If I Were Lucy, I'd Forget This Movie Tomorrow (50 First Dates)

I feel that whenever I watch an Adam Sandler movie, I know what to expect. There will be the over-the-top jokes that go too far and had potential to be funny but fell flat because the joke took the route of gross out or annoyingly shocking. There will be the obligatory appearance by Rob Schneider. There will be a main character, played by Adam Sandler, who is the ladies man for reasons I can never figure out. There will be several quirky characters who don't have much screen time but who are lovable additions to the story...I could go on. 50 First Dates doesn't stray from this formula. The movie wasn't painful to watch. There were parts of the movie I found cute and rather interesting, however, I couldn't seem to find anything redeeming about the movie in order to give it a second watching.

Do you see the look on Drew Barrymore's face in the photo? I think it was the same look on my face upon second viewing of this film. Why did I buy this? I didn't buy it blind. I bought it because I liked it. However, after watching a walrus vomit on a character - in an exaggerated fashion, Sandler try to figure out the gender of a gender-ambiguous person and Rob Schneider talking with a Pacific Island, Hawaiian-native accent, I definitely was wondering what I originally saw in the movie. Well, enter Drew Barrymore's Lucy - the memories came back. That's not saying I am the biggest Barrymore fan in the world, but I do know that I liked the chemistry between Sandler and Barrymore - just as I did in The Wedding Singer - and it worked here. The two of them have something going - and it's believable. The script is often forgetable, but the two of them are not. That's not to say that I am ripping on Sander. I was there opening weekend for Billy Madison and Happy Gilmore. But I was also a beer drinking, tailgating College Student at the time. I suppose my tastes have matured - and I know Sandlers has too - so I cringe a little bit at that Happy Madison humor, because it just doesn't fit in this. If you want to make another goof-ball comedy, continue making the over-the-top silly, but let's see what a script looks like that focuses on the crazy romance that is forgotten every 24 hours by one of the star-crossed lovers.

So, the audience learns that Lucy was in a car accident with her father and suffered brain damage as a result. Lucy is not able to remember anything after a 24-hour day. Her father and brother continue to re-enact the day the accident happened everyday to prevent causing Lucy any grief. The comedy ensues when Henry makes attempts, on a daily basis, to win over Lucy over waffles at a local restaurant. This continues as Henry gets to know Lucy better and begins to understand what works with her and what does not. I also liked Barrymore as Lucy. She is funny when she has to be funny and she easily obtains empathy when she needs empathy. I enjoyed watching her as Lucy as believe that she made the totally ridiculous concept make as much sense as it could. I didn't care for watching Henry, however...as Adam Sandler played the same character he plays about 90% of the time. I wasn't concerned with his success with Lucy or her family.

So - why is it that we don't connect with Sandler in this movie? It's not his talent as we've seen him in some really great roles - Punch Drunk Love or The Wedding Singer. I think it's that when he does choose to play this type of character - we've seen it a dozen times. However, that said, it's the relationship that works. As I watched the ending, I felt a bit touched by their marriage, her daughter and the support of Lucy's family as they took his research trip around Alaska. I'd say this is well worth renting. I still question why I bought this and realized that it was a sale item - probably $4.99.