50 First Dates (2004)

Lucy’s memory resets every morning, and the movie’s rules for it bend whenever the plot needs a laugh. Around that sweet idea sit gross-out gags involving a walrus with a very upset stomach, Rob Schneider’s Ula doing one long bit that never pays off, and a premise that gets a little odd if you stop and think about it. Then Adam Sandler and Drew Barrymore look at each other and it mostly works. This is Sandler at his softest, a guy who keeps getting turned down by the same woman and treats every no like a fresh challenge. Barrymore makes Lucy bright and funny without turning her into a punchline. The morning video tape idea is lovely. Hawaii looks so good it should get a cast credit. Critics gave it a 45%, but audiences pushed it to $198.5 million worldwide. A 6.1 because the sweet parts are really sweet, and the jokes around them belong to a different, worse movie. $35.49 says you build a tiny house out of your waffles tomorrow morning and feel weirdly proud of it.

What works: Sandler and Barrymore have easy, real chemistry, and the morning video idea gives the movie a surprisingly sweet core.

What doesn’t: The gross-out jokes and Rob Schneider’s broad sidekick bit feel like they wandered in from a much worse comedy.

Who it’s for: People who want a sunny, low-stakes romance and can fast-forward through a walrus joke.