Discovering love and friendship "One Day" at a time

"One Day" has a somewhat abstract timeline. It tracks the lives of two best friends Emma Morley (Anne Hathaway) and Dexter Mayhew (Jim Sturgess) for 20 years, on July 15th of each year, starting in 1988 to the present. Some years are only shown for seconds while others are skipped altogether, but despite hiccups in its sequence, "One Day" is a very real, romantic movie that is true to human character.

The story opens with Emma and Dexter avoiding a one night stand on the night of their college graduation, which turns out to spark a lifelong friendship. Emma, the more diligent and hardworking of the two, ends up as a waitress in a restaurant in London, despite her skill as a writer. Dexter, the more fun-loving, carefree character, is a successful TV newscaster who is considered to be one the most annoying men in Britain. Amid sharp banter, the film deftly captures how lives meander and take unexpected turns.

As the intelligent, dryly humorous Emma, Hathaway is perfect. Her attention to detail, such as the idiosyncrasies of her North England accent and Emma's working class character, is well-developed and believable. Emma starts out as an awkward, self-conscious waitress unsure of her future and turns into a poised and sophisticated young writer. Her blossoming over the years is natural and similar to what one would expect from such a woman in "real life. "

Dexter on the other hand is the complete opposite. He goes from being a casually charming TV anchor, to a washed up drunk and, eventually, to a loving father. Although he winds up being rather endearing, it takes him much longer to embrace that side of himself, and as a result he temporarily loses Emma and her friendship. Throughout the movie,Emma and Dexter's relationship is categorized as strictly platonic, but once they end their friendship it is clear that both of their lives start to fall apart.

An important aspect of this film was its attention to detail, especially since the movie took place in England. The slight nuances between American and English culture were extremely well portrayed, from driving on the left side of the road to sets adorned with old furniture. The accents were also true to the culture, thick enough to be recognized as British while managing to be understandable by an American audience. But the most interesting attention to detail was found within the dialogue, for example calling peeing a "wee" or saying "half nine" rather than "nine-thirty."

But despite its outstanding attention to detail, the movie still had a few technical issues. The most prominent of which was the last ten minutes, which were both a flash back to the first year Emma and Dexter met as well as a portrayal of the current year. The flashback was helpful in understanding some key parts of the movie, but it was very awkwardly placed in the present.

The soundtrack, on the other hand, was fitting throughout. It was well integrated into the movie and what was going on without being overpowering. It subtly set the tone of the scenes and was an excellent addition to the superb acting in this film.

In all, "One Day" depicts a lovely romance that portrays very real actions and consequences in the search for a purposeful existence and true friendship.

"One Day” (107 min) is rated PG-13 for Sexual content, partial nudity, language, some violence and substance abuse and is now playing in theaters everywhere.