One Day review – a flawless romcom you’ll fall for, hard
The concept of One Day seems unrealistic. A wealthy guy from the south has been interested in a working-class girl from the north for the past twenty years. He was raised in the Cotswolds and plans to spend his summer after college graduation with his privileged friends in France. Meanwhile, she travels to rural areas performing plays about women's rights and plays Joan Armatrading's Love and Affection before hooking up with someone. The story doesn't seem to have any credibility, emotion, humor, or connection to the current era where the issues with social classes are so outdated that it's challenging to even describe them.
However, despite everything, when David Nicholls' third book was released in 2009, it appealed to anyone who picked it up, even those who typically don't enjoy romantic comedies. It was charming and genuine, with a great sense of humor and undeniably truthful. The subsequent movie adaptation was somewhat terrible, but we can pretend it was just a fling that we quickly forgot about, in order to fall in love again. Fortunately, we now have a fantastic 2020 edition that we won't let go of.
One Day, a love story that spans 20 years, is best suited for a limited series format. The story is both grand and ordinary, with all the events occurring on a single date, 15 July, also known as St. Swithin's Day. Each episode lasts for half an hour, except for the emotional finale, and covers a single day. The tale begins with Dexter Mayhew (Leo Woodall) and Emma Morley (Ambika Mod) meeting on the night of their graduation from Edinburgh University in 1988. This structured approach divides the narrative into fourteen episodes full of nostalgia, making it ideal for binge-watching.
After experiencing the format, I gained a deeper understanding of the true essence of One Day. It showcases the beauty of our routine lives and the influence of remembering the past. In the beginning of this remarkable adaptation, based on a script created by a team led by Nicole Taylor (known for Wild Rose) and with Nicholls as the executive producer, Philip Larkin wrote: "Where else can we exist, besides in the days?"
Each episode is a wonderfully crafted moment in time. In one episode, Dexter, who is now a faltering television host, returns home to see his dying mother and messes everything up. Even seeing the exercise bike he left behind and the Bugsy Malone movie on the shelf makes me emotional. There's also a hazy summer day when Em and Dex grab a bottle and some Kettle Chips from the convenience store, lie down on Primrose Hill, and watch the sunset. Another episode involves a painfully awkward game of "Are you there, Moriarty?" where Dex accidentally hits his new, even more affluent girlfriend in the face with a rolled-up newspaper.
The backup crew is extraordinary, the historical aspects are exceptional, and the music is heavenly. When Rip It Up by Orange Juice starts playing, I become emotional and could even cry at the sight of a hamburger phone.
Naturally, the success of the entire project depends on the convincing and endearing portrayal of Em and Dex as characters. They are truly exceptional. Woodall's charming yet alarming personality and immense but always excusable advantage are precisely calibrated. I forgive him countless times throughout the story. His upper-class background is not overlooked or glorified; it is an essential aspect of his character.
It is difficult to fathom that Ambika Mod, the star of "This Is Going to Hurt," is a newcomer to lead roles. Her character, Em, is tough yet fragile, dedicated, and unyieldingly straight-faced. After spending a night drinking, Em and Dex scale Arthur's Seat the next day. Dex inquires if abstaining from sex is a religious matter, and Em wryly responds that her mother practices Hinduism and her father was once a Catholic, but God played no part in their decision.
I have a confession to make. When I saw Mod playing the character of Emma, I had mixed feelings. On one hand, I was excited to see someone who looks like me on screen, going through experiences that I went through at that time. However, on the other hand, I felt that it was not entirely realistic. During that period, race and class did not work like how it is being portrayed in the show. Being a brown girl myself, I know for a fact that white boys did not find brown girls attractive. Although I went to school in Glasgow, I can confidently say that. While watching the first few episodes, it became evident to me that Emma's race was being ignored. Realistically speaking, Dex and his family would have made unintentional racist remarks and Emma would have forgiven him.
As I continued to watch, my attachment to the characters grew stronger and stronger. I began to appreciate the intricate details of the story, which revolves around two individuals from different backgrounds who connect through their sense of humor, shared cultural experiences, and most of all, the passage of time. As the years flew by, I found myself becoming more invested in their unfolding journey. When they found themselves skinny-dipping in Greece on July 15th of 1991, I was completely hooked. When the story brought us to 2007, with Dex returning to Edinburgh, the tears streamed down my face as I longed to relive their story once more.
