Product: 50 First Dates (Widescreen Special Edition) (2004)
Rating: 4.0
A Truly Romantic Movie
Henry Roth (Adam Sandler) isn't into commitment. He's just a laid back, Hawaiian veterinarian out for a good time. But when he walks into a Cafe one morning and sees Lucy, the girl of his dreams, everything changes. They set up a date, but to no avail, because Lucy (Drew Barrymore) suffers from a loss of short term memory. Ever since a tragic accident one year earlier, Lucy's short term memory is only good for as long as she stays awake. Everyday, she wakes up thinking it's the morning the accident took place, with no idea that the tragic event ever happened. This causes terrible problems for Henry. Not only can she never remember who he is after a night's sleep, but everyday he must get her to fall in love with him from scratch. And once poor Henry gets the hang of that little problem, he's got to find a way to progress things, so every day is not another first date.Although I've always been an Adam Sandler fan, I can't say I went into this expecting very much. Oh, I knew it would be good, but here's the thing; Sandler's self-starring, Happy-Madison productions have ALL been great, but each new one is a little less great than the previous one. Billy Madison is, without a doubt, my favorite of his films. So, after his last comedy, "Anger Management," I was expecting something pretty bland. The first 15 minutes or so didn't give me much to hope for. A pretty cheezy set-up, and lots of bad jokes that didn't even seem like jokes. Now, Sandler has always used odd jokes that don't seem like jokes, but the further back one goes, the more effective they are. That's almost ALL "Billy Madison" was comprised of, yet they totally hit the mark in that film. This time around they are just weird and sad. In the beginning at least. That's the whole thing about this film. It's just the beginning that kinda sucks. Stick with it and you'll really be glad in the end. After Act 1, "50 First Dates" becomes an outstanding romantic comedy! A truly heartwarming film that will make you want to fall in love, if you aren't in love already! Even those weird jokes get better as the film rolls along. The performances are all really great, if one is used to Sandler's own style of acting. I've never been much of a Barrymore fan, but she is actually really loveable in this flick. It's great to see the wonderful Blake Clark in a pretty large role this time around too. Rob Schneider is always hilarious, and totally believable as a Hawaiian native! And, legend in my book, Dan Aykroyd even puts in his two cents as Lucy's doctor. But the actor who steals the show is former hobbit and Goonie Sean Astin, who is hilarious as Lucy's steroid chugging brother. All the characters are highly believable and very sympathetic. You can't help but root for...well, everybody! There are no villains here other than Lucy's persistent memory loss, which is tragic and endearing. What makes the film so wonderful in the end though, is that they don't rely on a cheap, easy-way-out, happy miracle ending. This movie is about how the love of those who care about us can help get us through difficult circumstances, or help us live with them. It's also about perseverance, and not letting anything stand in the way of true love. Oh, and adorable marine animals too!