50 First Dates (2004)
Also known as "Fifty First Dates"
Imagine having to win over the girl of your dreams... every friggin' day.
Starring: Adam Sandler, Drew Barrymore, Rob Scneider, Sean Astin, Lusia Strus, Dan Aykroyd, Amy Hill, Allen Covert, Blake Clark, Maya Rudolph, Pomaika'I Brown, Joe Nakashima, Peter Dante, Dom Magwili, Jonathan Loughran
Director: Peter Segal
Running Time: 99 minutes
US MPAA rating: N/AUK BBFC rating: 12a
Comedy, Romance
The vast majority of today's romantic comedies tend to be instantly forgettable. So it's perhaps a little ironic that '50 First Dates', a rom-com set around the logistical problems of short-term memory loss, turns out to be one of the few that might just stick in your head for more than the standard couple of days.
In a nice piece of casting, it reunites Adam Sandler with Drew Barrymore, the pair having first made a surprisingly likable couple in the 80s-tastic chortler 'The Wedding Singer'. There's a charming, underplayed chemistry between the two, and it proves to be just as much of a winner this time round.
The movie's second success is the story itself. Henry (Sandler) is a Hawaii-based marine biologist with big commitment problems, until he bumps into Barrymore's waffle-sculpting Lucy in a local diner. The pair hit it off and arrange to meet the next day, but there's a mucho problemo: as a result of a car accident suffered a year ago, she can't remember a thing from one day to the next - including any lunch dates she might happen to have made.
Despite the misleading title, there's more to this than simply watching Sandler's repeated first-time wooing of his newfound love, and it's actually got a pretty decent plotline to carry us through. Of course it's heavily-influenced by the likes of 'Memento' and 'Groundhog Day', but it has a humour, charm and goal of its own to prevent it from straying into rip-off territory.
If it has any real fault, it's that it's not particularly funny. Sandler leaves out his trademark yelling and, though his distinctive sense of humour is still on show, it's very much a mellowed down version we get to see here. It's not that that's a bad thing (it's actually a bit of a relief not to have to reach for the Aspirin tablets afterwards) - it's just that there seems to be little else here to replace his usual noisy gross-out shtick with.
It's Got: A vomiting walrus.
It Needs: To include a scene where the ever-nauseating Rob Schneider is involved in some sort of horrendously painful accident.
Alternatives: Groundhog Day, The Wedding Singer, Memento, Punch-Drunk Love
Summary: The most pleasantly-surprising film of 2004 so far.
Review by Gary Panton
External Links
50 First Dates at the IMDB
Comments13 Comments |
| It was great! |
| Comment by:- Andreas kurz | | 29 May 2004 | ip: logged |
| I thought the movie was awesome....romantic...and hilarious!! If you love the wedding singer...youll love this. |
| Comment by:- Sonia | | 09 June 2004 | ip: logged |
| I love Adam Sandler, Drew Barrymore both. They are pefect match. |
| Comment by:- lilian h | | 15 August 2004 | ip: logged |
| I'ts a great film! funny,moving and romantic Adam sandler and Drew Barrymore play the characters fantasticaly! |
| Comment by:- Bee | www.movie-gazette.com... | 19 August 2004 | ip: logged |
| this film is very..very..romantic,I wish I had a husband like him hehe.. |
| Comment by:- linda | | 20 August 2004 | ip: logged |
| i think its a ****er of a movie it made me and my mates laugh my vote 9/10 |
| Comment by:- Brody Harvey | www.movie-gazette.com/cinerevi... | 01 September 2004 | ip: logged |
| i wish i was drew barrymore(lucy)very fantastic movie two thumbs up!!!!!!!!!!!!! |
| Comment by:- lyza | | 10 September 2004 | ip: logged |
| I watched it with my daughter, I laughed, I cried a little, I had 4 glasses of red wine and then I phoned my girlfriend...really enjoyed it |
| Comment by:- Richard | | 18 September 2004 | ip: logged |
| Did you all watch the same movie? I haven't seen a movie this nauseating in a LONG time. I didn't think it possible for a movie to include so many predictable outcomes and god-awful stereotypes. Where was the humor in this so-called comedy? |
| Comment by:- pete | | 01 October 2004 | ip: logged |
| 50 first dates was pretty good. It was so funny and that's why everyone liked it proboly. The ending would've been betta if she recovered a little but it was alrite. GO TROY! |
| Comment by:- Yvette | | 08 October 2004 | ip: logged |
| The movie was pretty good.It mixed commedy, romance and drama. We enjoyed it a lot. :D |
| Comment by:- Azlan ,Darlan , Tiago & Rita | | 14 October 2004 | ip: logged |
| omg i love this movie it is the best movie science i dont know when!!! |
| Comment by:- michael's girl | www.movie-gazette.com/cinerevi... | 04 November 2004 | ip: logged |
| Very good movie although the faulty DVD from the gym's free rental skipped parts - grr - but what we saw was great |
| Comment by:- silver_waves | | 26 July 2005 | ip: logged |
