One Day (2011)
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Two people meet and spend the night together on the same date every year for twenty years.
The story
Dexter Mayhew and Emma Morley meet every 15 July—St. Swithin's Day—over 20 years. Dexter is from a southern, wealthy, upper-class family, while Emma comes from a working-class family from northern England. On 15 July 1988, after graduation from the University of Edinburgh, they spend a platonic night together, agreeing to "just be friends." The film follows their evolving lives, careers, and relationships as they reunite on this specific date every year for two decades, navigating the complexities of their mutual attraction and the changing circumstances of their lives in various locations including London, Paris, and beyond.
Full plot (contains spoilers)
The film follows Dexter Mayhew and Emma Morley, who meet every July 15th for 20 years. Starting in 1988, they spend a platonic night together after university. Over the next two decades, the narrative jumps annually: Emma struggles as a writer and later a teacher, while Dexter becomes a television presenter and later a father. They experience various relationships, including Emma's time with Ian and Dexter's marriage to Sylvie. In 2001, they share a passionate kiss in Paris and eventually marry in 2004. However, Emma is tragically killed in 2006. The film concludes in 2011 with a flashback to 1988, revealing that they had planned to 'finish what they started' that night, and the final scenes show Dexter reflecting on their life together.
- First release year
- 2011
- Runtime (minutes)
- 108
- Production countries
- United States; United Kingdom
- Original languages
- English
- Directors
- Lone Scherfig
- Writers
- David Nicholls · screenplay
- Cast and characters
- Anne Hathaway · Emma Morley; Jim Sturgess · Dexter Mayhew; Patricia Clarkson · Alison; Ken Stott · Steven; Romola Garai · Sylvie Cope; Rafe Spall · Ian
- Genres
- romantic drama
- Themes
- Time; Friendship; Fate
- Tone and mood
- Romantic; Melancholic
- Setting
- Various locations in the United Kingdom and France between 1988 and 2011.
- Premise and plot tags
- Time Jump; Romantic Drama
- Source material / true-story basis
- David Nicholls' 2009 novel of the same name
- Reception
- The film received mixed reviews, with critics praising its style and dialogue while criticizing the performances and the lack of depth compared to the source material.
- Reported review scores
- Rotten Tomatoes · score: 36% · scale: percentage · review count: 143; Metacritic · score: 48% · scale: percentage · review count: 41
- Production trivia
- Anne Hathaway was not originally sought for the role as the director was not looking for American actresses.; The film was shot on location in Scotland, England, and France.
Film metadata comes from the open sources listed in Credits & Contact. Catalogue details may be incomplete.
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