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50 First Dates

50 First Dates

Imagine having to win over the girl of your dreams... every friggin' day.

200499 minPG-13Midcredits score: 75th percentile of all films
Director
Peter Segal
Starring
Adam Sandler, Drew Barrymore, Rob Schneider, Sean Astin

Henry is a player skilled at seducing women. But when this veterinarian meets Lucy, a girl with a quirky problem when it comes to total recall, he realizes it's possible to fall in love all over again…and again, and again. That's because the delightful Lucy has no short-term memory, so Henry must woo her day after day until he finally sweeps her off her feet.

Where to watch

Where can I watch 50 First Dates?

As of October 24, 2026, MovieCove lists 50 First Dates streaming on Paramount+ via Prime Video and to rent or buy on Apple TV and Prime Video.

Subscription

via Prime Video

Your rating, lists and review

Highlights

What stands out about 50 First Dates?

50 First Dates earns 11 badges, led by Cultural touchstone and Guilty pleasure.

Show 3 more
  • Reception
  • Craft and mood
  • Awards and box office
  • Cast

Reception

Is 50 First Dates worth watching?

50 First Dates' Midcredits score is the 75th percentile of all films, from 1.5M ratings across 6 sources. 66% liked it (rated it 7 or higher out of 10).

Midcredits score

How well it was received

75th percentile

Better received than 75% of films

82nd percentile among Comedy73rd percentile among 2000s
Acclaim (how much people like it)73rd
Approval (how many liked it)74th

68 /100

73rd percentile of all films

81st percentile among Comedy72nd percentile among 2000s

Critics 48 · Audience 69

Audiences liked it more than critics did.

Rating distribution

A broad spread centered near 7.0 — solid but not unanimous.

66% liked it

74th percentile of all films

80th percentile among Comedy72nd percentile among 2000s
66% rated it 7–1034% rated it 1–6

Critics 45% · Audience 65%

On Rotten Tomatoes, a bigger share of audiences approved than critics.

Awards

0 Oscars won · 0 Oscar noms · 5 wins / 10 noms overall

99th percentile

1.5M ratings across platforms

99th percentile among Comedy99th percentile among 2000s
TMDB popularity, last 37 days to Oct 26Down 14% in 30 days

Box office

Budget$75M
Opening weekend$40M
Domestic gross$121M
Worldwide gross$199M

Returned 2.6× its budget — 98th percentile earner in its genre.

What reviewers say

Common ground

Both camps agree the film aims to be a sweet romantic comedy but is dragged down by offensive, lowbrow humor.

Fans praised

  • Sandler and Barrymore's heartwarming on-screen chemistry
  • Emotional core that treats love as daily choice, not fate
  • Surprisingly poignant ending that earns its tears

Detractors panned

  • Crass, juvenile humor (walrus vomit, penis jokes, bathroom gags)
  • Racist stereotyping of Hawaiian characters and Rob Schneider's brownface role
  • Unbelievable premise that trivializes a serious medical condition

What stands out

ActingDivisive70

Warm chemistry between Sandler and Barrymore; detractors call Sandler one-note

Emotional impactDivisive65

Genuine tearjerker for fans; detractors find it manipulative

EndingDivisive60

Satisfying but divisive; no magical cure but bittersweet resolution

Plot and storyDivisive50

Clever high-concept premise undermined by implausible medical fiction

CharactersDivisive45

Lovable leads but one-dimensional, offensive supporting caricatures

Originality40

Derivative Groundhog Day meets Memento structure

Dialogue40

Occasional sharp banter between leads, but largely forgettable

HumorDivisive35

Juvenile gross-out humor fails more often than it lands

Preferred by

Critics vs users

Preferred by Critics

Critics scored it 11 points higher than users.

No notable difference between the other groups: each pair ranks it within 10 percentile points.

  • Women vs men 6 points apart
  • Under-30s vs over-30s 4 points apart
  • US vs non-US 6 points apart

Watch experience

What is 50 First Dates like to watch?

Conclusions only — categories and positions, no plot detail.

Romantic: browse every movie of this kind

Watch this when you are in the mood for a love story.

It is gentle and funny and leaves you feeling good.

ToneFeelDemandwhat the answer rests onexact position · filled zone: the category

What it asks of you

Nothing out of the ordinary.

What it feels like

Romantic.

The answer rests on this: Moods
RomanticBittersweetMelancholicJoyful
Heaviest: late
Register
WarmPlayfulRomantic · 8% of films
Told as
Three-act: Setup, confrontation, resolution — the default Hollywood shape.
ToneThe film balances broad comedy with earnest romance, taking its central relationship seriously while amusing its audience.
The rideThe film moves from light comedy to a more emotionally loaded third act as Lucy confronts her condition and Henry makes a sacrifice.
StructureThe story unfolds in a conventional three-act progression despite the daily reset premise.

How it leaves you

what you carry away

Feeling good.

Feel-goodBittersweet
Why it leaves you this wayLeaves you heartwarmed by the central love story while acknowledging the bittersweet reality of Lucy's condition.
How it ends · evidence
Happy ending

Story archetype

where it sits among all films
Monster — 21% of films. A threat menaces the hero's world and must be defeated.Rags — 3% of films. A rise from lowliness to fortune, status, or recognition.Quest — 10% of films. A journey toward a defined objective, with companions and obstacles.Voyage — 4% of films. Into a strange world and back again, changed.Comedy — 11% of films. Confusion and cross-purposes resolved into harmony.Tragedy — 9% of films. A flaw or fixation drives the protagonist to ruin.Rebirth — 13% of films. A stalled or darkened life reopened and renewed.Mystery — 7% of films. A question drives the story — who did it, what happened, what is real — until it is answered.No archetype — 22% of filmsPredator — 6% of films. A creature or killer hunts the protagonists (Jaws, Alien).Tyrant — 6% of films. A human villain holds power over the hero's world (Die Hard).Invasion — 2% of films. An external force attacks the home or world (Independence Day).Oppressive state — 2% of films. A government, its agencies or a secret faction inside them is the monster (V for Vendetta).Corporate villainy — 1% of films. A company or its bosses are the monster (Erin Brockovich).Institutional injustice — 1% of films. A court, prison, police force, school or church is itself the enemy (Spotlight).Class system — under 1% of films. The gap between rich and poor, or a rigid hierarchy, is the monster (Parasite).Technology turns — under 1% of films. Technology people rely on becomes the threat (The Terminator).Inner demon — 1% of films. The monster is within — addiction, illness, a dark double.Underdog triumph — 2% of films. Rise through competition or contest (Rocky).Social ascent — under 1% of films. A climb in class or status (Pretty Woman).Fame and fortune — under 1% of films. An artistic or showbiz rise (A Star Is Born).Rise and fall — under 1% of films. Wealth or power gained, self lost (Scarface).Hidden worth revealed — under 1% of films. The protagonist's true value finally recognized.Treasure hunt — 1% of films. Retrieve an object of value (Raiders of the Lost Ark).Rescue — 4% of films. Retrieve or save a person (Saving Private Ryan).Mission — 5% of films. Accomplish or destroy a defined objective (Mission: Impossible).Journey home — under 1% of films. The goal is getting back (Finding Nemo).Pilgrimage — 1% of films. The journey itself transforms; the destination is symbolic.Portal fantasy — under 1% of films. Transported into another world (The Wizard of Oz).Fish out of water — 2% of films. Displaced into an unfamiliar social world (Elf).Survival ordeal — 1% of films. Trapped in a hostile environment, fighting back (Cast Away).Time displacement — under 1% of films. Unstuck in time (Back to the Future).Descent — 1% of films. A night-journey into an underworld or subculture (After Hours).Romantic comedy — 4% of films. Lovers kept apart by confusion, united at last.Comedy of errors — 3% of films. Mistaken identity or misunderstanding drives the plot.Farce — 2% of films. Escalating absurd chaos and coincidence (The Hangover).Buddy comedy — 1% of films. A mismatched pair forced together (Rush Hour).Comedy of manners — 1% of films. Social codes and class satirized (Clueless).Hubris — 1% of films. Pride or ambition invites the fall (There Will Be Blood).Obsession — 2% of films. A fixation consumes the protagonist (Black Swan).Corruption arc — 2% of films. Step-by-step moral decay (The Godfather).Doomed love — 2% of films. Love destroyed by circumstance (Brokeback Mountain).Crushed by fate — 3% of films. Destroyed by forces beyond the protagonist's control.Redemption — 3% of films. Moral reawakening of a hardened soul (A Christmas Carol).Healing — 5% of films. Recovery from grief or trauma (Good Will Hunting).Liberation — 2% of films. Breaking free of a confining life (Room).Second chance — 2% of films. A stagnant life re-opened to love or purpose (Groundhog Day).Puzzle — 1% of films. A clue-by-clue puzzle you can try to solve before the reveal (Knives Out, Clue).Investigation — 5% of films. A long pursuit of the truth that may never be fully solved (Zodiac, Memories of Murder).Enigma — 2% of films. The mystery is what is real, or what is actually happening (Mulholland Drive).Rebirth
Every story archetype, clockwise from the top
  • Monster 21%: Predator 6% · Tyrant 6% · Invasion 2% · Oppressive state 2% · Corporate villainy 1% · Institutional injustice 1% · Class system under 1% · Technology turns under 1% · Inner demon 1%
  • Rags 3%: Underdog triumph 2% · Social ascent under 1% · Fame and fortune under 1% · Rise and fall under 1% · Hidden worth revealed under 1%
  • Quest 10%: Treasure hunt 1% · Rescue 4% · Mission 5% · Journey home under 1% · Pilgrimage 1%
  • Voyage 4%: Portal fantasy under 1% · Fish out of water 2% · Survival ordeal 1% · Time displacement under 1% · Descent 1%
  • Comedy 11%: Romantic comedy 4% · Comedy of errors 3% · Farce 2% · Buddy comedy 1% · Comedy of manners 1%
  • Tragedy 9%: Hubris 1% · Obsession 2% · Corruption arc 2% · Doomed love 2% · Crushed by fate 3%
  • Rebirth 13% (this title): Redemption 3% (this title) · Healing 5% · Liberation 2% · Second chance 2%
  • Mystery 7%: Puzzle 1% · Investigation 5% · Enigma 2%
  • No archetype 22%

Rebirth: A stalled or darkened life reopened and renewed. · Redemption: Moral reawakening of a hardened soul (A Christmas Carol).

13% of films fit this archetype

Why this archetypeA commitment-phobic vet falls for a woman with anterograde amnesia and must win her heart anew each day, undergoing a personal transformation.

What it's about

7 groups · 53 themes
Bonds — 27% of filmsSelf — 22% of filmsPower — 7% of filmsMorality — 16% of filmsSurvival — 15% of filmsSociety — 9% of filmsIdeas — 5% of filmsRomantic love — 15% of filmsMarriage — 2% of filmsFamily bonds — 21% of filmsParenthood — 2% of filmsFriendship — 9% of filmsLoyalty — 4% of filmsIdentity — 14% of filmsComing of age — 5% of filmsAging — under 1% of filmsSelf-worth — 7% of filmsAmbition — 7% of filmsPurpose — 9% of filmsMemory — 3% of filmsObsession — 3% of films. A fixation consumes the protagonist (Black Swan).Power — 2% of filmsCorruption — 3% of filmsGreed — 3% of filmsClass — 3% of filmsOppression — 4% of filmsFreedom — 5% of filmsJustice — 13% of filmsDuty — 2% of filmsRevenge — 4% of filmsGuilt — 3% of filmsRedemption — 6% of films. Moral reawakening of a hardened soul (A Christmas Carol).Forgiveness — 1% of filmsSacrifice — 4% of filmsBetrayal — 5% of filmsDeception — 9% of filmsSurvival — 17% of filmsWar — 1% of filmsViolence — 4% of filmsMortality — 2% of filmsGrief — 6% of filmsTrauma — 7% of filmsMental illness — 1% of filmsAddiction — 1% of filmsIllness and disability — under 1% of filmsCommunity — 14% of films. Consequences reach a town, institution or group.Isolation — 5% of filmsPrejudice — 3% of filmsDisplacement — 1% of filmsFaith — 3% of filmsTradition vs change — 2% of filmsFame — 3% of filmsLegacy — 4% of filmsFate — 1% of filmsFree will — under 1% of filmsTruth — 4% of filmsHope — 5% of filmsNature — 2% of filmsArt — 4% of filmsTechnology — 1% of filmsSelfRomanticlove
Every theme, clockwise from the top
  • Bonds 27% (this title): Romantic love 15% (this title) · Marriage 2% · Family bonds 21% · Parenthood 2% · Friendship 9% · Loyalty 4%
  • Self 22%: Identity 14% · Coming of age 5% · Aging under 1% · Self-worth 7% (this title) · Ambition 7% · Purpose 9% · Memory 3% (this title) · Obsession 3%
  • Power 7%: Power 2% · Corruption 3% · Greed 3% · Class 3% · Oppression 4% · Freedom 5%
  • Morality 16%: Justice 13% · Duty 2% · Revenge 4% · Guilt 3% · Redemption 6% · Forgiveness 1% · Sacrifice 4% · Betrayal 5% · Deception 9%
  • Survival 15%: Survival 17% · War 1% · Violence 4% · Mortality 2% · Grief 6% · Trauma 7% · Mental illness 1% · Addiction 1% · Illness and disability under 1%
  • Society 9%: Community 14% · Isolation 5% · Prejudice 3% · Displacement 1% · Faith 3% · Tradition vs change 2% · Fame 3% · Legacy 4%
  • Ideas 5%: Fate 1% · Free will under 1% · Truth 4% · Hope 5% · Nature 2% · Art 4% · Technology 1%

Bonds

Romantic love · 15% of filmsMemory · 3% of filmsSelf-worth · 7% of films
Celebrates its theme: Affirms its theme — this is good and worth having.Intimate stakes: Consequences reach a person or a household.Dual lead
How it treats its themeThe film explores the persistence of love in the face of memory loss, and how identity and relationships can be rebuilt through devotion.
StanceThe film celebrates love and devotion as a force strong enough to overcome memory loss.

The world

ContemporaryUrbanRuralRealistic
PopRockSupportive music · hybrid
SettingA small Hawaiian coastal town where Henry works at a sea-life park and Lucy lives with her family.
MusicThe soundtrack features The Beach Boys' 'Wouldn't It Be Nice' as a recurring emotional motif.

Content guide

Is 50 First Dates okay for kids?

PG-13

50 First Dates is rated PG-13: “Rated PG-13 on appeal for crude sexual humor and drug references” (MPAA). As of October 3, 2026, Midcredits content scores put its violence at mild (29/100), sexual content at moderate (47/100), language at moderate (47/100), drug and alcohol content at mild (31/100) and frightening material at mild (30/100). Overall it is heavier than 33% of PG-13-rated films.

Ratings in 26 other countries
  • UK12A
  • CanadaPG
  • AustraliaM
  • Germany6
  • FranceTP
  • Ireland12
  • JapanG
  • South Korea15
  • Brazil12
  • Belgium16
  • CzechiaU
  • Denmark11
  • FinlandK-12
  • Hungary12
  • ItalyT
  • MexicoC
  • Netherlands6
  • Norway12
  • Poland12
  • PortugalM/16
  • ROAP
  • Russia12+
  • SK12
  • Spain7
  • Sweden7
  • Switzerland6
Overall
Moderate · all five categories
Heavier than 23% of all filmsHeavier than 33% of PG-13-rated films
Violence & Gore
Mild
light for a PG-13-rated film
heavier than 23%
Sex & Nudity
Moderate · audience split: No severity level holds a majority of voters
heavy for a PG-13-rated film
heavier than 86%
Profanity
Moderate
typical for a PG-13-rated film
heavier than 63%
Alcohol & Drugs
Mild
typical for a PG-13-rated film
heavier than 47%
Frightening / Intense
Mild
typical for a PG-13-rated film
heavier than 27%

Point along a line to see a well-known title at that level.

Nothing here is extreme. The strongest element is language, heavier than 63% of PG-13-rated films.

Source: Midcredits content scores, 0 (none) to 100 (severe) per category, with each standing ranked against other films that have them.

What content warnings does 50 First Dates have?

Not screened for content warnings yet.

Cast and crew

Who is in 50 First Dates?

Cast

4 of the cast already had the standing of a top-10% working actor.

Adam Sandler
as Henry Roth
Career best: Their highest-reaching film role by billing, audience size and rating.Top draw: One of the 3 biggest draws in this cast: billing here weighted by career star power.
Drew Barrymore
as Lucy Whitmore
Established: A standing when this film came out that a top-10% working actor has today.Top draw: One of the 3 biggest draws in this cast: billing here weighted by career star power.
Rob Schneider
as Ula
Top draw: One of the 3 biggest draws in this cast: billing here weighted by career star power.
Sean Astin
as Doug Whitmore
Established: A standing when this film came out that a top-10% working actor has today.
Lusia Strus
as Alexa
Newcomer: A standing when this film came out that sits in the bottom quarter of working actors today.
Dan Aykroyd
as Dr. Keats
Established: A standing when this film came out that a top-10% working actor has today.
Amy Hill
as Sue
Career best: Their highest-reaching film role by billing, audience size and rating.
Allen Covert
as Ten Second Tom
Blake Clark
as Marlin Whitmore
Maya Rudolph
as Stacy
newcomer then · star now

Crew

More like this

What are movies like 50 First Dates?

Movies like 50 First Dates include Resort to Love (2021), Moonstruck (1987) and One Night Only (2026). Of the 12 closest matches, most are whirlwind romances, and most are films about self-worth.

Balanced: every group counts the same, and production only breaks ties.

All 12 share its subject: romantic love. Those cards say what else they share.

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What else shares a premise, people or place with 50 First Dates?

292 other films share the rarest tag below, premise: time loop. Each tag opens Browse with the films that share it.