Un beau jour

Pleasant romantic comedy stars Pfeiffer and Clooney as two divorced, overworked parents whose children are bickering classmates. They meet, and don't exactly see eye to eye, but then circumstances force them to put aside their differences and try to help each other out as they struggle to balance their job priorities with their parental obligations, all during a hectic day in New York City. Predictable setup made worthwhile by two very appealing leads, believable situations, and well-drawn characters. Youngsters Whitman and Linz are especially likable as the two children who reluctantly get dragged from one place to the next. ***

I would probably never watch this film, had it not been for my wife who rented the DVD. Like others here, I expect romantic comedies to be all the same - terribly unrealistic and the humor to be 3rd-grade.

But One Fine Day surprised me in many ways! First, it is not "I need insulin right now!" sweet. Also, it is surprisingly relevant for today's world, and not targeted at teeny boppers.

One Fine Day is a film with a very smart script, funny dialogues, beautiful acting, and directing, and it all gels well together. Most moviegoers today expect blood, gore, and darkness of warped minds, and it seems that films that don't have that have a hard time getting a good review. It is time we step back, enjoy some of the subtleties of life and people, and laugh at ourselves, especially when it's all presented in a believable and funny way.

The film takes us through "one fine day" of a single mother and her son, and a single father and his daughter. Due to his error, they miss their kids' field trip and are, reluctantly, helping each other take care of the kids. While he obviously likes her but has a problem with trusting again, and also suffers from questionable flirting tactics, she is more obviously shell-shocked and uses every opportunity to put him down. In a single day, they go through so many humbling episodes that the relationship develops from "I already have an opinion about you..." and "So do I..." to "I'll help you out if you say: 'Be my knight in shining armor...'"

The control freak named Melanie and played wonderfully by Michelle Pfeiffer manages to stay likable even though she "beats every miserable bastard that comes her way to a pulp". George Clooney has an easier time being liked as he is his pretty much usual self, and that's exactly what the character requires. Both kids were much better than I would normally expect them to be; I am always put off by artificial adult gestures and the "too cool for you" acting of today's kids in Hollywood films, and expected that this time it would be the same, but it was not and that was a pleasant surprise.

The humor in this film is subtle, and you may actually miss it altogether if you expect things to blow in your face. I loved those brief encounters between Melanie (Pfeiffer) and Celia (Amanda Peet) in which a beautiful perfectionist with a heart (Pfeiffer) meets her less polite match... Amanda Peet was also fantastic! Just notice how Pfeiffer's facial expression changes when she realizes who she's talking to. Another one to watch and enjoy is the episode with Melanie's boss.

Also, this film can be watched more than once, as there is a lot to appreciate about it.

Ps. A scene at the shrink's office made me laugh like never before!

Okay, I LOVE romantic comedies so this is probably not too objective but... gee, I loved this movie. It follows an old formula that has worked so many times and that is still working: 2 people who can't stand each other at first happen to spend some time together and eventually find each other attractive. This requires 2 main things: 1.) Two great actors with wonderful chemistry 2.) An original and funny script We have seen this in so many movies like 6 Days 7 Nights with Anne Heche and Harrison Ford or You've Got Mail with Tom Hanks and Meg Ryan or recently in The Runaway Bride with Julia Roberts and Richard Gere. I loved all these movies for they simply worked to charme me. One Fine Day fits perfectly to this list. George Clooney ( who proves that he can be a very funny guy) and Michelle Pfeiffer ( who gives a great performance in this movie) have very good chemistry and the script is very funny and romantic with some really great one-liners. This movie entertained me very much and it wasn't boring as I saw it the second time. For it's charme and fun, I give this movie 9/10.

A charming if forgettable romantic comedy aided immeasurably by two attractive leads. Michelle Pfeiffer is irresistable, although at this period in Clooney's career his range was precisely one character deep, and he played that same character whether that role was Batman or any other. Lately, however, he's broadened out with roles like O Brother, Where Art Thou? But he's pleasant enough in One Fine Day and clicks with Pfeiffer in a way that keeps your attention. Rather recalls Neil Simon, and if you enjoy movies like Seems Like Old Times, you'll enjoy this one.

Film buffs will note a few appearances here by actors who would join Clooney later in O Brother, Where Art Thou.

When movies of today try and capture that "old-fashioned" feeling, usually it's the "values" that they're trying to recapture, forgetting that if you don't make a good movie, what you're left with is two hours of preaching. This movie, on the other hand, may be trying to capture that "old-fashioned" feeling, but the values it's after are the values of craftsmanship and intelligence, two things rarely seen in comedies these days. Oh, yes, and chemistry; Clooney and Pfeiffer have it in spades here. The fact that it's set among the world of working parents and, for the most part, tries to get the details right, also helps. And, oh yeah, it's funny. It is a little cloying at times, and the end feels abrupt, but overall this is a pleasing movie.