One Day
{5/5} “If I could give you just one gift, do you know what it would be? Confidence. That or a scented candle.”
Emma and Dexter went to the same school and ran into each other a few times. On graduation day they almost get together but decide to be friends. Dexter attains fame and fortune as a TV host. Emma starts out as a waitress and then goes back to school to become a teacher — but she always wanted to be a writer.
One Day was released in 2011.
The movie has the unusual structure of showing us what Emma and Dexter are doing on July 15th each year, starting in 1988 when they graduate. Sometimes they’re together on that day and sometimes they’re not. It’s probably difficult to make a great movie that has this structure — but it is great.
It’s a beautiful story, with actors who make you believe in it. We get to know the main characters very well, and we root for them. Some parts are very funny, and some parts are very sad. It’s clearly one of the best romance movies ever — I don’t think this is a spoiler, since you can tell it’s a romance from the poster or DVD cover.
The music is by Rachel Portman (Benny & Joon), the only female soundtrack composer whose name I’m aware of. I liked her theme that popped up now and then in different forms.
Anne Hathaway (The Dark Knight Rises) plays Emma and Jim Sturgess (The Way Back) plays Dexter. Patricia Clarkson (The Station Agent) plays Dexter’s mother and Ken Stott (the TV show Rebus) plays Dexter’s father — they’re not particularly happy with Dexter’s career. Rafe Spall (Prometheus) plays Ian, who works at the same restaurant as Emma and wants to be a stand-up comedian. Jodie Whittaker has a part that’s so small you might not recognize her even if you saw Attack the Block a few months ago.
The movie was directed by Lone Scherfig (An Education).