10:45.408
here are some other moments in the movie that kind of made me realize, oh, this is icky.
00:10:46.008 --> 00:10:50.268
Throughout the movie, I find it kind of disturbing how teenagers are more or
00:10:50.268 --> 00:10:53.248
less sexualized by adult characters.
00:10:53.748 --> 00:10:58.588
Not just Sam Coulson, people like Rob, Josie's brother, who,
00:10:58.808 --> 00:11:03.668
and I quote, said, got some underage hotties here.
00:11:04.228 --> 00:11:09.488
Josie doesn't even bat an eye. Even some of the people Josie works with at the
00:11:09.488 --> 00:11:12.128
Chicago Sun-Times feel irredeemable.
00:11:12.608 --> 00:11:16.288
For example, Josie's talking to her superior, played by John C.
00:11:16.388 --> 00:11:20.748
Reilly, about the types of stories she's trying to gather at the high school.
00:11:21.028 --> 00:11:26.348
And John C. Reilly's character is not impressed, saying, Journalism is about
00:11:26.348 --> 00:11:31.808
stories with sex scandals, people killing themselves, and things journalism isn't about.
00:11:32.528 --> 00:11:39.248
I know this is like a joke, but it made me wonder, is the Chicago Sun-Times a real newspaper?
00:11:39.608 --> 00:11:41.528
I looked it up, it is.
00:11:42.088 --> 00:11:47.728
You think the Chicago Sun-Times gave this film the permission to use their name and likeness?
00:11:47.948 --> 00:11:55.328
Just for John C. Reilly to call the Chicago Sun-Times nothing more than a cheap gossip column?
00:11:55.548 --> 00:11:59.928
I don't think that will reflect well on the Chicago Sun-Times brand image.
00:12:00.488 --> 00:12:04.088
Another gross moment in the movie is from a character named George,
00:12:04.108 --> 00:12:07.828
who is helping Josie with her undercover investigation.
00:12:08.188 --> 00:12:14.828
George has set up some hidden cameras on Josie's clothes and is monitoring said cameras.
00:12:15.308 --> 00:12:21.468
And what's disturbing is that George sees the high school girls with the camera and calls them hot.
00:12:21.788 --> 00:12:26.408
Is every adult character in this movie even allowed near that high school?
00:12:26.948 --> 00:12:33.608
Now, I could honestly go on and on and on, but I think you guys get the point right now.
00:12:34.208 --> 00:12:39.208
Now, I have never seen Never Been Kissed before until I had to watch it for this podcast.
00:12:40.469 --> 00:12:46.569
And with all honesty, I did not care for it. There are zero likable characters.
00:12:47.009 --> 00:12:51.189
It's such a stupid, twisted, perverted plot.
00:12:51.509 --> 00:12:55.629
Honestly, how did this even get greenlit? That's what I want to know.
00:12:56.129 --> 00:13:01.029
Now, if there's one thing that I could say positively about this movie,
00:13:01.269 --> 00:13:08.069
is that some scenes were directed pretty well, which was kind of surprising
00:13:08.069 --> 00:13:12.989
for me, because this is directed by the guy who made two Smurf movies.
00:13:13.729 --> 00:13:19.429
Some of the main standout scenes come from Josie as she flashes back to her high school days.
00:13:19.649 --> 00:13:23.469
The transitions were, in my opinion at least, creatively done.
00:13:23.689 --> 00:13:27.709
And there was like this one moment towards the beginning of the film where Josie
00:13:27.709 --> 00:13:30.549
is looking in the mirror at her teenage self.
00:13:30.849 --> 00:13:33.809
I was decently surprised by this.
00:13:34.549 --> 00:13:40.729
I feel like a lot of rom-coms tend to not take advantage of the cinematography and the camera work.
00:13:40.909 --> 00:13:46.969
So to see a movie like Never Been Kissed take these creative liberties was kind of surprising.
00:13:47.569 --> 00:13:52.269
Especially since this comes from the director of Beverly Hills Chihuahua.
00:13:52.589 --> 00:13:54.729
So I guess good on him, I guess.
00:13:55.529 --> 00:14:01.069
But outside of these few creative shots, I was not having a happy time with
00:14:01.069 --> 00:14:03.169
this movie. It was disturbing.
00:14:03.749 --> 00:14:07.029
It was... Honestly, I won't be done talking about this movie,
00:14:07.049 --> 00:14:12.809
so I'm going to recommend some good chick flicks, some good high school movies, some good rom-coms.
00:14:13.069 --> 00:14:19.049
10 Things I Hate About You, that is much better, as the late great Heath Ledger.
00:14:19.489 --> 00:14:21.769
Mean Girls, of course, that movie's iconic.
00:14:22.409 --> 00:14:27.789
And Heathers, it kind of subverts expectations with your average high school movie.
00:14:28.029 --> 00:14:30.969
But I cannot, for the life of me,
00:14:30.969 --> 00:14:34.109
recommend never been kissed and i
00:14:34.109 --> 00:14:37.089
cannot find any future where i
00:14:37.089 --> 00:14:43.009
re-watch this movie and frankly that makes me happy never been kissed will never
00:14:43.009 --> 00:14:50.289
be missed well that wraps up another episode of explaining the joke thank you
00:14:50.289 --> 00:14:54.169
guys so much for listening if you guys have any movie recommendations you want
00:14:54.169 --> 00:14:56.909
me to check out please let me know i'd be happy to hear that.
00:14:56.880 --> 00:15:23.917
Music.
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