|  |  Adam Sandler is back... this time with all the usual slapstick and pubescent comedy we've come to expect from him, blended with a truly sentimental, sincere and heartfelt love story... and although I'm ashamed to admit it, it did bring a tear or two to my eye as well as a huge grin to my face and it's probably my favourite of his movies to date.
Sandler plays aquarium vet, Henry Roth, a bachelor, living and working in Hawaii, who's so scared of commitment he only ever dates tourists to the island.
However, his playboy life-style looks like it might draw to a close when he meets school teacher, Lucy Whitmore, (Drew Barrymore)... if only she could remember who he was from day-to-day!
You see Lucy has suffered from short-term memory loss for about a year, ever since a terrible car accident and so everyone she has met/meets and everything she did/does after this day she has absolutely no recollection of, once she goes to sleep. Instead, she relives the same day over and over again... a Sunday and also her dad's birthday... yet without realising she's actually stuck on a groundhog day.
Lucy's father and brother play along with the somewhat farcical yet touching truth, so as not to upset her, and amongst other things their efforts include giving her a special newspaper so she's not aware that the date has changed and by having a birthday party complete with cake and presents every evening... and if you think that sounds like hard work, poor Henry has to make Lucy fall in love with him all over again each time he sees her... and although he could treat her like a first date every day, he chooses not to and comes up with innovative ways to make her remember him, which proves to be a pain in his neck, but is far less hurtful than the pain he feels in his heart, when he's without her
.ahhhhhh!
Avid Sandler fans will no doubt be loyal to him yet again with the release of this film and if you enjoyed his last collaboration with Barrymore, 'The Wedding Singer'... this in my opinion is much better... and also with director Peter Segal, 'Anger Management'... this is also better! Although I must say it's neither of the leading actors who steal the show on this occasion, but instead; Sean Astin, who we're probably now more familiar with as Sam in the Lord of the Rings trilogy, who takes on the role of Lucy's goofy, muscle-obsessed brother, Doug, very well indeed. Rob Schneider who has appeared in many Sandler flicks, including 'The Waterboy', 'Little Nicky', 'Big Daddy' and 'Mr. Deeds' in the past and who yet again earns many laughs as Henry's, wacky, pot-smoking 'brother', Ula... and last but not least, Dan Ackroyd, who has a cameo as Lucy's doctor. Don't miss our films section! You know you wanna have a nosey at it! The views expressed on this page are those of the contributor and the opinions expressed are not necessarily those of the BBC. |
Sue's Mystic River review
