Allan Watched "One Fine Day"
Undeniably sweet and led flawlessly by its shining stars, One Fine Day is the kind of 90’s RomCom we get nostalgic about, even if it lacks some important ingredients.
Gut Feeling
The first thought I had when the credits rolled and the Oscar nominated tune “For the First Time” began to play was, “Why do I never hear about this film?” I live in an ecosystem insulated by 90’s nostalgia and love cinematic comfort food, yet I have never seen this film, and do not remember ever hearing much about it. Its star power in legit, with George Clooney and Michelle Pfieffer at their most charming, and it is supported by elite child acting from Mae Whitman (When a Man Loves a Woman, Independence Day, Parenthood) and Alex D. Linz (Home Alone 3), yet even the well-curated mix of New York City film locations never elevated this film past an afterthought.
Music Is Key
So what is One Fine Day, a film with Clooney and Pfieffer at the height of their power and a well thought out script, missing? The classic soundtrack.
It sounds simple, but the great 90’s RomComs rarely reach their status without the soundscape of great tunes. Think about it: Sleepless in Seattle, You’ve Got Mail, American Pie, 10 Things I Hate About You, Clueless, and even Pretty Woman all have songs we immediately associate with the films, and it is what helps the movies become engrained in our minds as 90’s classics.
One Fine Day has every other ingredient of a classic we love, except the soundtrack. There is no memorable scene linked to a great song. The film does start very much on the nose with us peering into different windows of apartments in the city while the great Natalie Merchant’s version of “One Fine Day” plays, (a remake of The Chiffon’s hit that also plays later in the film, written by Carole King), and it sets a good tone for the music we expect to hear, but it never advances any further. Even The Shirelles' classic “Mama Said” is misused, which is hard to do in a film. I truly believe if the soundtrack matched the script and performances, we’d have the same affinity for this film as we do the other 90’s RomCom standards.
A Great Premise
The writing and premise of One Fine Day is really solid. Michael Hoffman pulls the threads of Terrell Seltzer and Ellen Simon’s script properly from the directors chair, driven by a unique concept: Two single parents (not unique yet), Melanie Parker (Pfieffer) and Jack Taylor (Clooney) are forced to watch each others kids on a busy work day because they were late dropping them off for a class boat trip. It leads to a film that has great pace, a lot of good jokes and lovable moments, and it is just a delightful journey, even when predictable.
My favorite part of the script is that it skips the boring, dreadful third-act trope where one lover-to-be makes a huge error and we wait 30 minutes for reconciliation. Even though there is a drop of that for one scene 90 minutes in, it really powers through the potential slip-up and develops into two other scenes that give each star a chance to shine as the film accelerates to its loving conclusion. The whole product is a joy, yet there is just one little punch missing to make it great.
Random Thoughts
Great child acting is fickle, but Whitman and Linz as Sammy and Maggie really deliver great performances. They bicker at each other well, deliver solid joke reads, and help with the supply of heart that makes the film enjoyable.
With that said, Sammy truly is the most clumsy kid to have ever lived. Alex Pruitt would be embarrassed.
And speaking of Alex Pruitt, this is a friendly reminder that Home Alone 3 is the funniest of the franchise, and it is not close.
Gotta love a film that starts with a title drop, via song!
I demand a spin-off show or film of just Clooney as Taylor being a fringe investigative journalist. I would watch at least 90 minutes of that scene where he looks ready to throw a source off the roof of a skyscraper.
This film balances the absolute scorching heat Clooney and Pfieffer provide with the sweetness of the film’s tone really well. The sexual tension could have been taken up to another level, but it delivers when needed in what is ultimately a sweet film.
This film is another warning that if you have a bowl cut, you will come from a broken home.
It was wonderful to see a cameo from the great journalist and writer Pete Hamill. He is so wonderful in many documentaries, but his knowledge of NYC is one of the reasons why New York: A Documentary Series is one of the greatest history lessons on the greatest city in the world.
Maggie wears a backwards Yankees hat for a full act; I respect that.
Quick Hits:
How many times have I seen this movie?
First time!
Where was I watching it?
In my living room with a nice cocktail.
Favorite trivia about the movie
Clooney’s character was added way at the end. I guess a film of just Pfieffer would have worked, but it is funny to think how wrong the developers of the film were in the beginning of the project.
Favorite part
There is a classic 90’s steady shot where Clooney and Pfieffer are arguing on a busy city block, with a big old-school iron door directly behind them as a frame, and they each go in and out of the shot without the camera moving. It should be shown in film school classes.
Least favorite part
What a waste of “Mama Said”. How do you throw that song away during a rather benign scene.
Would I recommend this movie?
I would, even if it is a little thin in terms of overall dynamics.
So What Does Allan Give It?
One Thumbs Up! Overall, a score of 63. If the music was even the tiniest bit better, it would make it more than an excuse to look at George Clooney and Michelle Pfieffer.
