Origin and release year: United States (2004 – 50 First Dates)

Starring: Adam Sandler, Drew Barrymore, Rob Schneider, Peter Segal, Lusia Strus, Sean Astin, Blake Clark, Dan Aykroyd, Maya Rudolph, Allen Covert, Jackie Sandler, Amy Hill, Pomaika’i Brown, Katheryn Winnick

Director: Peter Segal

Screenwriter: George Wing

Synopsis: Henry Roth is a man afraid of commitment until he meets the beautiful Lucy. They hit it off and Henry think he’s finally found the girl of his dreams until discovering she has short-term memory loss and forgets him the next day. (IMDb)

To be honest, this writer switched on this film purely out of nostalgia because I remembered it as one of my favorite rom-com films that I watched over and over again when I was younger. However, in hindsight, watching the film literally 20 years later was a bag of mixed emotions. 

Firstly, the humor was shockingly gross – this writer didn’t remember that aspect of the film so it took some getting used to. Naturally, a lot of the scriptwriting is problematic now in the politically correct lens of 2024. However, despite all of that, 50 First Dates is still a good comedic piece. 

If you don’t look into the logistics of Lucy (played by Drew Barrymore)’s brain injury, then the whole amnesia trope is quite fresh (even 20 years later) and gives a new spin on the typical movie cliche. There are some inconsistencies in terms of narrative detail (like Adam Sandler’s player persona, Lucy’s family’s apprehension, logical aspects, etc.), but if you ignore all of that, then the story is just plain cute with a hint of tragic. 

No one can deny the chemistry between Drew Barrymore and Adam Sandler. They have this natural spark between them that makes them so easy to watch and even gets the heart fluttering. They have the same type of goofy energy and clumsiness to them that will have you smiling at their silly antics and banterful exchanges. 

The supporting cast was also great – each character adding to the story in such a holistic way. Rob Schneider and the zookeeper played by Lusia Strus were over-the-top though, but would it be a Adam Sandler/Happy Madison production if you didn’t cringe your face into a spasm at some points? Probably not. You kind of go into the viewing experience expecting to have more than a couple of those moments. 

We have to give a nod to the soundtrack of 50 First Dates, too. It was giving everything that a solid film soundtrack should and really had us feeling the Hawaiian island vibes, tying in the mis-en-scene perfectly.  

What did you think of 50 First Dates? Let us know in the comments!