50 Dates and More!

Rating: 8/10 (11 May 2015)

50 First Dates (2004): Dir: Peter Segal / Cast: Adam Sandler, Drew Barrymore, Rob Schneider, Sean Astin, Blake Clark: Romantic comedy about starting over. It bares resemblance to Groundhog Day where Bill Murray lives through the same day until he gets it right. This time Adam Sandler must reintroduce himself everyday to the same woman because she lost her short term memory in a car accident. Her father and brother try to recreate the exact same day but are exhausted to think of her future. This becomes repetitious but the ending demonstrates one man's devotion to another person's happiness. Directed by Peter Segal who made the hilarious The Naked Gun 33 1/3: The Final Insult. Sandler delivers one of his best comic performances as someone struggling repeatedly to connect. Drew Barrymore is the emotional centre repeating each day seamlessly new. Both she and Sandler were previously in The Wedding Singer and she steals both films. Funny supporting work by shark bitten Rob Schneider whose antics are questionable at best. At one point Barrymore takes a baseball bat to him but perhaps that was a reaction to Deuce Bigalow: Male Gigolo. Sean Astin plays Barrymore's overprotective brother, and Black Clark plays her stern father. Strong message about connection and sacrificing much to amend tragedy. Sometimes too serious but its theme may warrant it 50 viewings. Score: 8 / 10