In the 2004 romantic comedy 50 First Dates, what is Lucy Whitmore’s medical condition?

Lucy Whitmore has anterograde amnesia in 50 First Dates. The condition means she cannot form new long-term memories after a particular injury, so each day she wakes believing it is still the same day as the accident.

In the film, Henry Roth repeatedly introduces himself and tries to build a relationship with Lucy. He creates videos and other reminders so she can learn about her life and their relationship each morning. The story uses a fictionalized version of memory loss for romantic-comedy purposes.

Anterograde amnesia is often confused with retrograde amnesia. Anterograde amnesia concerns forming memories after the onset of the condition; retrograde amnesia involves losing memories from before it. The movie’s premise focuses on the former.

50 First Dates was released in 2004 and stars Adam Sandler and Drew Barrymore. It was filmed largely in Hawaii and uses Oahu landscapes as part of the film’s identity.