I decided to watch 'One Day' with the expectation that it would be a cheesy rom-com with a cliche love story and fairy-tale ending that would leave me feeling uplifted and with a smile on my face. Boy, how wrong was I?
'One Day' is anything but your typical Hollywood rom-com, it is a heartbreaking emotional journey that reflects the ups and downs of real life and is relatable to anyone that watches it. Even as I write this review, my eyes are still red and my cheeks tear stained from the amount of crying I did watching this film - it's truly an emotional journey!
The premise of 'One Day' as being a story of two young lovers and friends that meet up once a year throughout the years is simplistic and does not reflect the emotional depth that is present in this story. It is so much darker than I anticipated I would be and instead of being "fluffy" and feel-good, it was at times very dark and intense (particularly as it progresses). It shares similarities with 'Love, Rosie' in its portrayal of the love stories, but is a more authentic and realistic love story. In my opinion, what 'One Day' does that 'Love, Rosie' and no other film I have ever watched has done so well is be truthful to the realities of life. There are no cliches, no shortcuts, no unnecessary melodrama or theatrics, no easy or simple route to happiness, no happy endings. It is faithful to the harshness and difficulties that all of us endure throughout our lives. It demonstrates the transition from the hopeful young graduate who believe their world is at their feet, to adult where they are struggling to find their way and grieving the happy future they believed they would have when they were young, naive and optimistic. In addition, it demonstrates the complexities of love and friendship, and how time, distance and separation can place strain upon those relationships but also how they can endure.
Emma (Anne Hathaway) and Dexter (Jim Sturgess) have a beautiful friendship that is meaningful, authentic and realistic. The performances of both actors are phenomenal and their talent and chemistry makes the relationship completely believable. The connection between the two (Hathaway and Sturgess as actors and Emma and Dexter as characters) means that it's so easy to become emotionally invested in their story. Their relationship is far from simple and despite the pair being obviously in love from early on in their friendship, the complications of life and the barriers that prevent them being from together are so palpable that it almost feels one could be watching a real-life couple. In my opinion, few fictional on-screen couples have reflected what real friendships and love look like as much as Emma and Dexter.
Admittedly, the pacing at times felt slow and in the latter half of the focus seemed to shift majorly towards Dexter (but that makes sense as the story continues), I found myself wandering WHAT the film was trying to do, but I simultaneously couldn't take my eyes from the screen. I was so invested in Emma and Dexter as characters and their relationship, that I couldn't do anything but see it to the end. And boy, nothing can quite prepare you for the ending. There's no happy ending to be found here, but it leaves a mark and I always believe that to be a sign of a truly good film. The disappointments, frustrations, 'what ifs', regrets, lost hopes and dreams are all what make this film so heartbreaking and is why I expect most that watch it to come away with a tissue in their hand and tears streaming down their face.
Some may criticise this film for being too boring or too depressing, but those that do, are in my opinion, completely failing to understand or appreciate what 'One Day' accomplishes. Although it is a story about love, it is anything but romanticised and unlike most romantic films out there, it doesn't create unrealistic or false perceptions of relationships - it is a story about REAL people, REAL life and REAL love and that authenticity is what sets 'One Day' apart from others in its genre.
'One Day' is anything but your typical Hollywood rom-com, it is a heartbreaking emotional journey that reflects the ups and downs of real life and is relatable to anyone that watches it. Even as I write this review, my eyes are still red and my cheeks tear stained from the amount of crying I did watching this film - it's truly an emotional journey!
The premise of 'One Day' as being a story of two young lovers and friends that meet up once a year throughout the years is simplistic and does not reflect the emotional depth that is present in this story. It is so much darker than I anticipated I would be and instead of being "fluffy" and feel-good, it was at times very dark and intense (particularly as it progresses). It shares similarities with 'Love, Rosie' in its portrayal of the love stories, but is a more authentic and realistic love story. In my opinion, what 'One Day' does that 'Love, Rosie' and no other film I have ever watched has done so well is be truthful to the realities of life. There are no cliches, no shortcuts, no unnecessary melodrama or theatrics, no easy or simple route to happiness, no happy endings. It is faithful to the harshness and difficulties that all of us endure throughout our lives. It demonstrates the transition from the hopeful young graduate who believe their world is at their feet, to adult where they are struggling to find their way and grieving the happy future they believed they would have when they were young, naive and optimistic. In addition, it demonstrates the complexities of love and friendship, and how time, distance and separation can place strain upon those relationships but also how they can endure.
Emma (Anne Hathaway) and Dexter (Jim Sturgess) have a beautiful friendship that is meaningful, authentic and realistic. The performances of both actors are phenomenal and their talent and chemistry makes the relationship completely believable. The connection between the two (Hathaway and Sturgess as actors and Emma and Dexter as characters) means that it's so easy to become emotionally invested in their story. Their relationship is far from simple and despite the pair being obviously in love from early on in their friendship, the complications of life and the barriers that prevent them being from together are so palpable that it almost feels one could be watching a real-life couple. In my opinion, few fictional on-screen couples have reflected what real friendships and love look like as much as Emma and Dexter.
Admittedly, the pacing at times felt slow and in the latter half of the focus seemed to shift majorly towards Dexter (but that makes sense as the story continues), I found myself wandering WHAT the film was trying to do, but I simultaneously couldn't take my eyes from the screen. I was so invested in Emma and Dexter as characters and their relationship, that I couldn't do anything but see it to the end. And boy, nothing can quite prepare you for the ending. There's no happy ending to be found here, but it leaves a mark and I always believe that to be a sign of a truly good film. The disappointments, frustrations, 'what ifs', regrets, lost hopes and dreams are all what make this film so heartbreaking and is why I expect most that watch it to come away with a tissue in their hand and tears streaming down their face.
Some may criticise this film for being too boring or too depressing, but those that do, are in my opinion, completely failing to understand or appreciate what 'One Day' accomplishes. Although it is a story about love, it is anything but romanticised and unlike most romantic films out there, it doesn't create unrealistic or false perceptions of relationships - it is a story about REAL people, REAL life and REAL love and that authenticity is what sets 'One Day' apart from others in its genre.