'My Date With Drew'

Roger & Me not only opened doors for a new, more raffish school of populist muckrakers but also suggested a novel approach for young directors seeking distribution. Stalk a celebrity—in Michael Moore's case, GM exec Roger Smith—and presto: You're a celebrity yourself. In My Date With Drew, aspiring filmmaker Brian Herzlinger assigns himself one month to snag a date with lifelong crush Drew Barrymore. (Circuit City's return policy expires after 30 days, and he plans to give the camera back.) Never mind that telling people you want a date with Drew for your movie is not the same as asking Drew for a date; Herzlinger's mugging is intermittently charming anyway, in part because his shit-eating grin and blind optimism would complement Barrymore's endearing naïvete. "I'm scared to death that I'm gonna look like an idiot," he tells his friends. (Too late.) Herzlinger visits Charlie's Angels scribe John August, an L.A. facialist to the stars, and Barrymore's clueless first cousin. He has difficulty booking Andy Dick, but oddly, no trouble securing an evening with Drew's ex-flame Corey Feldman. When our hero finally does get his moment in the sun—c'mon, would someone have bought the movie if he didn't?—My Date With Drew offers the surreal spectacle of pursuer and pursued pleasantly gabbing, obliviously immersed in a mutual PR stunt. It's only a matter of time before we see My Skirmish With Scarlett, My Cuddle With Keira , and My Lap Dance With Lindsay.