"Imagine having to win over the girl of your dreams... every friggin' day."

50 First Dates (2004): 6/10

Poster (c) Columbia/Tristar Pictures

Shoot me, because I think Adam Sandler is pretty much a funny guy. I like his movies and I think they're funny, and he's enjoyable on SNL, and even in his more dramatic work () he still was funny. However, I was a little trepidatious about going to see his latest movie, 50 First Dates, mainly because it was released in February. While I didn't expect it to be a hysterical masterpiece, a la Happy Gilmore, it was an enjoyable romcom, a perfect early year release.

Sandler plays Henry Roth, a vet living in Hawaii. His typical relationships are with tourists; he's afraid of commitment (which movie character isn't?). That is, until he meets Lucy (Drew Barrymore). The problem is that she has short-term memory loss, so every day he has to impress her again and again. It's not as easy as it may seem, though.

This movie plays like a cross between Groundhog Day and Memento. It's like the former because he has to change something every day. And it's like the latter because of the short-term memory loss. But it's nowhere near as good as them, because it doesn't have the charm nor the intrigue of either of them. Instead, it's some typical Sandler humor (including a vomiting walrus!), some other types of humor, and a simple, sweet story. The plot is relatively simple, with just that one twist, which not only is a cheap gimmick but adds to the plot.

Personally, I liked Sandler more as a loose cannon than mild-mannered nice guy. Some moments of his are really great (the aforementioned walrus was so overdone I actually laughed), with a couple moments of true hilarity. Some jokes, however, fall flat, and it seems that they forget that Sandler is a comedian, not a romantic. Their romance isn't completely believable, but it sufficed. His movies that have the romance on the back burner always seem to work better, but that's just my opinion. As is usual Sandler fashion, Rob Schneider comes in for a supporting role, and to tell the truth he's great. As a drugged-up Hawaiian guy, the material writes itself. It did disappoint me, however, that the trademark line "You can do it!" wasn't in there at all.

Everything I learned about antereo-grade memory loss I learned from Memento, but I'm ecstatic that they didn't go for the cheesy "she remembers him after he says he loves her!" Hollywood stuff. In fact, Barrymore did convince me that she had the ailment, and Sandler played his usual self. Sean Astin, as a steroid-using lisping body-builder, is just too odd to comment on, and Dan Aykroyd, in a small role as a doctor, has one great line, but that's it. 50 First Dates is a simple movie, nice to sit through, with some good laughs in the middle of it, but nothing that'll stay with you throughout the rest of your life.

Rated PG-13 on appeal for crude sexual humor and drug references.

Review Date: February 13, 2004