50 First Dates

Although Drew Barrymore and Adam Sandler have a definite on screen chemistry, 50 First Dates falls flat due to the fact that it can't decide whether it wants to be a comedy or a drama. The idea is interesting however: a girl (Barrymore) is involved in a car accident that leaves her with a type of amnesia that allows her to remember everything up to the accident but she loses any new memories as soon as she falls asleep. This is obviously quite frustrating for love interest Adam Sandler, who has to keep reminding her who he is. Towards the end of the movie he finds a way to remind her of her life with him through a video that he makes for her to watch each morning. It's an attempt to keep her up to date of what has happened so she won't forget who he is. The most disturbing thing about this movie is that you'd have to really want to be with someone in order to go through this. Even after all they go endure in an attempt to have a happy ending, you're not convinced that this is any way to live. If 50 First Dates was going to work as a comedy, less fart jokes and more subtle humour would have been in order, not to mention a better use of the secondary characters, who are thrown in as gags and lend little to the story. By trying to make it funny, the dramatic elements are cheapened. This is a mediocre movie that doesn't have any of the lasting qualities of other romantic comedies. 50 First Dates is to The Wedding Singer what You've Got Mail is to Sleepless In Seattle: a better coupling the first time around. Plus: commentary; gag reel, more. (Columbia TriStar)