Day One Review: Netflix Strikes Gold With A Beautiful, Decades-Spanning Love Story | web series

What makes a romcom work? It’s very easy to get it wrong, and I’m certainly not alone in noticing a problem within the first five minutes of whether or not a pair is working. The genre has been done many times, and there is either too much angst, or too much effort, or… zero chemistry. One Day – Netflix’s new 14-part series based on David Niccol’s bestselling novel of the same name – has nothing. It first works suddenly, then builds and shapes its way to the heart. Incredibly romantic, funny and ultimately heartbreaking, One Day is the first great show of the year. (Also Read: Love Storiyaan Review: An Intimate Valentine’s Day Date Between The Personal And The Political)

building

Forget that awful 2011 feature film adaptation with Anne Hathaway. The new adaptation uses the web series format to inject much-needed life into the story’s central relationship between Dexter (Leo Woodall) and Emma (Ambika Maud). for two decades. It begins in 1998, when they meet on the night of their graduation, and from then on, each episode follows this date – July 15th – for years. Their love affair turns into a failed one-night stand from the beginning, but somewhere there is a spark. Emma is nervous and eager to achieve her goals and admits that she wants to change the world. Not the whole world, but only a small corner. In contrast, Dexter is cocky and rich, carelessly pursuing privilege. Together they are like a beautiful balance of opposites, struggling to find the words to communicate when they need it most.

Back and forth takes its fascinating turns. Directors Molly Manners, Luke Snellin, and John Hardwick and Kate Hewitt do something amazing in balancing the tone and structure of the episodic chapters, which are never too tidy or less than honest. Attention to time-specific details works wonders: mainly because Emma and Dexter don’t share a relationship on their phones. Although flip phones eventually find their way into their dynamic — theirs is a bond developed in little anecdotes and snarky one-liners. More situational and organic, somehow. We’re heartbroken when Dexter has a particularly awful day at home with his dying mother (Essie Davis, in a wonderful performance), and all the frustration is palpable when Emma tells Dexter that she Had After years of infatuation with him. Even if he’s using the past tense, he (and, by extension, we) knows that the crush is still very much alive.

what works

Each of these episodes is so polished and rounded in its own capacity that it could be its own short film. One day coincides wonderfully with these moments of independent beauty and feeling – Dexter arrives at the train station to call Emma. Or the moment when they meet each other after years of pain and longing. So much information and details are left out in between, but the script written by Nicole Taylor, Anna Jordon, Bijan Sheibani and Vinay Patel is so confident that it wonders in those gaps and asks us to fill them in. Episode 7 in particular, centered around a volcano of contrasting vibes at a single restaurant table, is a standout.

Excellent support throughout is the performances of Leo Woodall and Ambika Mod. I wasn’t sure how casting Ambika alongside Leo would work in the seemingly realistic world that One Day creates, but these two actors are just undeniable together. Ambika brings this very specific sassy and awkward sense of humor to Emma; His face evokes thousands of different emotions at the same time. And Leo is the main standout after his supporting role in White Lotus, which looks like a younger version of Brad Pitt. It makes us root for Dexter so strongly, in a nuanced exploration of vulnerability and self-discovery. It is unforgettable.

The ride that One Day promises shows how the tried and tested genre of romantic comedies works when it makes time count. Spend time with Emma and Dexter as they act impulsively and make mistakes. It’s time to reevaluate their trends on the road, without glamorizing and avoiding the extremes of their choices. It’s time for the audience to witness the loss of innocence of these two as the years go by. You sit with Emma and Dexter when they are alone and get to know them better. You sit in communication with their gaping mistakes and yell at them a spell thing outside. The melody is true. One day is endlessly reliving these bittersweet everyday moments of living with love in a world ravaged by so much hate. The world is a better place when Emma and Dexter find each other, some love lasts. In these moments, everything takes on a different meaning. Hold the tissues.

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