(USA, 107 min.)
Dir. Lone Scherfig, Writ. David Nicholls.
Starring: Jim Strugess, Anne Hathaway, Patricia Clarkson, Romola Garai, Rafe Spall.
After the wonderment of The Help, I guess it was too much to hope for a second great adaptation in such a short time. This is not to say that films cannot do what novels can (The Help proves otherwise); it’s just that this adaptation of One Day – penned by novelist David Nicholls himself – lacks the quirk, charm, and lovey-dovey sweetness of the novel. More importantly, the formal trick of One Day, which presents each chapter as a day in the lives of Emma and Dexter on the anniversary of their first date, simply dulls the poignancy of this cinematic tale of unrequited love.