Movie Review: 50 First Dates (and the new Torgo rating!)

I'm introducing a new feature here in Torgoland. At the beginning of each book or movie review, I'll give the book or movie a classification. This will save everyone some time. Instead of reading my review, you can just see if it's "Torgo approves" or "Torgo disapproves." Personally, I like reading negative reviews. I get a sick thrill out of them. So if it's "Torgo disapproves" and you're like me, keep reading. Otherwise, for those you just looking to follow in the footsteps of all that I deem worthy, just seek out those that "Torgo approves." Ok? Here we go.

50 First Dates: Torgo approves

Adam Sandler movies are a strange bunch. A few (Wedding Singer, Happy Gilmore) are far better than they seemingly have any right to be. 50 First Dates is almost among his best. It's strangely sad, though, as Drew Barrymore's character has an entirely fictional short-term memory problem where she wakes up each morning with a clean slate. Fortunately, Sandler provides her with a memento to bring her up to speed. So she's not exactly a groundhog, day by day never knowing her fate.

The sadness of her condition weighs down some of the comedy. Also, Sandler is entirely out of his element trying to play a womanizer in the first part of the movie. He's about as far from the Sam Malone type as they get.

Still, there are plenty of very funny bits. Sean Astin is good, having ditched his hobbitness. And Dan Aykroyd has a small role, thus linking the movie to Ghostbusters (which he wrote and starred in). Which is important, because his fellow Ghostbuster Harold Ramis wrote and directed Groundhog Day, which of course starred Bill Murray, another Ghostbuster. (Where's Ernie Hudson? I don't know.)

The simplest flaw in 50 First Dates is that it tries to justify Barrymore's condition. Groundhog Day never explained why Bill Murray kept waking up and living the same day over and over again. That was a smart move.

But ultimately this is an Adam Sandler movie. And because I naturally expect so little in the way of meaningful content, 50 First Dates ends up being a pretty good movie. It's funny often enough to make it worthwhile and, as a heretofore unmentioned perk, actually tender in a wholly unexpected way.