PETER SEGAL

Bil’s rating (out of 5): BBBB

USA, 2004.  Columbia Pictures Corporation, Happy Madison Productions, Anonymous Content, Flower Films.  Screenplay by George Wing.  Cinematography by Jack N. Green.  Produced by Jack Giarraputo, Steve Golin, Nancy Juvonen.  Music by Teddy Castellucci.  Production Design by Alan Au.  Costume Design by Ellen Lutter.  Film Editing by Jeff Gourson.  

Adam Sandler plays a marine veterinarian living in sunny Hawaii who has commitment issues and basically sticks to quick relationships with the island’s tourists. This all changes when he meets quirky, loveable Drew Barrymore in a diner and has the most romantically inspiring afternoon of his life; the next day he finds her again and she insists that she’s never met him before in her life. Thinking he’s being given the brush off, Sandler is surprised when he finds out that she actually has brain damage following a car accident and cannot retain any short-term memories. She even has a devoted father and brother who do their very best to make sure that Barrymore believes that every single day is the morning of her accident, since she only remembers her life up until the night before it (what’s funnier than two men having to suffer through watching The Sixth Sense every night and reacting to her surprise at the ending?)

Sandler decides to step in and help out, going so far as to win Barrymore over every single day that he meets her, until finally figuring out a way for her to collect memories in a journal and be given them every single day. The Memento meets The Wedding Singer setup is a bit too precious, sometimes downright unbelievable, but the scenery is lovely and the humour is always fun without ever getting in the way of the adorable love story. Barrymore’s performance is a fine comedy gem, a winning display of constant surprise in just about every scene that eventually makes the audience fall in love with her as much as Sandler does, while the rest of the plot is filled out by colourful supporting characters and the most enchanting walrus you’ve ever seen in your life. Loads of fun, full of charm and makes for the perfect date movie.