One Fine Day

One Fine Day; romantic comedy, USA, 1996; D: Michael Hoffman, S: Michelle Pfeiffer, George Clooney, Alex B. Linz, Mae Whitman, Charles Durning, Ellen Greene

New York. Melanie Parker is late for work because she promised she will take her son Sammy to a school trip on a ship. She is a single mother who was left by her husband. At the same time, reporter Jack is also rushing to the same ship, in order to accompany his daughter Maggie there. He is also a single parent. Both of them are too late to catch the ship, but after leaving Melanie and Jack notice they accidentally switched their mobile phones. After meeting again, they actually find each other quite charming. During work, Jack discovers that the mayor transfered a large amount of money to his own private account, while Melanie presents her new architectural project. In the evening, they meet and fall in love.

"One Fine Day" is an unjustly forgotten film, a fine example of a modern romantic comedy tailored according to previous 'old school' classics: director Hoffman cleverly stylized the story that follows 24 hours in the life of two single protagonists with kids, Jack and Melanie, who lives are just an inversion of each other. Unlike the majority of mainstream comedies from that era, this one does not have vulgar jokes and is sympathetic, whereas Michelle Pfeiffer is excellent as the single mother Melanie, as well as George Clooney (especially when she says to Jack that her son Sammy "gets into troubles faster than he can make woman smile"). There is a very charming scene in which Jack gives an advice to his daughter Maggie, namely not to "trample" every poor guy just because she can when she grows into a beautiful woman, whereas one can almost wish the finale was not "interrupted" and allowed for the story to show what happened to the next day between the two of them, yet enough funny jokes already managed to assure a good grade nonetheless (in the best joke, Jack wants to kiss Melanie in her apartment, but she asks him to wait until she "freshens up". Cue to the next scene of Melanie brushing teeth, shaving legs, tidying her hair...). The song For the First Time was nominated for an Oscar.

Grade;++