Drew Barrymore: Top Five/Bottom Five

Our picks for the actress's most lovable and most lame roles.
Actress Drew Barrymore appears onstage during MTV's Total Request Live at the MTV Times Square Studios on February 14, 2007 in New York City
Getty Images
Erin Nolan

Even if you're not a fan of the movies she appears in, you can't deny that Drew Barrymore has a likability factor few actresses can compete with. It's because of this likability factor that I predict her fans will protect her from the shame and ridicule she should be experiencing after lending her voice to Beverly Hills Chihuahua. Instead they will focus on her upcoming roles in He's Just Not That Into You and Grey Gardens, and her directorial debut Whip It. But before that happens, let's take a look at the best and worst of Ms. Barrymore, and decide which roles made us love her and which ones threatened to destroy that love.

TOP FIVE

1. E.T.
Drew has been called "cute" for almost her entire career. Perhaps it's because there are still some people who look at her and only see the adorable little girl who dressed up an alien for a tea party and hid him amongst her stuffed animal collection. For that, she'll always hold a special place in our and a certain extra-terrestrial's hearts.

2. The Wedding Singer
Her first (and best) pairing with Adam Sandler resulted in one of those rare romantic comedies that can be equally appreciated by both sexes. Drew was such a ray of sunshine as the would-be Julia Gulia, who wouldn't want to grow old with her?

3. Charlie's Angels
Okay, I'll admit it was extremely silly, and at times a bit cheesy. And sure, it was on the set of Angels that Drew began her unfortunate romance with Tom Green. And yeah, if she hadn't done Angels, she never would have made two of the movies we'll be discussing in the bottom half of this column. But that still doesn't mean you didn't have a great time when you first saw Charlie's Angels on the big screen.

4. Donnie Darko
After the ridiculously commercial Angels, Drew surprised everyone by earning some indie cred for producing and co-starring in this trippy cult hit.

5. Never Been Kissed
We loved Drew in these other four movies, but never have we empathized with her more than when she took on the role of Josie Geller, an aspiring journalist who volunteers to go back to high school for an undercover assignment. We root for her to nail her story, and hook up with the hot English teacher played by Michael Vartan. But where Drew really grabs us is in the flashback scenes to Josie's painfully awkward adolescence. Ugly Betty's got nothing on Josie Gross-y.

BOTTOM FIVE

1. Duplex
How could a comedy starring the likes of Drew Barrymore and Ben Stiller pass through theaters so quietly? Probably because no one wanted to admit either of them had been in something that bad.

2. Music and Lyrics
Hugh Grant's Wham!-spoofing music video at the beginning of this movie is hilarious. But I don't understand why whoever came up with the idea decided to stretch an entire movie around it, when it would've worked fine as a YouTube masterpiece. The rest of the film, including Drew, is completely superfluous.

3. Lucky You
Acting cute can only get you so far, even if you're Drew Barrymore. And her cuteness wore out for me in the trailer for this movie when she climbed on the back of Eric Bana's motorcycle and said, "Vroom Vroom." Vroom Vroom! Seriously?

4. Charlie's Angels: Full Throttle
This sequel had all the silliness of the original, but none of the fun now that the novelty (not to mention Bill Murray) was gone. And don't even get me started on the ick factor of that scene where Demi Moore literally drools all over Cameron Diaz. The only thing Full Throttle had going for it was its lack of a reappearance by Tom Green, who Barrymore had divorced by then. Now, if only Charlie's Angels had been the only filmed relic of that marriage.

5. Freddy Got Fingered
I can buy that Drew temporarily lost her senses and fell in love with Tom Green. What I can't believe is that she saw enough "talent" in him to agree to appear in his first starring vehicle, even if she just made a brief appearance. Love can't be that blind.

What are your favorite Barrymore roles? Or are you impervious to her charms? Sound off in the comments section.


post a comment




Most Popular Stories
Popular Photo Galleries
FREE Movie of the Week
Adrien Brody and Charlotte Ayanna - "Love the Hard Way" (2001)
Kino

Love the Hard Way

Film.com's FREE movie of the week is "Love the Hard Way." Oscar-winner Adrien Brody and Charlotte Ayanna star in this drama about a thief who falls for a curious, beautiful young woman. As their intimacy grows, a slick cop (Pam Greer) is closing in.
 
Terms of Use  |  Privacy Policy  |  RealNetworks  |    |  FAQ  |   RSS  |   Mobile  |   SiteMap  |   Blog   |   Partners
Browse All: Movies |  TV |  Celebrities
© 2006-2009 RealNetworks. All Rights Reserved.