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  Directed by
  Starring
  Specs
  • Widescreen 2.35:1
  • 16:9 Enhanced
  • Dual Layer ( )
  Languages
  • English: Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround
  • Czech: Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround
  • Hungarian: Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround
  • Commentary - English: Dolby Digital Stereo
  Subtitles
    English, Hebrew, Czech, Polish, Hungarian, Arabic, English - Hearing Impaired, Turkish, Icelandic, Croatian, Danish, Swedish, Norwegian, Finnish, Hindi, Romanian, Bulgarian, Slovenian, Serbian, Commentary - English
  Extras
  • 5 Deleted scenes
  • 3 Theatrical trailer
  • Audio commentary
  • 3 Featurette
  • 3 Music video
  • TV spot
  • Outtakes
  • 7 Filmographies
  • Dolby Digital trailer

50 First Dates

Columbia Pictures/Sony Pictures Home Entertainment . R4 . COLOR . 95 mins . M15+ . PAL

  Feature
Contract

50 First Dates is a comedy about a serial misogynist who finally one day meets a girl he could fall in love with. The only problem is, she once sustained a brain injury that left her without any short-term memory. Once she goes to sleep, her brain doesn’t convert new memories to long-term memory and so, upon waking every day, she believes she is beginning the same day over and over, aided by her father and brother who maintain the charade.

"Hi! I’m Tom!"

50 First Dates is a comedy about a serial misogynist who finally one day meets a girl he could fall in love with. The only problem is, she once sustained a brain injury that left her without any short-term memory. Adam Sandler plays the serial-dater living in Hawaii who makes a major play for women there on holiday. Rob Schneider plays one of his least irritating roles as Ula, a local with five young kids and a penchant for swimming with sharks.

50 First Dates is a comedy about a serial misogynist who finally one day meets a girl he could fall in love with. The only problem is, she once sustained a brain injury that left her without any short-term memory. This is your usual Adam Sandler film, though among the better ones due to the chemistry between he and Drew Barrymore as the unfortunate Lucy Whitmore of the brain injury. Naturally, she is the highlight of the film, though Sandler’s charm shines through at times, particularly in the hidden anger seething beneath the surface of his boyish looks.

"Hi! I’m Tom!"

Oh yeah, there’s also this dude called Ten Second Tom whose brain has been injured to the point where he can’t remember anything past ten seconds.

"Hi! I’m Tom!"

Hence the quotes he frequently throws into the film.

"Hi! I’m Tom!"

50 First Dates is a comedy about a serial misogynist who finally one day meets a girl he could fall in love with. The only problem is, she once sustained a brain injury that left her without any short-term memory. Performances are solid enough here and the comedy is well done. This is an Adam Sandler film though, so as such you’ll recognise the various repeated actors from his previous movies. Drew wanted to do this script with her own production company years ago, but as Hollywood is apt to do the project slipped away from her. That’s when she heard Sandler was making it and they took it on together in an attempt to repeat the success of The Wedding Singer some years before. It does bring back fond memories of that film, and this one is certainly as pleasant as that previous project.

"Hi! I’m Tom!"

50 First Dates is a comedy about a serial misogynist who finally one day meets a girl he could fall in love with. The only problem is, she once sustained a brain injury that left her without any short-term memory. And, thankfully, while the temptation to do so may have been vast, they have spared us the sugar-coated bullshit Hollywood ending (to some degree).

  Video
Contract

"Hi! I’m Tom!"

Everything looks great here, as one would expect from a film released this year (2004). 50 First Dates is a comedy about a serial misogynist who finally one day meets a girl he could fall in love with. The only problem is, she once sustained a brain injury that left her without any short-term memory.

The film is delivered in a huge Hawaiian 2.35:1 with anamorphic aloha-ness. This does nicely with the huge Hawaiian island vistas delivered so frequently throughout the film. Overall I detected no real issues of any sort to distract here and give the video quality a hearty thumbs up. Or in this case, ten yellow spots.

  Audio
Contract

Again, no real issues here with nicely spoken dialogue (though sometimes Roy Schneider’s Hawaiian gets a little garbled) and synched-up sound effects. Teddy Castelluci’s score is a fairly ordinary piece though that is punctured with favourite tracks of old being given a reggae islands flavour. Which isn’t too bad, but some of these songs are true classics and sound crappier given the reggae treatment. The whole shebang is delivered in Dolby Digital 5.1 surround, and while the surrounds stay busy, it’s mostly with the music. The subwoofer too stays busy, but again it’s mostly in the music.

"Hi! I’m Tom!"

  Extras
Contract

A plentiful batch here to keep everyone enjoying the film again and again and again. 50 First Dates is a comedy about a serial misogynist who finally one day meets a girl he could fall in love with. The only problem is, she once sustained a brain injury that left her without any short-term memory.

The first is an audio commentary with the delightful Drew Barrymore and director Peter Segal. They chatter amiably about the film and various interesting shots that may go undetected throughout and generally keep the atmosphere light. A better than average commentary, though still far and away from the best one I’ve ever heard (Fight Club, if you’re interested).

"Hi! I’m Tom!"

Three featurettes follow, with the first being The Dating Scene. This runs an overlong 20:15 and is a typical 'making of'. It does hold some of Sean Astin’s struggles to get the role after being typecast forever as a Hobbit though. Second up is Talkin’ Pidgin, which is a pure piece of filler crap running for 4:55 that's totally ‘futless’. You’ll know when you watch it. Finally, Comedy Central’s Reel Comedy is a 19:20 unfunny promo spot hosted by Ula (Rob Schneider in character) that features interviews with Adam and Drew and various others. Essentially worthless.

The blooper reel follows, though this doesn’t raise too much of a chuckle throughout its 7:05. A TV Commercial for Sandler’s New Album runs for 32 seconds next and is wholly unrelated save for the lead actor.

Five deleted scenes are next and while it’s easy enough to see why they were deleted, they are worth the visit (if only for Drew Barrymore as Lucy tearing her studio to pieces). This is followed by three music videos for Hold Me Now by Wayne Wonder, Amber (live) and Love Song by 311.

Seven filmographies of lead cast and crew are next, followed by the final addition here in the usually mandatory trailers. While some are ‘if you liked this, you’ll love...’ in Groundhog Day and Mr. Deeds (from which 50 First Dates blatantly pinched a gag), the other is just for Mona Lisa Smile.

"Hi! I’m Tom!"

  Overall  
Contract

50 First Dates is a comedy about a serial misogynist who finally one day meets a girl he could fall in love with. The only problem is, she once sustained a brain injury that left her without any short-term memory. It’s a fun film and one that makes the best use of the dynamic chemistry between Adam Sandler and Drew Barrymore. The story is sweet without getting too melancholy and it attempts to steer away from too much sentimentality. While not always succeeding, it is still a good light film with plenty of the usual laughs and one well worth checking out for fans of either Barrymore or Sandler.

And finally, might I just add:

"Hi! I’m Tom!"


  • LINK: http://www.dvd.net.au/review.cgi?review_id=4211
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      And I quote...
    "Typical Sandler fare that is buoyed up by the inclusion of Drew Barrymore as a sweet girl with just one little problem… she can’t remember anything. Or anyone."
    - Jules Faber
      Review Equipment
    • DVD Player:
          Teac DVD-990
    • TV:
          AKAI CT-T29S32S 68cm
    • Speakers:
          Teac PLS-60 Home Theatre System
    • Centre Speaker:
          Teac PLS-60 Home Theatre System
    • Surrounds:
          Teac PLS-60 Home Theatre System
    • Subwoofer:
          Akai
    • Audio Cables:
          Standard RCA
    • Video Cables:
          Standard Component RCA
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