One Day

2011

One Day

Critics Consensus

Despite some fresh narrative twists, One Day lacks the emotion, depth, or insight of its bestselling source material.

36%

TOMATOMETER

Total Count: 143

49%

Audience Score

User Ratings: 32,153
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One Day Photos

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Movie Info

After one day together - July 15th, 1988, their college graduation - Emma Morley (Anne Hathaway) and Dexter Mayhew (Jim Sturgess) begin a friendship that will last a lifetime. She is a working-class girl of principle and ambition who dreams of making the world a better place. He is a wealthy charmer who dreams that the world will be his playground. For the next two decades, key moments of their relationship are experienced over several July 15ths in their lives. Together and apart, we see Dex and Em through their friendship and fights, hopes and missed opportunities, laughter and tears. Somewhere along their journey, these two people realize that what they are searching and hoping for has been there for them all along. As the true meaning of that one day back in 1988 is revealed, they come to terms with the nature of love and life itself. -- (C) Focus Features
  • Rating:
    PG-13 (for sexual content, partial nudity, language, some violence and substance abuse)
  • Genre:
    Comedy, Drama, Romance
  • Directed By:
    Lone Scherfig
  • Written By:
    David Nicholls
  • In Theaters:
     wide
  • On Disc/Streaming:
  • Box Office:
    $13,766,014
  • Runtime:
  • Studio:
    Focus Features

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Cast

Anne Hathaway
as Emma
Jim Sturgess
as Dexter
Tom Mison
as Callum
Jodie Whittaker
as Tilly
Rafe Spall
as Ian
Josephine de la Baume
as Marie
Patricia Clarkson
as Alison
Josephine de la Baume
as Marie
Tim Key
as Customer
Ken Stott
as Steven
Heida Reed
as Ingrid
Amanda Fairbank-Hynes
as Tara
Gil Alma
as Waiter
David Ajala
as Floor Manager
Georgia King
as Suki
Ukweli Roach
as Rapper
Lorna Gayle
as Mrs. Major
Clara Paget
as Cocktail Waitress
Matt Berry
as Aaron
Romola Garai
as Sylvie
Diana Kent
as Mrs. Cope
James Laurenson
as Mr. Cope
Toby Regbo
as Samuel Cope
Thomas Arnold
as Colin
Eden Mengelgrein
as Jasmine (2001)
Kayla Mengelgrein
as Jasmine (2001)
Sienna Poppy-Rodgers
as Teenager on Eurostar
Matthew Beard
as Murray Cope
Sebastien Dupuis
as Jean-Pierre
Maisie Fishbourne
as Jasmine (2005)
Phoebe Fox
as Nightclub Girl
Emilia Jones
as Jasmine (2007 and 2011)
Joanna Ampil
as Waitress
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News & Interviews for One Day

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Critic Reviews for One Day

All Critics (143) | Top Critics (43) | Fresh (52) | Rotten (91)

  • Danish director Lone Scherfig (An Education) deliberately veers away from comedy to deliver a surprisingly earthy, soulful romance.

    Sep 2, 2011 | Rating: 3.5/5 | Full Review…

    Jim Schembri

    The Age (Australia)
    Top Critic

  • If middle-class existentialism is not your cup of tea, no amount of charm and nineties' fashion is going to save this film from seeming pomp.

    Aug 26, 2011 | Rating: 2/5 | Full Review…

    Shelley Jones

    Little White Lies
    Top Critic

  • A slushy, mawkish and weirdly humourless romance with a sub-Richard Curtis style and more endings than Lord of the Rings.

    Aug 24, 2011 | Rating: 2/5 | Full Review…

    Peter Bradshaw

    Guardian
    Top Critic

  • The film might make the book look less astute and interesting than it is, but it still has an undeniable emotional wallop by its close.

    Aug 24, 2011 | Rating: 3/5 | Full Review…

    Dave Calhoun

    Time Out
    Top Critic

  • One Day is just a gimmicky "new" way of doing an old-fashioned love story. But we'll hear much more of Sturgess, Hathaway, and Lone Scherfig.

    Aug 23, 2011 | Full Review…

    David Thomson

    The New Republic
    Top Critic

  • It's what a Nicholas Sparks movie would be if it were aimed at grown women rather than teenage girls.

    Aug 19, 2011 | Rating: C+ | Full Review…

    Eric D. Snider

    Film.com
    Top Critic
View All Critic Reviews (143)

Audience Reviews for One Day

  • May 27, 2017
    havent got a bad word to say about this. jim sturgess and anne hathaway are both excellent. the concept and way it's put together along with the filming are all outstanding. it's a very believable romantic drama with a hint of virtuoso comedy.
    Sanity Assassin ! Super Reviewer
  • Nov 02, 2014
    A touching story with a beautiful score, impeccable makeup and captivating characters that really grow on us as we catch up with them once in a year for such a long period of time - although it is just a pity that in the end it reuses a typical melodramatic cliché of romances.
    Carlos M Super Reviewer
  • Mar 02, 2012
    A misguided adaptation that fails to be as witty, poignant and heartbreaking as its original source, resulting in a sexless, lacklustre and crushingly conventional romantic caper. This only adds evidence to a universal truth that some books are better left untouched.
    Janno D Super Reviewer
  • Feb 26, 2012
    My wife and I saw this one on Valentines Day, so we were both in the right mood to see a sappy love story. I was hopeful because I've always been impressed with Anne Hathaway's acting chops. Honestly, the movie looked kind of cute so I dove in. One Day follows a couple on their life's journey on one particular date in their lives over a period of 22 years. Sometimes the couple is together, sometimes not, but it is very interesting to see their development from college graduation to full blown adulthood. There are some very interesting side stories that keep the plot going. There are some characters in the film that either shouldn't have existed or needed some additional fleshing out. Anne Hathaway is again very impressive in One Day with a sometimes mousy appearance while at other times looking stunning. Her overall performance is not as strong as in other films such as Devil Wears Prada, but frankly she just isn't asked to do as much. The rest of the cast, while mostly no names, still does a very nice job. Jim Sturgess, who plays Hathaway's love interest, does a good job but I can't help feeling like a stronger actor would have played this role a little better and strengthened the overall movie. For a sappy movie to see on Valentines Day, I really enjoyed it. The story is nice and fun throughout but I will say I hated the ending. I'll probably give it a three out of five on Netflix. If you're looking for a sappy one, I'd recommend One Day.
    Chris S Super Reviewer
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