My Date with Drew (2004)reviewed by Benn "Where's the Humanity?" Farrell
"My Date with Drew" is DV documentary about aspiring--but broke--filmmaker Brian Herzlinger who decides he is going to figure out a way to ask Drew Barrymore--whom he's never met--out on a date. The kick is, Herzlinger and cohorts Jon Gunn and Brett Winn only have 30 days to due it. Why? Because that's when the camera they bought from Circuit City has to go back for the refund policy. There were two great aspects to this movie. The approach was one of them. Herzlinger and company would use the concept of six degrees of separation with their contacts in Los Angeles to try and get to Barrymore. The film would stop and account for how many degrees the filmmakers were at, showing their progress. They trio also did a great job of allowing the movie to lead up to a do or die moment, being the Hollywood premier of "Charlie's Angels: Full Throttle" where Herzlinger would crash the after party with a doctored staff credentials. The other aspect of the picture I loved was how Herzlinger went out of his way to show he was an "everyman;" to show how average he was and how unattainable Drew Barrymore was. Since everyone who's anyone has had a crush on a celebrity at some point in there lives, it is easy to identify and cheer for Herzlinger's quest. In turn, the picture's mounting conflicts hurts us as much as the trio of filmmakers. Moments where they get good news about getting close to Barrymore, we get overly excited like they do. There is one moment in the movie where Herzlinger is on the phone, speaking with Barrymore's partner at Flower Films, getting the news that the date may actually be arranged. The look and gaping mouth Herzlinger had during that cell phone conversation, as we watch his eyes fill up with tears of joy, completely choked me up. The final images and message the film gives show the kind of heart this man's (men's) story carries. I find this film extremely inspiring as a filmmaker, as a child of the movies and as an average guy. The movie says a lot about being a dreamer, which as Drew Barrymore says in the movie, "it's not like the world doesn't need more of those." This documentary is so sweet, hilarious and says SO much, I have to recommend EVERYONE see it. It will put a BIG smile on your face, man or woman. It's more awesome than even I thought a DV motion picture could possibly be. Thank you, Brian Herzlinger, Jon Gunn and Brett Winn--and Drew Barrymore--for making this absolutely magnificent, highly enjoyable picture. Benn - Where's the Humanity?
Without a doubt, this documentary is the funniest and most heart warming one I've ever seen, maybe the best non-fiction film I've seen thus far.