50 First Dates Review
by Laura Clifford (laura AT reelingreviews DOT com)February 13th, 2004
50 FIRST DATES
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Marine life vet Henry Roth (Adam Sandler) enjoys his non-committal lifestyle of single dates with the tourists visiting his Hawaiian home state. Henry's a goner, though, when he sets eyes on high school art teacher Lucy Whitmore (Drew Barrymore) one morning in a restaurant, but Lucy has a rare condition that causes her to lose her memory overnight, every night. In order to pursue the woman of his dreams, Henry is ironically forced to continue his pattern, this time with the same woman, in "50 First Dates."
Lightning strikes twice as Adam Sandler reteams with his well-matched "Wedding Singer" costar Drew Barrymore for the second most delightful outing in the Sandler oeuvre. Although Sandler has dispensed with his usual writing partner Tim Herlihy for newcomer George Wing, the Sandler troupe remains intact with regulars Blake Clark, Allen Covert and the never funnier Rob Schneider all making welcome appearances. Director Peter Segal joins the Sandler talent pool returning after last year's "Anger Management" gig, allowing far fewer flat moments this time around.
When Henry suffers a sailing mishap testing the Sea Serpent for his long-dreamed journey to Alaska for walrus study, he's forced to dock on an unfamiliar side of the island. Cooling his heals in a local restaurant, Henry is charmed by a beautiful blonde constructing a working teepee out of breakfast waffles. He agrees to meet her the next day and is shocked when his familiar ribbing is met with Sally's outrage. Waitress Sue (Amy Hill, "Cheaper by the Dozen") clues him in - Sally has lost her short term memory every night since a car accident the previous year. Henry cannot get the girl out of his mind, though, and when the cook, Nick (Pomaika'i Brown), bets him $20 that he can't interest Sally again, Henry's determined to try each day until he wins. His motives are misinterpreted by Sally's dad Marlin (Clark) and her bodybuilding brother Doug (Sean Astin, "The Lord of the Rings: Return of the King") who tell Henry to stay away, but when Marlin notices that his daughter sings on the days she's seen Henry he relents and includes him in the familial group who care for his daughter.
Wing's story idea jumps off from "Groundhog Day" territory and goes farther, fleshing out the love and devotion involved in both recreating the same day, Marlin's birthday, for Sally over and over and finding comforting ways to tell her what happened so that she can still enjoy life. The heart is real, and yet humor is always close at hand, particularly in Henry's video wakeup tape (including a recreation of a first date with buddy Ula (Schneider) standing in for Sally!). Henry's job as a marine vet allows for some beautifully integrated animal silliness (Willy the Penguin deserves an agent) and the Hawaiian location is milked for not only beautiful vistas, but quirks like the natives' fondness for Spam. As usual with a Sandler production, music is integral and the soundtrack pays homage to the prior Barrymore outing with reappearances of Thompson Twin's "Hold Me Now" and Spandau Ballet's "True" as well as other '80's tunes from The Cure and Echo and the Bunnymen. Sandler teamed with Herlihy and Covert for his own wonderful ditty, "Forgetful Lucy." Hawaii gets its due with incorporated island sounds and the Beach Boys' "Wouldn't It Be Nice."
Sandler is back in nice guy mode, with allowances for some humorous takes on his prior bad behavior. His penchant for potty jokes is kept to a rare minimum and most of his innuendos deliver a laugh. Barrymore is luminous and charming, stricken when faced with her condition and rapturous with the people she loves. Schneider is simply hysterical as a weed-toking native who believes that 'Sharks are like dogs - they only bite if you touch their private parts,' a sentiment delivered as he's stitched up from a shark bite. Physically, Schneider struts about unaware that his paunch and spindly legs no longer look A-one in a speedo. Blake Clark projects warmth tinged with resignation as Sally's dad while Sean Astin gets loopy as her lisping, steroid addicted brother who likes to make his muscles dance. The borderline Sandler character thrown into the mix for some questionable humor is represented this time by Lusia Strus ("Soul Survivors") as Alexa, a Russian of indeterminate sex who assists Henry at the marine world and forms a bond with Doug. Dan Aykroyd, in heavyweight casting in the minor role of Lucy's doctor, doesn't justify his presence. Missi Pyle ("Big Fish") continues with her streak of unrealized potential in a tiny role as one of Henry's tourist dates.
Perhaps the best thing about "50 First Dates" is its refusal to take an easy way out of Sally's condition and still wrap up with a thoroughly satisfying, visually splendid ending. Drew Barrymore brings out the best in Adam Sandler - they could be a modern age Jeanette MacDonald and Nelson Eddy.
B+
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