[One Day Review Netflix] A love series that is more realistic than romantic, but too long

One Day   The English original Netflix series with 14 episodes concludes the life story of Emma and Dexter, two students who meet on the night of their graduation before their lives become intertwined throughout their lifetime.

One Day Review Netflix

This series is based on the bestselling novel by David Nicholls from 2009, which was previously adapted into a film in 2011 starring Anne Hathaway and Jim Sturgess . This version, however, is a much longer series with a total of 14 episodes. Each episode spans about 20-30 minutes, totaling over 6 hours. The unique aspect of this adaptation is its thematic structure, with each episode representing one day of the year. Towards the end, three years are combined into one episode, covering a span of 19 years in the lives of the main characters. The highlight of the series lies in its incredibly realistic portrayal of the love lives of the protagonists, starting from their initial encounter through various stages of friendship, intimacy, disagreements, pursuing individual careers, having their own families, and experiencing multiple disappointments in love. Despite occasional dreamy scenes, the series predominantly reflects real-life struggles, shattered dreams, and disappointments. It’s not your typical romantic series; it’s much more grounded in reality. While there are moments that might evoke romantic sentiments, they are sparse. And it’s worth mentioning that this isn’t a story that necessarily concludes with a happily-ever-after ending.

However, while the storytelling idea may stay true to the original, the decision to have each episode lasting 20-30 minutes makes the series unnecessarily lengthy. With 14 episodes, it may discourage viewers right from the start. Another clear issue is the lack of smooth flow in the narrative; each episode starts anew with a noticeable hitch, as every episode ends with a cliffhanger. For instance, the protagonist tries to ask for a second chance, but the heroine doesn’t respond because, during that era, there were no mobile phones. Ultimately, the heroine starts dating someone else, and the story abruptly concludes. Then, in the next year, the protagonist seems to know everything and adapts, realizing that the heroine has a new boyfriend. This forces viewers to piece together the story themselves, wondering what happened between one year and the next. The series drops subtle hints, but it becomes a weakness when viewers have to sit through long episodes to figure out how the story connects. It turns the romantic series into a puzzle that requires excessive viewer speculation.

Another issue is that the lead actors don’t have much chemistry. In this case, it’s understandable that the protagonist doesn’t need to be extraordinarily handsome, as demonstrated in Prime’s “Mr. & Mrs. Smith .” However, the chemistry between the leads needs to be genuine, especially in a romance genre. The protagonist, Leo Woodall though good-looking, lacks a standout charm and comes across as rather plain, fitting the typical mold of an ordinary English guy. On the other hand, the heroine, Ambika Mod , is even more disappointing, especially when compared to the original film version played by Anne Hathaway. What’s perplexing is the lack of allure that explains why the protagonist would be so captivated by her from the very first night and continue to be infatuated for such a long time. Despite a few intimate scenes and repeated instances, there is no significant development. they don’t contribute much to the overall storyline. It seems like the intention was to hold back the development of their relationship until the very end. Unfortunately, the intimate scenes don’t convey the beauty or depth they should.

To summarize, this series is a love story that stretches unnecessarily over 14 episodes, leading to a feeling that interested viewers might be better off revisiting the original movie. The storyline suffers from disjointed episodes, following the theme of one day per year, which hampers the overall flow. It doesn’t fit into the typical romantic genre and instead leans towards presenting a more realistic portrayal of love, emphasizing sadness and hardships in life over happiness. It serves as a lesson in learning and experiencing the complexities of love, concluding without a typical happy ending.

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