Funny Women?

Still, somebody has to play the girl the boy meets, loses and gets back again. Here8217;s the current scorecard, starting with Drew Barrymore:

DREW BARRYMORE

Movies that melted our hearts: She was great opposite an angry Adam Sandler in The Wedding Singer8221; 1998 and made princesses palatable in Ever After 1998.

Movies that seared our retinas: She was horrible opposite a nice Adam Sandler in 50 First Dates 2004 and played the world8217;s least convincing journalist in Never Been Kissed 1999.

Signature moves: Sunny humour, good-vibrations free-spiritedness. Good crier.

Women find her: Sweet, non-threatening, immensely likable.

Men find her: Kooky, non-threatening.

Heir to the throne?: As long as she8217;s playing to her sunny strengths, sure.

REESE WITHERSPOON

Movie that melted our hearts: Not heart-melting but she made us get that whole ring-of-fire thing with her Oscar-winning turn in Walk the Line 2005.

Movies that seared our retinas: She was more malicious than charming in Sweet Home Alabama 2002, more witless than witty in the take-the-money-and-run sequel Legally Blonde 2: Red, White and Blonde 2003

Signature move: The brow-furrowing and lip-pursing preceding some kind of petulant burst of intelligence.

Women find her: Brainy, but competitive.

Men find her: Intense. Too intense. The kind of high-maintenance woman that would bust your chops for watching ESPN.

Heir to the throne?: Witherspoon views the romantic-comedy genre as payday, giving her the freedom to do riskier roles. She8217;s too type-A to be a sweetheart.

JENNIFER ANISTON

Movies that melted our hearts: She had more than a little flair as the love interest in the cult favourite Office Space 1999 and was convincing in The Good Girl 2002 as a married woman awaking from a long slumber.

Movies that seared our retinas: The title of The Object of My Affection 1998 did not translate into how people felt about Aniston after seeing the movie. Her chemistry opposite Ben Stiller Along Came Polly, 2004 and Vince Vaughn The Break-Up, 2006 did not set theatres ablaze.

Signature move: Letting the tears flow like the Mississippi.

Women find her: Sympathetic or simply pathetic. A little whiny, but a Friend forever.

Men find her: Attractive but dull.

Heir to the throne?: Back on the small screen, yes.

CAMERON DIAZ

Movies that melted our hearts: Her crassness was all sugar and sass mixed with a few other ingredients we8217;ll leave out in There8217;s Something About Mary 1998. She was unrecognisable as the monkey-loving girl in Being John Malkovich 1999

Movies that seared our retinas: The Sweetest Thing 2002 left a bad taste in its lame attempt to be a girl-power 8220;Mary.8221; The Holiday 2006 simply left us cold

Signature moves: Throaty laugh, usually following a booty-shaking dance floor scene that has Diaz flailing like a chicken that just lost its head.

Women find her: Squealy. Strutty. Slutty. Loud.

Men find her: All of the above, but all is forgotten and forgiven after a little booty-shaking.

Heir to the throne?: Lately Diaz seems to be trying too hard, no matter what the genre. Maybe getting rid of that Timberlake guy will help.