Review of One Day, starring Anne Hathaway and Jim Sturgess
An epic romance starring Anne Hathaway and Jim Sturgess, based on a beloved novel and directed by "An Education" helmer Lone Scherfig should be a sure thing, right? Tragically, though the movie covers more than two decades, it's more of an epic fail. At the screening I attended, several people told me they thought it was one of the worst films of the year. To that, I must disagree, because to describe "One Day," for which David Nicholls adapted his own novel, as such is giving it too much credit. This is simply slight and harmless, both forgettable and inconsequential in its attempt to create an emotional thoroughfare that can stand the test of time.
The film begins on July 15, 1988, the day that Emma (Hathaway) and Dexter (Sturgess) meet, graduate from college, and spend the night together, embarking on what will be a lifelong relationship. The date is important because the film covers July 15 of every single year of their lives, so we essentially see snapshots of what's happened to them, rather than getting a full view of their lives. This is likely a great idea for a book (I've not read Nicholls' novel), but on screen it feels gimmicky. Additionally, it never allows either Hathaway, who feels woefully miscast here, or Sturgess, who is likely a charming enough fellow, but is clearly in over his head, to fully explore who these people are. It is a challenge, certainly, to give us the same person, albeit one who has or has not changed much in the last 364 days, and simply put, neither the script, the direction, nor the actors themselves are up to it.
More than anything, this film is just disappointing. The last film Scherfig directed, "An Education," was lovely, subtle, and a showcase of talent. Here, Hathaway's Emma has an accent that changes depending upon the year that she's in, and you rarely believe Sturgess. Dexter is a spoiled, wealthy fop who gains and loses a career in TV during the '90s, but whenever he's misbehaving you can't help but feel that it's all a show. He barely believes it himself, and this means so many precious moments feel forced and unreal, even when he's dealing with his sick mother (Patricia Clarkson) or his very British father (Ken Stott). Because so many moments feel forced or manipulative, as well, it's easy to feel suspicious of the sequences that have some real emotion to them. All told, "One Day" is like a bad date—the kind you're looking forward to, only to discover that you and the person you spend an awkward couple of hours with don't really like one another and have nothing in common.
Genre/s: Romance Drama
Release Date/s: 8/19/2011 (Showtimes & Tickets)
Distributor: Focus Features
Production Company: Color Force, Random House Films
Official Site: Official Site for One Day
M.P.A.A. Rating: PG-13
CAST and CREW FOR One Day
Starring: Anne Hathaway, Jim Sturgess, Romola Garai, Patricia Clarkson, Georgina King, Jamie Sives, Amanda Fairbank-Hynes, Jodie Whittaker, Rafe Spall
Directed By: Lone Scherfig
Written By: David Nicholls; Based on his novel
Produced By: Nina Jacobson