In 2004 the movie As if it were the first time, by director Peter Segal, captivated audiences with its romantic and funny story. In the story, Henry (Adam Sandler) is a commitment-afraid boy who falls in love with Lucy (Drew Barrymore), a local teacher and an incredible woman.
However, the couple’s happiness hits a major obstacle: Henry discovers that Lucy has been in an accident, which has left her with a rare neurological condition called “Goldfield’s Syndrome”. For this she wakes up every morning with no memories of the previous night, as if she were living the same day.
The film has a compelling story which, although it seems factual in all its details, is an original creation, not inspired by true events.
Lucy Syndrome was created in the film, a fact confirmed by screenwriter George Wing on the 20/20 Movie Podcast. He claims that the story is not inspired by a particular case, however there are similar cases in real life.
Stories similar to the movie “As if it were the first time”
As stated, “Goldfield Syndrome” is fictitious. However, there are similar medical conditions that affect people’s memory, such as anterograde amnesia. With it, the person has difficulty creating and retaining new memories after a traumatic event.
However, unlike in the film, real patients with the condition anterograde amnesia cannot retain memories for a full day, having difficulty remembering events that happened minutes or hours ago.
Check out the stories below where “life imitates art.”
Michelle Philpolt
Michelle Philpots, from Lincolnshire, suffers from progressive anterograde amnesia and has the best-known story on the internet. Every day she wakes up believing it’s still 1994, even though she’s 57 years old.
She has her own ways of remembering things: She uses sticky notes around the house and her husband, Ian, helps show her a photo album of their wedding and notable moments that happened after 1994.
Jenny Gisby
The case of Jenny Gisby also had a lot of repercussions on the Internet. The young woman from Nottingham, England suffers from a combination of functional neurological disorder (FND) and epilepsy. Because of this, Jenny wakes up every morning with no recollection of her family or friends, living her current life with complete emptiness.
Jenny also has the help of her family and boyfriend, who use a scrapbook to record important moments in her life and remember who she is.
The film tells an unrealistic story, however, it is a way to reflect on the importance of cherishing each moment and collecting memories. Knowing the cases of real people facing these challenges makes us look at the film with another perspective.
Is the post “As if it were the first time” based on a true story? first appeared on Look Digital.
Source: Olhar Digital
Rose James is a Gossipify movie and series reviewer known for her in-depth analysis and unique perspective on the latest releases. With a background in film studies, she provides engaging and informative reviews, and keeps readers up to date with industry trends and emerging talents.
