One first date with Sandler is enough

Adam Sandler is at his best in a movie in which he plays an unrefined dope trying to persevere over seemingly insurmountable odds and win the girl in the end. This is not that movie. Sandler has abandoned his bumbling-idiot-trying-to-find-his-way-in-the-world recipe for success in favor of the plot-line-of-every-romantic-comedy-ever-written formula. Mechanical and still completely outlandish, 50 First Dates is the bizarre love child of Momento and The Wedding Singer.

Reuniting the stars of the latter, Adam Sandler stars as Henry Roth, not the sarcastic, mildly offensive dope that we hope for but the womanizing marine biologist with a ridiculously unbelievable heart of gold who stops his woman-chasing ways when he meets Lucy Whitmore (Drew Barrymore). Sadly but truly, Sandler is not the downtrodden moron overcoming the odds to win her over but a sappy philanderer who dotes on walruses. Problems arise when Henry discovers that the woman of his dreams suffers from debilitating short-term memory loss in a plot twist given away by the richly superfluous marketing of the film. Henry then spends the remainder of the movie convincing Lucy (and her protective family) of his love for her day after day after day after day after day...

To say this movie is not good would be an understatement. From its very premise, the remainder of the movie seems obvious but, as often is the case, Sandler's film is rescued by the supporting characters with which he is surrounded. Starring as Ula, the socially awkward Hawaiian father of five, Rob Shneider revives a role that seems oddly reminiscent of his character in Big Daddy, though he pulls it off without a hitch.

Dan Akroyd also makes an appearance as the marginally important straight-man, Dr. Keats, who cares for Lucy since her accident. His appearance in the film is more to beef up the star-factor on the marquee, though, than to add any comedy (or credibility) to the movie. Most notable in the plethora of lunatics that appear in the film is Sean Astin as Lucy's lisping, steroid-taking brother, Doug, who aspires to be Mr. Hawaii. As the over-the-top Doug, Astin flexes his pecs to music (which we can see through his mesh shirts), hangs from the chandelier at random and is beaten in a slapstick fight. In a role that seems to have no purpose except to erratically share his inane insights, Astin is the highlight of the film.

Yet the supporting roles haphazardly dispersed throughout the film are not enough to save 50 First Dates. The plot is formulaic and not anything we didn't see in Groundhog's Day. Though the performances are good, the writing itself falls far short of the standards that Sandler has set with his previous films. Sandler's films of the last few years have abandoned the adolescent humor which brought him so much success before, and 50 First Dates falls in to line with that sad trend of increasingly inane Adam Sandler films.

Though 'inane' has brought Sandler accolades from many a college student for performances in Billy Madison and Happy Gilmore, 50 lacks the likeable dopiness that the others shared. Henry is too dry, too nice and too complacent. His predicament, though unique, prescribes a predictable Hollywood ending.

No terrible villain, no surprise plot twists, 50 First Dates falls well short of where its premise could have gone. In the market of cheesy romantic comedies, this movie will satiate the audience as much as any other, but in the realm of unique and innovative films, 50 First Dates doesn't even rank. Drew Barrymore does well to forget her fifty first dates in this movie; they aren't very memorable for the audience either.