In “Going the Distance,” Drew Barrymore is doing what she does — starring in romantic-comedies. It’s safe to say that to today’s college student, Drew Barrymore is the Michael Jordan of romantic-comedies.
She owned the late 90s and continues her reign well into the two-thousands (is that what we’re calling them?). In celebration of this actress with an illustrious romantic and funny career, I am highlighting her top-five performances. Here’s to “Julia-Gulia” and “Josie-Grossie.”
#5 “Fever Pitch” (2005)
In this Farrelly brothers directed remake, Barrymore starred alongside a pre-“Late Show” Jimmy Fallon and created a better match for him than Queen Latifah did in “Taxi.” The two had great chemistry. They were funny and cute. Although the Farrelly’s had to change the ending when the Red Sox ended up winning the World Series, the result was even better — a wonderfully underrated film. Give credit to Barrymore because only God knows how she made it through a scene with Fallon laughing every five seconds.
#4 “50 First Dates” (2004)
“50 First Dates” brought Barrymore back together with her “The Wedding Singer” co-star, Adam Sandler. Although I’d like to praise her for picking a role in a movie with such an original story, I wonder, “Could the choice really have been that hard?” “Ok, Drew, we want you to star in a film with your friend, the hilarious Adam Sandler, and his hilarious friends, and you’re the girl of his dreams, and we’re shooting in Hawaii, and we’re going to pay you a lot of money.” I would’ve done
it, too.
#3 “E.T.: The Extraterrestrial” (1982)
So, maybe Drew was just a little kid, and she wasn’t the lead, but she was adorable as Elliot’s little sister Gertie. The film is a classic for 80s kids. It was Steven Spielberg at his best, making stories that took our imaginations to places they had never been. And who can forget E.T. dressed in drag with a wig and red lipstick. You can thank Gertie
for that.
#2 “Never Been Kissed” (1999)
There are certain moments in life that we recollect fondly with the knowledge that we will never get to live them again — watching a movie in the 90s about high school is one of those great moments. Nineties movies were amazing and “Never Been Kissed” was one of those films. Barrymore played Josie Geller, a journalist who got to go back to high school to research a story. This film is the gift that keeps on giving. Every time you watch it you are taken back to a better time — a time of beepers and Chumbawamba. It also gave us a brilliant soundtrack and the nickname “Josie-Grossie.” I’ll bet no child has been named Josie since.
#1 “The Wedding Singer” (1998)
Perhaps the only era that could compete with the 90s, as far as bright clothes, awesome music, and weird hairdos go, is the 80s. In “The Wedding Singer,” Sandler and Barrymore transported us back to the time of “Flock of Seagulls” and “Alf.” This incomparable film gave us unforgettable scenes, knee-slapping one-liners and, probably, the greatest nickname ever, Julia Gulia. Interestingly enough, people still name their little girls Julia, and when those little girls get older some individual, reaching back to a better time, will place upon those little girls the nickname, Julia-Gulia, and they will have no clue what it means.
