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My Date With DrewReviewed by Anne Garber(Four stars)
On the subject of Drew Barrymore, I always like to tell the story of the time I was sitting in a movie-house when the re-release of E.T. was previewed in theatres a few years ago; everyone in the audience kind of let out a collective sigh the moment that seven-year-old, angelic Drew's sweet face appeared on screen. Whispers surrounded us in the theatre as a great many people said: "Drew Barrymore!" and a equal number whispered back, saying "I Know !!" with both admiration and that you-don't-have-to-tell-ME kind of tone. Literally everyone in the audience -- of all ages -- recognized her, and moreover, nearly everyone was obviously enchanted by her, both by the teensy Drew, and clearly by the grown-up one, too.
The premise of the film is that 27-year-old Brian Herzlinger is out of a relationship, out of work, out of the loop and pretty much out-of-it in general, but he has not given up on his dream. Brian -- somehow we immediately feel we're on a first-name basis with the filmmaker -- lives in Hollywood, is a film school grad working P.A. jobs, and your basic run-of-the-mill Hollywood go-nowhere production gigs. As a sometimes-employed actor, he appeared in the pilot for a game-show in which the prize money of $1100 hinged on a single question, the correct answer to which was "Drew Barrymore." He wins the money with this correct answer. Brian takes this as a sign that he should use the $1100 he won to find a way to meet Drew and maybe actually get her to agree to go on a date with him.
The promo line for the film becomes: "30 days - $1100 - 1 date." Thus, the countdown begins. The remaining challenge Brian faces is not to be perceived by Drew (or any of her friends and support staff) as a stalker, which frankly, folks, he kind of is! Well, maybe a stalker without evil intent. But some of Brian's shenanigans border on the stalkeresque -- maybe just a little. The biggest problem is that Brian himself has absolutely no way of bumping into Drew Barrymore. So, employing the Six Degrees of Separation approach, Brian and a few close friends contact anyone and everyone they think might have even a tangential connection to the actress. Brian does manage to hook up with a few recognizable personalities: Eric Roberts critiques Brian's physique, causing him to rush to a personal trainer. Corey Feldman admits to dating Barrymore years ago but offers only encouragement, not help. John August, screenwriter of Charlie's Angels, offers tips but not involvement, and Andy Dick -- who has worked with Drew -- also declines involvement.
What isn't much stated obviously anywhere is that Brian had a life-changing wake-up call, when a friend of his -- Tony Vasquez, to whose memory the film is dedicated -- was killed suddenly at the age of 22. Thereafter Brian decided to go for everything he could in life, and this film is sure a great beginning to that ambition. Always the detail guy {note Canadian spelling of "theatres"}, Brian sent this letter around -- just before the scheduled opening of the film in Canada -- to all Canuck reviewers of his film: "Hi everybody up there in Canada! Brian Herzlinger here, writing to you from Los Angeles, where we are in our second week of My Date With Drew's release. We are having an amazing time here, enjoying a successful opening, expanding into more theatres this weekend, and the most positive word-of-mouth any film could ask for! But I just wanted to take a moment to say thank you so much for all of your time, interest, and genuine enthusiasm that welcomed me on my Canadian stop during my press tour. I have told everyone here in America how much fun I had speaking with all of you, and I wanted to say as we head into the Canadian opening weekend, that I couldn't have asked for a better experience with all of you, and I really hope that you all enjoy My Date With Drew when it hits a theatre near you this Friday! Thanks again." Brian hopes the film will inspire those who see it to follow their dreams, no matter how out of reach they may seem. "Don't let anyone tell you that you can't do something. It doesn't matter if you live in LA or you live in New Jersey, you should always go for your dreams." My Date With Drew MPAA Rating: Rated PG. This film is a sure-fire pick-me-up, and hey, a guaranteed ideal date movie -- even if your dream girl isn't Drew Barrymore. Go see it. You can even sign up for Brian's newsletter at the production group's (Drew's Crew) website. Slow Hand Releasing Credits: See evalu8.org's other film reviews and
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TM
This
innocent film is surprisingly riveting and tension-building. It doesn't hurt
that the focus is whether or not an "ordinary guy" can manage to wangle a "date"
with everyone's sweetheart, Drew Barrymore. 
One
of the most charming things about Drew Barrymore, herself -- and a fact that
puts you on the side of this guy right from the start -- is that you can totally
relate to his interest in her. When he reveals a secret drawer in his bedroom in
his parents' house, and proudly displays a photo of teensy-Drew that he received
when he joined her fan club at age 10, you get why he had a crush on her since
childhood. In real life, Drew has a disarming way of deflecting praise thrown at
her; she seems to have benefited (overcome and grown) from her encounters with
drugs and the seamy side of child-stardom to become a genuinely lovely person
with good I'm-just-like-you values, so we have no trouble whatsoever identifying
with our hero's quest for the holy grail, uh, girl. 
In
this case, it's just a modest date he seeks, so -- like the subjects of many of
the street interviews the hero initiates with total strangers -- we wish him
well in his mission. We're rooting for him all along, and this helps to drive
the momentum of the film, too. 
The
hitch is that his $1100 won't go very far, so he goes to Circuit City, a store
that has a 30-day no-questions-asked returns policy. The idea is to buy the
video camera he will need for his project, and complete the documentary (ie get
Drew to agree to a date) and return the camera within 30 days. 
Brian
is a natural on camera -- playing the role of the Average Joe to the hilt. He's
embarrassed. He's sheepish. He freaks out when he thinks it might actually
happen. In short, he's only human. Yet his message comes through loud and clear:
"Always go for your dreams."