Drew Barrymore: 5 Awesome Performance And 5 That Sucked

5 Awesome Performances...

5. Ivy - Poison Ivy (1992)

After Barrymore finally managed to drag herself out of a period of infamous drug abuse and debauchery, her first major role post-childhood was Poison Ivy, in which she played a trampish teenager who becomes obsessed with her wealthy friend. Poison Ivy is a film which is certainly rough around the edges, but there's something to admire about the brave way it tackles rebellious adolescence with such a twisted sexually charged energy. Beyond that, there's some interesting ideas floating around concerning the class divide in America, and while they might not be explored in as much depth as they could have been, it adds a layer of social commentary which elevates it above a mere "teenage Fatal Attraction". Barrymore's performance is one of the film's great highlights - it's as if she's channelling the bad girl lifestyle which she openly discussed in her post-alcohol binge period autobiography Little Girl Lost, bringing a subtle emotional depth and ambiguity to the role.