Best Sandler Movie Yet

Rating: 10/10 (10 January 2005)

While Happy Gilmore is my favorite Sandler comedy, 50 1st Dates is his best all-around film. It's shot beautifully, it has such a great heart, and Rob Schneider gives a genuinely great performance--I know Schneider and great performances usually aren't used in the same sentence unless in jest, but he's really good here. Even though there seems to be a lot here in common with other Sandler films, this one has something a lot of his other romantic comedies didn't: a really great story to go with the gimicky premise.
As for the characters, Sandler plays his basic lovable-loser and Drew Berrymore is her usual sweet self and Tom Blake and Hobbit emeritus Sean Astin (who was basically a character designed for a running gag) also deliver in solid supporting roles. Throw in a walrus and penguin for the kids and you've got a classic on your hands.
Let's hope Sandler continues to grow and go outside his usual gang of pals for future scripts and then somewhat "Sandlerize" them for a bit of irreverent comedy the way he did w/ 50 FIRST DATES.