"If you don't take risks, you'll have a wasted soul." Armed with this quote from Drew Barrymore and the $1,100 he won on a game show, Brian Herzlinger showed dogged determination by setting out with two buddies to film  My Date with Drew, which documents his 30-day quest to get a date with the famous actress he's had a crush on for 23 years.

Rather than pay off his debts and have enough money for his rent and food, Herzlinger decides to go through with making a documentary about the average Joe who longs to date the girl who's impossible to reach. He believes every guy and gal would gain inspiration from his plight and quest -- getting as close as possible to someone you love. However, he also understands that this particular relationship is one existing only in fantasy. After all, Barrymore never knew or met him. But he sets out to fix that.

Herzlinger cannot afford a video camera let alone a professional one to help him on his journey, so he heads for Circuit City, home of the 30-day no questions asked return policy. Being way over his own credit limits, he uses a friends credit card to get the camera. Because he can't pay for this camera, he has only 30 days to complete his movie before returning it. Enter Brent Winn, Herzlinger’s friend, who actually set this movie in motion by suggesting that he should try for a date with the his favorite star.

Winn edits movie trailers and just finished working on the trailer for what else but Barrymore’s next film, Charlie's Angels: Full Throttle. Winn calls up Jon Gunn who initially isn’t interested but decides it’s better to be working. Besides, he figures, if Herzlinger fails in pursuit of Drew, the worst thing that could happen is time spent working with his friends. The three decide they will all direct the movie as well as produce it. They treat the film like a game of Six Degrees of Separation, with the idea that everyone could find someone who could find someone else who knew Drew Barrymore and would pitch their idea to her.

Any feeling we have for Herzlinger representing us in establishing a connection with an unreachable person we've had a major crush on is soon lost here. He mugs for the camera and becomes totally unlikeable with his behavior. He also uses all manner of Hollywood connections and gimmicks the ordinary man wouldn't have at his disposal. The end result? A project that appears completely self-serving and downright flat.

Gunn’s one call to producer Kerry David, his partner from Lucky Crow Films and executive producer of Agent Cody Banks 1 and 2, brings her on board and suddenly makes the outing more slick and professional. Then Eric Roberts is also consulted, and John August, a writer for Barrymore's two Charlie's Angels films, gets involved.

No woman or man trying to attract someone unattainable would be able to afford his/her own movie trailer, professional editing, and the voice of George DelHoyo, the man heard in so many previews. They would not get advantages like this tossed in as freebies to score points. Thus, the "average guy" approach Herzlinger wants us to embrace is destroyed. He has more help than anyone else would in achieving his goal of dating Barrymore -- and that help includes Web sites and radio/television interviews to promote his ideas. 

Nevertheless, there are some good points in My Date with Drew, such as when Herzlinger’s mother tells him, "Why not find a real woman?" Herzlinger seems to have trouble relating easily to REAL women and this is a crucial point -- perhaps explaining why this fantasy needs to materilize in reality. The tape of his ex-girlfriend calling him down about the project and their relationship is quite telling for viewers. Scenes with Drew look-alikes and Herzlinger's family are hysterical but, sadly, not frequent enough to save the movie.

Some might argue that My Date with Drew promotes celebrity stalking -- carefully executed. Herzlinger, who tells his friends what he construes stalking to be, certainly employs techniques and uses contacts that are beyond the realm of the average person. Finally, he further defeats the purpose of his own movie with an anti-climactic ending.

(Released by DEJ Productions and rated "PG" for mild thematic elements and language.)