1. JeffHammer

   8

   This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Does life imitate art or does art imitate life? I'm one who tends to avoid the discussion entirely by saying "both." One Day is the most real (save a few accents) movie I've seen in a long time. It explores time and how it often slips away from us. Our hearts' desires are often decimated by bad timing, and the movie finds a variety of ways to demonstrate this. So in the case of One Day, art imitates life to the fullest, as we can all sympathize (if only a little) to crushed hopes and shattered dreams, though hopefully we eventually find our way. Anne Hathaway stars as insecure working-class woman Emma, who, for one reason or another is drawn to Dexter, (Jim Sturgess) a charming upper middle class man with a great amount of self-confidence. It may be hard to understand just what the two have on each other, but they are characters I'm familiar with. The woman who is way too into a man that’s way too into himself, it happens and for the type, Dex is pretty likeable. Em and Dex have nothing in common. But their opposite personalities do what a relationship should; make each other better. They are Yin and Yang, complementary opposites. An interesting technique used by One Day, is that we only get to see the events of a single day, July 15, for each of 20 plus years. Some of my peers have taken to calling this a gimmick. In a year where it seems every other film is either a sequel or a remake/reboot, (which critics and public alike have grown tired of) I feel fresh ideas should be applauded, even if it doesn't quite work. For me, however, it worked to perfection. Director Lone Scherfig (An Education) paints the picture of Em and Dex's up and down relationship with great finesse, never having too much happen on the date year to year. The filmmaker fills us in on what has taken place throughout each year, without conversations seeming inorganic. The cinematography is beautiful, especially a scene where our would-be lovers break all their rules by taking a dip at sunset. There's plenty of humor, joy, sadness, regret and a number of other emotions to be felt. I caution viewers that this isn't a romantic comedy, nor does it end like one. One Day is, however, easily one of the most heartfelt films of the year and should be celebrated for its bravery.… Expand

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2. Alambna

   5

   Anne Hathaway's accent is horrible, but that did not kill the movie for me. There was more missing from this movie than just a proper accent. The acting isn't bad, in fact it is often very good, particularly on Sturgess's part.... the setting, the costumes, the way the film is shot, the cinematography... all good. However, the chemistry between the actors was nonexistent, which is a huge problem in a film that is all about the chemistry between the two main characters. While Anne Hathaway can sometimes act, she isn't very enthralling or charismatic generally, and less so in this film. And so, in this movie, where her character is a bit of a bore and a prude, it just became hard to care about her at all. Nor could I understand why the Jim Sturgess character was so in love with her.... I think if they had cast an actress with more spark and personality, not to mention a better accent, this movie would have had so been so much better. Instead, I didn't feel much for this movie.… Expand

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3. CitizenCharlie

   3

   There is a lingering and persistent distraction throughout One Day which severely impairs the audience from becoming absorbed in the film. This is Anne Hathaway’s atrocious accent. Many Americans have at varying degrees in the past successfully pulled off a believable British accent. However, Anne Hathaway’s character, Emma Morley, sounds at different times Irish, Scottish, and American, but never British. It truly was irritating after awhile. Why didn’t the filmmakers just cast a British actress? Or, if they were dead set on Hathaway playing Emma, then move the whole story to America. If not for the distracting aural miscues, this film would most likely be much more enjoyable. Emma and Dexter (Jim Sturgess) meet the night of college graduation at the tail end of an all night party. This is not a meet-cute either. They are the only two left as the last couple pairs off with each other; therefore, fate has thrown them together to have a one night stand. Things get in the way and they end up deciding to be friends and start a very long platonic relationship. This is mostly convincing as Emma is seen to be truly infatuated with Dexter who does not see her in the same light, in fact, he treats her rather poorly as the years go by. Graduation night was July 15th by the way so naturally the pair concocts a plan to meet up annually on that day or at least check in my telephone if this is not possible. Surprisingly, every July 15th is actually a pretty horrible, sad day for each of them. Very rarely is one or both of them in a good mood and happy with where their life is at when the film jumps forward to another July 15th. Furthermore, the film focuses much more on Dexter than Emma with extensive scenes concerning his alcoholism and career missteps. Emma even authors a successful book and it hardly gets a mention until Dexter happens upon it. This made me wonder that if Dexter was to have so much more attention and screen time than Emma, why all the fuss to make Anne Hathaway British? Since the screenplay was written by the same gentlemen who wrote the novel this film is based on, the story’s climax is inevitable even though it is forced and manipulative. The scene is also very poorly shot. The director, Lone Scherfig, who made the brilliant An Education two years ago, completely misses the mark with this scene and the rest of the film suffers for it. The event is set up in a way that even people who venture out and see one movie a year will be able to see what is coming up. Another miscue is Patricia Clarkson’s role as Dexter’s mother. It feels her role has been severely cut during the editing process. Not only does she have dialogue in the preview which is not in the movie, but she only shows up in about two-three scenes, moves the plot along, and then she’s out of there. I have not read the novel, but I guarantee she is a much larger presence on those pages than what seems to be a faint echo of her in this movie. P.S. There is an atrocious Elvis Costello song over the closing credits which destroys any lingering fondness or afterthoughts the audience may have been enjoying during the closing scenes.… Expand

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