50 First Dates

Infobox Film
name = 50 First Dates


caption = Theatrical release poster
director = Peter Segal
producer = Michael Ewing
writer = George Wing
starring = Adam Sandler
Drew Barrymore
Rob Schneider
Sean Astin
music = Teddy Castellucci
cinematography = Jack N. Green
editing = Jeff Gourson
distributor = Columbia Pictures
Happy Madison
released = February 13, 2004
runtime = 99 min.
country = flagicon|USA
language = English
budget = $75,000,000
gross = $196,482,882 (worldwide)
website = http://www.sonypictures.com/homevideo/50firstdates/
amg_id = 1:286087
imdb_id = 0343660

"50 First Dates" is a 2004 romantic comedy starring Adam Sandler and Drew Barrymore and directed by Peter Segal.

Plot

Henry Roth (Adam Sandler), a marine-life veterinarian living in Hawaii, meets Lucy Whitmore (Drew Barrymore), an art teacher, in a cafe one morning. They eventually develop a relationship, but it soon emerges that Lucy suffers from anterograde amnesia (called 'Goldfield Syndrome' in the movie) from a car accident she was in a year earlier. Her condition has left her with no memory of anything between the day of the accident and the present, because she is incapable of converting short-term memories into long-term memories. At the beginning of each day, she loses all memory of the past day. She innocently believes every day to be October 13, 2002. Her father and brother attempt to reenact the activities of October 13th, her father's birthday, every day, to prevent her from suffering from learning about the accident.

Because of Lucy's condition, Henry is forced to find new and imaginative ways of winning Lucy over every day, to the disapproval of her father and brother. They order him to stop meeting her at the cafe, fearing that he will take advantage of her innocent state. Henry, in keeping with his promise, contrives to meet her each day as she is on the road driving home from the cafe. Her father and brother soon find out that he is still meeting her, because every time Lucy "meets" Henry she sings "Wouldn't It Be Nice" while she paints the garage. They agree to allow Henry to see Lucy because they appreciate his determination and the fact that he makes her happy, and the next morning Henry shows up at their house with a video explaining the accident and everything that has happened since.

Henry's plan works and a new schedule evolves where everyday Lucy watches the video, accepts what happens and falls in love with Henry and they share a first kiss.

One morning, Lucy wakes up to find Henry in her bed after spending the night together, doesn't recognize him, and attacks him. Henry leaves the room, and Lucy then overhears her doctor and Henry talking about how he will never achieve his dream to explore the Arctic and how Henry hopes and believes Lucy will remember him from day to day. Lucy then breaks up with Henry, feeling that she is keeping him from living his life fully, and tells him that she plans on burning the tape and all her journal entries about him so her memory of him will be gone for good.

Henry is unable to move on with his life, but he decides to go on the Arctic expedition anyway. Lucy's father gives him a going away present, a Beach Boys CD, which Henry takes as a sign that Lucy has remembered him. He races back to the ward for people who have memory problems, where Lucy decided to live because she no longer wanted to be a burden on her family. Lucy is teaching an art class to the other inhabitants when Henry bursts into the room. He asks if she remembers him, and she doesn't, but oddly she asks him to come into her studio. Much to Henry's surprise, her studio is filled with pictures of Henry in hundreds of different styles. She tells Henry that she doesn't know why she's painted them, but she dreams about him every night. Henry tells her about their past relationship, and how she tried to erase him from her memories because she thought she was holding him back from having a full and happy life but he tells her that being with her is the only way he can have a full and happy life and they kiss to seal it.

At the end of the movie, there is a flash forward and Lucy wakes up in a strange bed with a video tape on the night stand next to her, reading "Good Morning Lucy". She watches it, and she cries as she relives her accident while the tape is explaining everything that has happened. Then the tape shows Henry and Lucy's wedding. She then looks out the window, and is shocked to find out that she's on a boat in the Arctic. She comes out on the deck of the bedroom to find her husband, Henry, her father, and her daughter sailing on Henry's ship.

Cast

*Adam Sandler as Henry Roth
*Drew Barrymore as Lucy Whitmore
*Rob Schneider as Ula
*Sean Astin as Doug Whitmore
*Lusia Strus as Alexa
*Dan Aykroyd as Dr. Keats
*Amy Hill as Sue
*Allen Covert as Ten Second Tom
*Blake Clark as Marlin Whitmore
*Elaine Hendrix as Stacy

Critical and audience reception

Critical response to the movie was decidedly mixed. Those major critics who enjoyed the film (such as "New York Times" reviewer A.O. Scott) praised the uplifting story while lamenting the seemingly excessive and incongruous amount of crude humor and drug references.

Sandler and Barrymore won the award for Best On-Screen Team at the MTV Movie Awards. The two actors, who had previously worked together in the popular film "The Wedding Singer", are said to regard "50 First Dates" as one of their favorite personal efforts.

Overtaken by events

One notable coincidence of Henry's first video is when the screen says "Red Sox Win World Series" and then follows with "Just Kidding." This is a reference to the 2003 American League Championship Series, as the film was released in February 2004. Later in that year, however, the Boston Red Sox would indeed win the World Series for the first time since 1918. Coincidentally, Barrymore's next film would be "Fever Pitch", which co-stars Jimmy Fallon as an obsessed Boston Red Sox fan and which takes place during the 2004 championship baseball season.

Connections to other films

During the golfing scene the kids swing like Happy Gilmore, a character in one of Adam Sandler's previous movies.

Dan Aykroyd's character in the film mentions that the short-term memory loss facility is sponsored by T.B. Callahan Auto of Sandusky, Ohio. The T.B. most likely stands for Tommy Boy. Callahan Auto was the main focus in "Tommy Boy", a film that starred Chris Farley and David Spade. This was most likely put in as a tribute to Farley, as Sandler was a good friend of his. Aykroyd also played a businessman in the movie who attempts a takeover of Callahan Auto.

Dan Aykroyd's character, Dr. Keats, has the same name of Damon Wayans's character in Adam Sandler's movie Bulletproof.

At one point in the movie Lucy's condition is described as her "slate being wiped clean every morning" - a possible reference to the film "Clean Slate" with Dana Carvey, a SNL alumni like Sandler, who's character has the same condition as Lucy.

Locations

Most of the film was shot on location in Kaneohe, Kaaawa, Wahiawa, Makapu'u, and Waimanalo, O'ahu, as well as in Kaneohe Bay. The walrus tank is actually in Vallejo, California's Six Flags Discovery Kingdom, and the golf course is in Los Angeles, California. Real-life sea lion trainer Michael Osborn appears in the film as himself.The Boat "Sea Serpent" was a 51' Formosa. A family owns it and lives aboard. It's real name is Viking Spirit. It's currently still on Oahu.

oundtrack

The soundtrack contains cover versions of songs that were originally recorded in the 1980s. This includes mostly reggae or ska covers, due to their emphasized upbeat that gives a tropical or Hawaiian feel.

Track listing

# Wayne Wonder — "Hold Me Now" (Originally recorded by the Thompson Twins) - 4:12
# 311 — "Lovesong" (Originally written and recorded by The Cure) - 3:28
# Seal featuring Mikey Dread — "Lips Like Sugar" (Originally recorded by Echo and the Bunnymen) - 5:00
# Wyclef Jean featuring Eve — "Your Love (L.O.V.E. Reggae Mix)" (Originally recorded by The Outfield) - 4:13
# Ziggy Marley — "Drive" (Originally recorded by The Cars) - 4:26
# will.i.am & Fergie — "True" (Originally recorded by Spandau Ballet) - 4:24
# Elan Atias (backing vocals by Gwen Stefani) — "Slave to Love" (Originally recorded by Bryan Ferry) - 3:55
# UB40 — "Every Breath You Take"(Originally recorded by The Police) - 4:23
# Mark McGrath of Sugar Ray — "The Ghost in You" (Originally recorded by Psychedelic Furs) - 3:01
# Dryden Mitchell — "Friday I'm in Love" (Originally recorded by The Cure) - 3:21
# Nicole Kea (Nicole Scherzinger) — "Breakfast in Bed" (Originally recorded by Dusty Springfield/UB40) - 3:36
# Jason Mraz — "I Melt With You" (Originally recorded by Modern English) - 3:36
# Adam Sandler — "Forgetful Lucy" - 1:51

ongs within the film

# The Maile Serenaders — "My Sweet Sweet"
# Nicole Kea — "Breakfast in Bed" (Originally recorded by Dusty Springfield/UB40)
# The Ventures — "Hawaii Five-O"
# Harve Presnell — "They Call the Wind Mariah"
# Bob Marley & The Wailers — "Could You Be Loved"
# Manfred Mann — "Blinded by the Light"
# Toots & the Maytals — "Pressure Drop"
# Wayne Wonder — "Hold Me Now" (Originally recorded by the Thompson Twins)
# 311 — "Rub A Dub"
# O-Shen — "Throw Away The Gun"
# Elan Atias (backing vocals by Gwen Stefani) — "Slave To Love" (Originally recorded by Roxy Music)
# Leon Redbone & Ringo Starr — "My Little Grass Shack (In Kealakekua Hawaii)"
# The Flaming Lips — "Do You Realize"
# Paul McCartney & Linda McCartney — "Another Day"
# 311 — "Amber"
# No Doubt — "Underneath It All"
# Jason Mraz — "I Melt With You" (Originally recorded by Modern English)
# The English Beat — "Hands Off She's Mine"
# Seal (featuring Mikey Dread) — "Lips Like Sugar" (Originally recorded by Echo and the Bunnymen)
# Dryden Mitchell — "Friday I'm in Love" (Originally recorded by The Cure)
# The Beach Boys — "Wouldn't It Be Nice"
# Adam Sandler and Rob Schneider — "Ula's Luau Song"
# Wyclef Jean (featuring Eve) — "Your Love (L.O.V.E. Reggae Mix)" (Originally recorded by The Outfield)
# Wyclef Jean — "Baby"
# Adam Sandler — "Forgetful Lucy"
# Ziggy Marley — "Drive" (Originally recorded by The Cars)
# Israel Kamakawiwo'ole — "Somewhere Over the Rainbow" (Originally recorded by Judy Garland)
# UB40 — "Every Breath You Take" (Originally recorded by Sting and The Police)
# 311 — "Love Song" (Originally recorded by The Cure)
# Mark McGrath (of Sugar Ray) — "Ghost In You" (Originally recorded by Psychedelic Furs)
# Bob Marley & The Wailers — "Is This Love"
# Will.I.Am & Fergie Ferg — "True" (Originally recorded by Spandau Ballet)
# The Makaha Sons Of Ni'Ihau — "Aloha Ka Manini"
# Snoop Dogg — "From tha Chuuuch to da Palace"
# The Cure — "Boys Don't Cry"

ee also

*"Memento"
*"Novo"
*"Groundhog Day"

References

External links

* [http://www.sonypictures.com/homevideo/50firstdates/ Sony Pictures official "50 First Dates" site]
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Box Office Leaders USA
before =
year = 2004
date = February 15
date2 = February 22
after = The Passion of the Christ