My Date with Drew Movie Review

My Date with Drew is a sunny alternative to the two genres that inspire it: the DIY indie documentary, and reality TV programming. It follows Brian Herzlinger, a nebbish aspiring filmmaker who has had a crush on Drew Barrymore since he was seven and she was the little girl in E.T. Unsatisfied with his life, he decides to attempt to fulfill his longtime dream of going on a date with the actress, aided by some quiz-show prize money (his winning answer: Drew Barrymore).

This devotion isn't as stalker-ish as it sounds, and, actually, My Date with Drew might've benefited from a greater sense of, if not danger (the lack of ickiness is a relief), at least some cracked star worship. Herzlinger likes Barrymore because she's the cute kid in E.T. who grew up to be a cute, sweet-sounding adult; although he boasts a childhood membership in her fan club, there's little sense that he follows her cinematic career with greater attention than anyone else on the multiplex line. Can he quote from Firestarter? Does he prefer Never Been Kissed or Riding in Cars with Boys, and why? His glib answer to "Why Drew Barrymore?" ("Because it's Drew Barrymore") isn't enough.

Still, at least Barrymore's sweet persona matches the film's gee-whiz enthusiasm. Herzlinger has his neuroses – he spends part of his money on cleaning himself up and getting into physical and social shape for the unsecured Barrymore date – but he's powered by optimism and good humor. We also get to see him receive some dedicated backup, as when his cohorts team up to sneak him into the premiere of Charlie's Angels: Full Throttle. My Date with Drew is essentially a well-assembled home movie, and not everyone's friends and goof-offs would make for 90 minutes this breezy.

Indeed, these friends have improvised an impressive amount of material from very little, but this tossed-off quality does nothing to dissuade you from thinking that it might've worked just as well as an episode of Morgan Spurlock's docu-series 30 Days. Just as there's no real articulated reason for Herzlinger's interest in Barrymore, My Date with Drew lacks justification as a feature – something you'd pay ten bucks to go out and see, or even five to watch at home. If that seems like a dismissive distinction, consider this: Herzlinger and his friends are aspiring filmmakers; a film that doubles as an audition tape for television projects might be precisely the point.