Time Machine Review: "50 First Dates"

Sometimes here at Jester Central we like to revisit old favorite movies.  Mind you the Jester hasn't written a review of this, so I figured it was overdue.  Therefore, starting now, the Jester will pick an old favorite off the shelf, or perhaps, if he's in a feisty mood, a piece of junk movie and provide it the Jester of Reel treatment!  Note that you'd normally have to pay for this kind of happiness, but the Jester is here providing it free.  Enough with the yapping, let's get to the review!!!!

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Many people I know are not Adam Sandler fans, but that's not true for the Jester.  Well, at least most Sandler films.  The Jester could use the time watching "Little Nickie" for better things, but alas, that time is long gone.  Anyhoo, Sandler plays "Henry Roth", a marine-life veterinarian living in Hawaii, where he meets Lucy Whitmore....<warning, "hottie alert"....played by Drew Barrymore.  Lucy is an art teacher in the community.  Henry first sees Lucy while eating breakfast in a cafe one morning.   We know there's something unique about Lucy by the way everyone around her is acting, everyone that is, but Henry.  After some interesting exchanges Henry and Lucy hit it off and they agree to meet for breakfast at the same spot the next day.  Fast forward twenty-four hours and we see a confused Lucy who claims she doesn't know Henry.   Finally, Henry is alerted by the cafe owner about the accident that Lucy was in a year ago and that she suffers from an amnesia called "Golfield Syndrome".   Two things have resulted from this; one Lucy can't remember anything from the time of the accident to the present day and two, she can't retain long-term memories.  Therefore, everyday is a new day of re-learning people's names, meeting the same people over and over, repainting a wall (which her brother and father whitewash each evening), and so on.

Henry meet's Lucy's father and brother (a muscle-head played by Sean Astin aka Sam Gange from Lord of the Rings) and learns that Lucy thinks everyday is October 13, 2002.  That's because this is her father's birthday and let's everyone recreate good memories, so they don't have to let Lucy know the truth.

Henry goes along with this, while trying to win Lucy's heart each day over and over.  There are fun scenes throughout and yet you feel a sense of sorrow for both Henry and Lucy.   The characters played do a fabulous job with their parts and we feel happy, sad, joyful and sad as they do what they think is best for Lucy, despite the suffering it causes themselves.

The story is funny, but teaches us lessons about life and enabling others to feel sorrow and live, rather than keeping them in denial.  Rob Schneider has a role, as he always does in Adam Sandler movies; this time as a Ula, a Hawaiian father of numerous children and a funny relationship with his off-screen wife.

The Jester lists "50 First Dates" in his "must watch" collection and keeps it handy for rainy days, vacations, or just when he needs a good hearty laugh.  This comes highly recommended and the Jester suggests you rent this for the first time or just to revisit an "old film friend".  Make sure to make some popcorn, snuggle up and enjoy this fantastically done comedy.

out of     (A "MUST PURCHASE")