Movie Review - One Day

One Day (2011)

Starring Anne Hathaway, Jim Sturgess, and Patricia Clarkson 

Directed by Lone Scherfig

One Day has such a promising premise that it's a shame its story is so bland and the actors who inhabit it bring no chemistry to their lovelorn characters.  In the film, we meet Emma (Anne Hathaway) and Dexter (Jim Sturgess) on July 15, 1988, as they graduate from some British college.  Although they only happen to be in the same place because of mutual friends, despite having never met before, they spend the night together in Emma's apartment.  What initially was a sexually charged meeting ends up being rather innocent and the two decide not to sleep together, instead simply beginning a friendship that will last for many years.  The film then jumps to July 15 in each successive year and we see where Emma and Dexter are in their lives and in their relationship with one another.

I actually love the idea behind this movie and I think that the concept as a whole is going to account for a slightly higher grade than the film probably deserves.  Unfortunately, Emma and Dexter aren't characters that have a whole lot going for them.  Emma readily admits that she's a bore...and she is.  Dexter's an obnoxious man-whore who turns into a rather nasty guy as the years progress, but Emma still holds his friendship near and dear for some reason.  The two always had a thing for one another despite trying their best to keep things in the "friend zone," but it's obvious that we're supposed to feel some sexual chemistry between Hathaway and Sturgess when they're onscreen together...and it just never comes to fruition until close to the end of the movie.  Granted, in the last act, I slowly began to believe that these two characters had some sparks between them, but I can't help but think I should've been experiencing that emotion all the way through the film.

Still, even with this rather large problem -- let's face it, a lack of chemistry in a romantic film is a big issue -- the intriguing premise manages to trump some of the faults.  Yes, the story between these two characters isn't always interesting (it oftentimes feels very repetitive since the characters aren't that interesting or deep) and the actors, as I mentioned, aren't exactly right for their roles, but yet I didn't get as annoyed with it as I probably should have and probably would have had the rather original "one day in the life" conceit not been part of the movie.

The RyMickey Rating:  C