50 First Dates (2004)

User Rating:

6.8/10   

Director:

Peter Segal

Writer (WGA):

George Wing (written by)

Release Date:

13 February 2004 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy | Romance

Tagline:

Imagine having to win over the girl of your dreams... every friggin' day.

Plot:

Henry Roth is a man afraid of commitment up until he meets the beautiful Lucy. They hit it off and Henry think he's finally found the girl of his dreams, until he discovers she has short-term memory loss and forgets him the very next day.

Plot Keywords:

Short Term Memory Loss | Dream | Veterinarian | Love | Hawaii

Awards:

6 wins & 9 nominations

Cast

Adam Sandler	...	Henry Roth
Drew Barrymore	...	Lucy Whitmore
Rob Schneider	...	Ula
Sean Astin	...	Doug Whitmore
Lusia Strus	...	Alexa
Dan Aykroyd	...	Dr. Keats
Amy Hill	...	Sue
Allen Covert	...	Ten Second Tom
Blake Clark	...	Marlin Whitmore
Maya Rudolph	...	Stacy
Pomaika'i Brown	...	Nick (as Nephi Pomaikai Brown)
Joe Nakashima	...	Old Hawaiian Man
Peter Dante	...	Security Guard
Dom Magwili	...	Security Guard
Jonathan Loughran	...	Jennifer

Also Known As:

Fifty First Dates (USA) (alternative spelling)
Fifty First Kisses (USA) (working title)

MPAA:

Rated PG-13 on appeal for crude sexual humor and drug references.

Runtime:

99 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English | Hawaiian | Mandarin | Turkish

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

DTS | Dolby Digital | SDDS

Certification:

Malaysia:U | India:UA | Ireland:12 | Netherlands:6 | South Korea:15 | Argentina:13 | Australia:M | Canada:PG (Ontario) | Chile:TE | Finland:K-11 | Germany:o.Al. | Norway:7 | Peru:PT | Philippines:PG-13 | Portugal:M/12 | Singapore:PG | Sweden:7 | Switzerland:7 (canton of Geneva) | Switzerland:7 (canton of Vaud) | UK:12A | USA:PG-13 (re-rating on appeal) (certificate #40115) | USA:R (original rating) (2003) | Iceland:L

Filming Locations:

Cabrillo Beach, San Pedro, Los Angeles, California, USA

Company:

Columbia Pictures Corporation

Trivia:

Lucy is treated at the "Callahan Institute", which Dr. Keats (Dan Aykroyd) tells Lucy's family is funded by an automotive magnate, T.B. Callahan, out of Sandusky, Ohio. In Tommy Boy (1995), Chris Farley plays Thomas Callahan III, who runs an auto parts factory in Sandusky that's being threatened with foreclosure by Dan Aykroyd's character. Tommy Boy (1995) was also directed by Peter Segal.

Goofs:

Continuity: When Doug and Marlin are talking to Henry, Doug has sunglasses on. But when it cuts back to Marlin, the sunglasses are nowhere in sight.

Quotes:

[first lines]
Young Woman: So tell me. How was Hawaii?
Tan Friend: It was unbelievable.

Movie Connections:

Featured in "Getaway: Found (#14.20)" (2005)

Soundtrack:

Hold Me Now

I Enjoyed it.

This is quite simply a very enjoyable film. It's not, perhaps, a great film, but it is fun and it left me feeling pleasantly content. Basically this is a romantic comedy about a man (Henry) and a woman (Lucy) who meet and fall in love, there is just one problem: Lucy won't remember, tomorrow.

It is easy to pick holes in films and yes there are things wrong with this film:-

- The first 5 to 10 minutes do seem a little out of place: I understand the need to set the scene, but couldn't help feeling that the pace and characterisations didn't quite fit with what was to come.

- Some of the characters take away from the story: Doug (Sean Astin) is a little over done and comes across as more damaged than his sister. Perhaps the worst, though, is Henry's female (?) assistant: this character was a mistake and did not belong in the film.

In the end, these flaws don't matter: the film is enjoyable and that is what counts.

The plot, even if somewhat contrived, is clever and in the context of the film believable: there is a good beginning, middle and surprisingly satisfying end. Some of the difficult aspects of the film are not ignored but properly dealt with. Clearly it is easy to read a sordid side into the idea of a man meeting a beautiful woman each day in the knowledge that she will forget everything and they can start again tomorrow. This is covered and Henry is asked some pointed questions; without giving anything away, his answers worked and leave us, the audience, able to enjoy the film, without any unpleasant nagging doubts or feelings of guilt.

Don't analyse or pick holes; just watch this film. Chances are very good that you will enjoy it. It is a fantasy a bit of escapism: a first rate piece of entertainment and hopefully it will leave you, as it did me, feeling pleasantly content.