One Day

I had watched "One Day" yesterday and was beyond excited because I had read the novel by David Nicholls, which was fantastic. The movie base's around 2 people and their twenty years together, shown only through one day, July 15th. I thought the plot was unique and was a very realistic romance. Sometimes it takes people a lot to lose to realize what life is about, and how certain people are truly important to you. The movie was cute, funny, and quite sad at times. I thought Anne Hathaway did an okay job on the accent, to me it was odd at first but after a couple minutes I had gotten used to it. Her acting was great and you can really see her changing as the years progress. Jim Sturgess was great and in my opinion really portrayed Dexter the best as possible, with the arrogance and attitude exactly as I imagined Dexter would have. In my own opinion the movie was a great watch, was a romance that I had been dying for ever sense The Notebook. Finally a tear jerking but smile at the end movie, that really anyone can enjoy, if your looking for a romance movie.

"One Day", based on the novel of the same name, is the relationship of two people, Emma (Anne Hathaway) and Dexter (Jim Sturgess), as we see it on July 15th of each year. As can be expected from the nature of the story, it's a little dry, lacking in comedy. But then again, it's a romantic drama, not a romantic comedy.

As is the nature of the two media, movies can never be exactly the same as the novel. But the problem with this one is that they tried to; no story lines were removed. Almost everything was there, just shortened into mostly meaningless segments. I personally could have done with one less event in their lives, and perhaps a different ending, but they tried to be as faithful as possible.

What we have here is a movie about a relationship, but the novel was about the people. They traded in character depth and development so we can see them in their more attractive years falling in and out of love.

I wasn't very familiar with Jim Sturgess, having seen him play skinny, slightly nerdy, not as confident kids. Dexter is a different breed of guy. Just has high on self-confidence as he is on drugs and alcohol, he gets by on his looks – literally – he's a TV host. Although the different characteristics of Dexter weren't explicitly shown in the movie, Sturgess brought them out in him perfectly. Emma is a more complex character, with significant evolution to who she is throughout the years, except none of that is in the movie, so it just wasn't really possible for Hathaway to portray her as a more interesting person.

I would assume that watching "One Day" without the benefit of having read the novel would be a fairly confusing, empty experience. With the background that the novel gave me, I could fill in all the missing years and the unexplored layers to the characters, so there was still something to their relationship for me.

Very seldom in Hollywood are movies produced that are as emotionally involving as 'One Day.' It's a beautiful, beautiful love story of two people, Emma (Anne Hathaway) and Dex (Jim Sturgess). After spending the night together after graduation, we are taken on a journey into their lives for one day each year after they met; to see where they are or where they're not. Based on the book by David Nicholls (who also wrote the screenplay), 'One Day' transitions from novel to film brilliantly.

First let me say film acting is what I believe makes or breaks a movie - if the actors are great, the movie is generally great. That's not to take away from any other element of film at all, but when everything else is done so well, if the acting were bad, the film would have been less memorable. But Anne Hathaway and Jim Sturgess are so very impressive here. They make their characters real and relatable, which are two key things every actor internally wishes they could do. In fact, as an on-screen pair, they work extremely well, together they exude chemistry.

What I found most interesting about the entire experience was that I cared so much. I became enamoured with their lives. I kept hoping for the best. I anticipated what would happen to each of them. I sat forward, sat backward. I laughed and I cried. I've said many times before, a great movie will effect you emotionally in more ways than one. You'll be angry, you'll be happy, you'll be sad - the key is that you emote. This movie presented all of those elements. It was fresh and witty and everything you hope a movie will be. It's as beautifully made as it is acted and the locations are exquisite. Far too often, characters in Hollywood seem contrived and are not genuine. 'One Day' is honestly one of the most genuine stories ever told - there is no instant gratification, there is however frustration and that is the beauty of it all. It explores love and love lost, it explores friendship and the constraints of time and distance. It explores each character's journey to happiness and the trials they face along the way. So many little pieces of the puzzle are filled in between the years by simple, single lines of dialogue or actions. It's not the typical script of "everything's all good-obstacle-everything ends well" - there's a lot more complexity which makes it realistically genuine.

So many little details, like eye-lines, smiles, sighs, cut-off conversations, etc. were paid attention to. The costuming, cinematography and score were spot on and all noteworthy. All of it combined was moving and awe-inspiring. I left the theater crying, but it didn't stop there, even thinking about the movie and those characters is deeply affecting. Maybe there are some underlying themes in the film that I'm identifying with, or maybe, just maybe the actors were really that great. Whatever it is, this film comes with my highest recommendation, is rated PG-13 and runs 107 minutes.

Director Lone Scherfig is an acclaimed contemporary film maker from Denmark with many meaningful and fine movies to her credit like Italian for Beginners, The Riot Club, Just Like Home, Red Road, Their Finest, Wilbur wants to kill himself - and the Oscar nominated An Education, amongst many others. Amongst these, An Education was nominated for 56 Awards in total across various famed awards and in all she managed to NET 25 out of them! That's an impressive HIT ratio when you look at it!

So when we decided to watch One Day which is from Lone Scherfig's stable, starring seasoned Anne Hathaway & Jim Sturgess to drive the lockdown blues away, we knew the rest of the evening will be engrossing. And it was and how! The movie is crafty and a nice theme of July 15 as a red-letter day for 2 decades! And it is a very fine adaptation of famed author David Nicholls without many deviations so the movie is true to the novel. That's kind of nice! The story is weaved around Dexter and Emma who are central to the plot and the goings on keep you engrossed and hooked and pinned to the plot!

The movie opens in the period of late 80s, from the college days of Emma & Dexter (Hathaway & Sturgess) and follows them for 2 decades and keeps you engrossed to one day which is 15th of July every year, year on year between these two characters. It goes through many metamorphoses right from the late 80s youthful, exuberant and rebellious life days to mellowed, matured and heading towards middle age days, It meanders through racy, charming days of youth and moves on to observant and relaxed days of maturity with consummate ease, deftly holding you to thrall without your knowledge! Anne manages to steal the show and be ahead of race the when compared to Sturgess in emoting and breathing life to her character with composure while Sturgess pulls off his Hugh Grantish role with ease too! Will they both finally unite together after nearly 2 decades and after their other relationships that keep going on - on the side is what the climax heads to. Saying anything more will be spoiler so lets avoid it. But do see it, the movie keeps you on the hook while Anne takes the line and sinker!!!

Disclaimer first up- biased review, as I am a sucker for love stories.

I used to think that Hollywood had stopped making emotionally involving love stories. Thank god they made One Day, then. Based on the best selling book by British author Dave Nicholls, the movie explores the intertwined lives of two protagonists of contrasting nature, yet fated to be together. The premise is novel, with the relationship explored though a peek into 15th July of each year, spread over 22 years.

Good stories are brought to life by good acting, and here we have two superb exponents in lead roles- Jim Sturgess as Dexter and Anna Hathaway as Emma. Dexter leads the high profile life, a television anchor with success in all forms chasing him, always. But then his life is also hollow, his friends shallow, and in the end, a faces disillusionment and compromise. Emma dwells in obscurity mostly, but through sheer tenacity and belief achieves a modicum of success as a writer. They meet when they are 18, decide to remain lifelong friends, and they do remain so. In the meanwhile meandering through the vagaries of life, they are inexorably drawn towards each other, dependent on each other.

Childhood sweethearts, even if long lost, when they do come together, they do get together without any questions asked- i say this having witnessed the same on a close friend of mine. And you cant help but fall in love with Emma and Dexter- their love story is so compelling and adorable, that you become a part of their story, you care for them, you laugh with them, and also cry, you want them to do what you would do, and yes, you desperately want a happy ending for them.

And of course there is Anna Hathaway-suitably rumpled and grunge in the first half, and elegance and grace personified in the second, when she flashes her pearly whites, the world seems to be a better place to live.

Why do people in love get to be in love in the best of locations? One Day happens in picturesque Edinburgh, colourful London, and stylish Paris. And the best thing that makes it stand out among all love stories is that it is not predictable, till the very end.

People and things change with time, but memories remain the same.- here's a movie that raises a toast to happy memories, a Must watch for mushy folks!