If you haven't seen it since 2004, here’s the refresher: 50 First Dates stars Adam Sandler as Henry, a veterinarian in Hawaii who falls for Lucy (Drew Barrymore). The catch? Lucy has Goldfield’s Syndrome (a fictional form of anterograde amnesia) following a car accident. She wakes up every morning thinking it’s October 13th of the previous year.

To be with her, Henry has to make her fall in love with him every single day. On the surface, it’s peak Adam Sandler—slapstick, Hawaiian shirts, and a surprisingly sweet soundtrack. But under the hood, it’s a movie about a man essentially tricking a woman with a brain injury into a relationship repeatedly until she finally accepts it.

You might be wondering why a 20-year-old movie is popping up in your teen's feed. It’s a perfect storm of three things:

When our kids watch these movies, they aren't just seeing a story; they’re absorbing a blueprint for what "romance" looks like. 50 First Dates leans heavily into some tropes that haven't aged particularly well:

In the movie, Henry creates elaborate scenarios to meet Lucy—faking car trouble, pretending he can’t read, etc. In a 2004 rom-com, that’s "devotion." In 2026, that’s a massive red flag. Teens need to understand the difference between persistence and ignoring boundaries. If someone says "no" or doesn't remember you, the healthy response isn't to show up at their breakfast table with a different disguise every morning.

Adam Sandler's characters are often the "lovable loser" who needs a woman to ground him. While it's funny, it reinforces the idea that women are responsible for "fixing" or "managing" their partners.

This is the big one. Because Lucy can’t remember the previous day, she can’t technically give informed consent to the progression of a long-term relationship. While the movie handles this with a "she chooses him every day" sentiment, it’s a great jumping-off point for a conversation about what real consent looks like in a digital age where "soft launching" a relationship on Instagram is a major milestone.

Ask our chatbot for more talking points on consent in media

While 50 First Dates is about the emotional repetition of dating, TikTok has turned dating into a data science project.

Teens are seeing creators post "Dating Wrapped" videos using Canva or Google Slides. They track:

Why this is "Ohio" (weird/cringe): It turns people into statistics. For a teen just starting to navigate crushes and dating apps (or the middle school equivalent), this can make romance feel like a performance or a game of Roblox where you're just trying to level up your social status.

If your teen loved the vibe of 50 First Dates but you want to steer them toward something with a bit more modern emotional intelligence, try these:

A classic for a reason. It deals with teen agency, feminism, and the "grand gesture" in a way that feels much more earned and less manipulative than Sandler’s antics. Plus, the soundtrack is top-tier.

This show is incredible for showing the messy, "brain rot" side of teen crushes. It tackles grief, cultural expectations, and the fact that sometimes the "hot guy" isn't actually the best choice.

If you want a "palate cleanser" from the cynical "Dating Wrapped" culture, this is it. It’s pure, wholesome, and focuses heavily on communication and boundaries. It’s the anti-stalking rom-com.

This movie actually addresses the "Dating Wrapped" vibe—the protagonist writes letters to all her past crushes. It’s a great look at how we romanticize the idea of people versus who they actually are.

The biggest risk here isn't the movie itself—it's the normalization of persistence as a romantic ideal. In the digital world, "persistence" often looks like spamming someone’s DMs, creating "burner" accounts to see if they’ve blocked you, or tracking their location via Snapchat.

When a movie like 50 First Dates frames a man refusing to take "I don't know you" for an answer as the ultimate act of love, it can blur the lines for a teen who is still learning what a healthy boundary looks like.

Check out our guide on digital stalking and "Snap Maps" safety

50 First Dates is a fun, nostalgic watch that probably won't ruin your child's moral compass. However, it's a "product of its time." Use it as a bridge to talk about how dating has changed from 2004 to 2025.

We’ve moved from the "Grand Gesture" era to the "Data Analytics" era of dating. Both have their pitfalls. Henry’s manipulation in the movie is problematic, but so is the cold, statistical approach of a "Dating Wrapped" TikTok.

The sweet spot? Real connection, clear communication, and maybe a few less Hawaiian shirts.

Learn more about how social media influencers shape teen relationship goals