One Day Synopsis & Review: Plot Summary

🎯 Quick Overview

😅 Plot Summary – Badly Explained

Two people meet, become friends, have bad relationships with other people, finally get together, and then one of them gets run over by a bus, because reasons.

🍿 One Day: Detailed Plot Synopsis

Graduation Night and a Promise

Emma Morley and Dexter Mayhew meet on their graduation night in 1988. Despite their different backgrounds and personalities – Emma, a working-class idealist, and Dexter, a privileged charmer – they share an undeniable connection. They spend the night talking and nearly sleep together, but ultimately decide to remain friends, marking the beginning of a unique bond.

Years of Diverging Paths

The film follows Emma and Dexter on July 15th of each year for the next two decades, showcasing their individual struggles and triumphs. Emma grapples with unfulfilled ambitions, working as a waitress while aspiring to be a writer. Dexter drifts through life, achieving fleeting fame as a television personality but battling addiction and aimlessness. Their paths intertwine and diverge as they navigate relationships, careers, and personal growth.

Finding Their Way Back to Each Other

Despite the distance and challenges, Emma and Dexter’s friendship remains a constant in their lives. They support each other through hardships, offer tough love, and provide a sense of stability amidst their turbulent journeys. Eventually, after years of missed opportunities and personal growth, they find their way back to each other and embark on a romantic relationship.

⚠️ Spoilers and Ending Explained

🎬 Cast & Characters

• Emma (Anne Hathaway): A principled and intelligent woman from a working-class background who aspires to be a writer and finds a deep connection with Dexter over many years.
• Dexter (Jim Sturgess): A wealthy and charismatic man who initially drifts through life with privilege and charm, eventually maturing and finding true love with Emma.
• Ian (Rafe Spall): Emma’s well-meaning but unsuccessful comedian boyfriend, who represents a more stable but less passionate relationship.
• Alison (Patricia Clarkson): Dexter’s insightful mother who offers him guidance and expresses concern about his direction in life.
• Sylvie (Romola Garai): Dexter’s wife and mother to Jasmine, who has an affair that leads to their divorce and contributes to Dexter’s downward spiral.

💬 Memorable Quotes

• Emma: “I’m not sure I like you as a person anymore.” – Emma confronts Dexter about his destructive lifestyle and how it’s affecting their friendship.
• Dexter: “I care for you. I just fancy other women, all the time. It’s like I’ve been released from prison.” – Dexter candidly admits his feelings to Emma while on vacation together, acknowledging his inability to commit.
• Emma: “I love you, Dexter, very much. I just don’t like you anymore.” – Emma confesses her enduring love for Dexter but acknowledges her inability to support his self-destructive behavior.
• Emma: “Whatever happens tomorrow, we had today.” – Emma says this after their graduation night together, acknowledging their connection in the moment.

💰Box Office

• Budget: $15,000,000
• Domestic Gross: $13,843,771
• Worldwide Gross: $59,389,433

💥 One Day Reviews

Personal Review

I first saw this movie a long time ago, and the ending totally shocked me. I wasn’t ready for it. I bawled. I connected to their lives on a deep level. I loved Emma’s strength and Dexter’s transformation, and when Emma gets killed off it genuinely hurt. I do find it really sad that it goes back to a flash back of them meeting and ends like that.

• Who would enjoy:
  • “Fans of romantic dramas”
  • “Viewers who enjoy character-driven stories”
  • “Audiences who appreciate films set over a long period”
  • “Readers of David Nicholls’ novel”
• Content warnings ⚠:
  • “Brief nudity”
  • “Drug use”
  • “Alcohol abuse”
  • “Mature themes”
  • “Sudden death”

Professional Reviews

• IMDb: “Hathaway’s accent is distracting, but the unique storytelling device – checking in on the same date every year – makes it worth watching. However, be prepared for a brutally honest, sometimes depressing, look at relationships and life’s unexpected turns.
• Rotten Tomatoes: “The film is watchable but doesn’t quite capture the depth of the novel. The unique timeline is interesting, yet this isn’t enough to elevate above just another romance. Fans of the book may appreciate it; others may find it lacking.
• Metacritic: “While Anne Hathaway and Jim Sturgess’s performances are convincing, it’s still average. The storytelling is well paced, but the shock is poorly shot and has awkward pacing. The main appeal is their chemistry

Audience Reactions

The unconventional storytelling, seeing only one day each year, was really intriguing.: Viewers really loved Anne Hathaway’s performance and her chemistry with Jim Sturgess.

A brutal twist ending that genuinely caught many viewers off guard and left them heartbroken.: Most viewers were deeply moved by the exploration of love, loss, and friendship over the years.

Overall Consensus: A bittersweet and moving exploration of love and loss, with strong performances, but with a plot that can be seen as predictable and with the characters being unlikable.

Awards

🛠️ Behind the Scenes

• “Anne Hathaway was chosen for the role of Emma Morley. She was the one who picked Jim Sturgess for the role of Dexter Mayhew.”
• “David Nicholls, the author of the novel ‘One Day,’ also wrote the screenplay for the film adaptation.”
• “The graduation scene was filmed in Edinburgh, Scotland, but mortarboards, traditionally worn at graduations, are not actually part of the graduation attire at the University of Edinburgh.”

🖥️ How to Watch One Day?

One Day is available for streaming on various platforms, depending on your region. You can find it on services like Prime Video, Apple TV, and through rental or purchase options on platforms like Google Play Movies. Check your local streaming services for availability.

🎥 Similar Movies

If you enjoyed One Day, you might like these similar films:

• Before Sunrise (1995): Explores a chance encounter and deep connection between two people over a single day, focusing on their evolving relationship.
• Same Time, Next Year (1978): Features a couple who meet annually, exploring their changing lives and relationship dynamics over many years.
• The Notebook (2004): A sweeping romance that deals with enduring love and the challenges of time and circumstance.
• 500 Days of Summer (2009): Presents a non-linear narrative of a relationship, exploring different stages and perspectives on love and heartbreak.
• Carol (2015): Another story of enduring love.

🛒 One Day Related Products

• One Day by David Nicholls (Paperback): The original novel that inspired the film, delving deeper into Emma and Dexter’s complex relationship and internal struggles. This book provides a rich and immersive reading experience.
• One Day (Blu-ray): Relive the emotional journey of Emma and Dexter in high definition. Includes bonus features like deleted scenes and behind-the-scenes footage, which is really good to see.
• One Day Inspired Edinburgh Travel Print: A beautifully designed print showcasing Edinburgh, a central location in the movie. Makes a great decorative piece.
• “One Day” Movie Poster (Original): A vibrant, high-quality print of the original movie poster, a great addition to any film lover’s collection.

🎧 Soundtrack

One Day features a captivating soundtrack that enhances the movie’s atmosphere and emotional impact. Here are some notable tracks:

• “Talkin’ ‘Bout A Revolution” – performed by Tracy Chapman
• “Secret Garden” – performed by Bruce Springsteen
• “Falling in Love Again” – performed by Marlene Dietrich
• “The Sky Is a Landfill” – performed by Mark Knopfler

You can find the complete soundtrack on Amazon Music and Apple Music.

🤨 FAQ

🔥 Bonus Content

One Day Official Trailer #1 – (2011) HD

Immerse yourself in the captivating trailer for ‘One Day,’ a poignant tale that explores the complexities of love, friendship, and the choices we make over time.

✨ Rate