Movie Review: "One Day"

One Day

Directed by: Lone Scherfig
Starring: Anne Hathaway, Jim Sturgess, Romola Garai, Patrcia Clarkson
Rated: PG-13 for sexual content, partial nudity, language, some violence, and substance abuse

The British film One Day is a sentimental and dramatic look at the relationship of two people over the span of twenty plus years. Directed by former Dogma 95 director Lone Scherfig, the film resonates with romanticism and the resolution that fans of The Notebook will certainly appreciate. But it’s skewed view of love is so incredibly inept that the film, for me, was quite troubling. In the film, Anne Hathaway’s character throws reason and her judgment of good character to the wind to romanticize for years over the sleaze-bag who is Dexter (a once again terrific performance by Jim Sturgess.) I still fail to understand how THIS relationship could bring her happiness and him decency without some life-altering event or understanding. What changed Dexter to suddenly realize this was the girl who would make him happy forever? Or she that this scum-bucket was worthy of her undying love over the others who (may) have truly loved her? And, without spoiling the film, I think this fleetingness of their sudden fulfillment is what leads to that nihilistic feeling at the end when you realize that it can disappear in an instant. Plus the film has enough nudity to qualify it for an R-rating, which only adds to my frustration. As romantic as One Day may make you feel, this misunderstanding of true love is not what builds a fulfilled life but one as fleeting as a one-night stand.