by Madeleine Nguyen (’26) | March 22, 2024
This article contains spoilers.
For the second time, David Nicholls’s stunning novel, One Day (2009), has been adapted and displayed on the big screen. Its first adaptation in 2011, starring Anne Hathaway and Jim Sturgees, garnered around $59 million in the box office. Producers Roanna Benn, Jude Liknaitzky, and Nicole Taylor readapted the story again this past year. One Day, officially released by Netflix on February 8, 2024, had no problem topping the charts around the world. The fourteen-episode miniseries illustrates the heart-wrenching and agonizing story of two characters’ relationship by showing one day each year for two decades.
The show follows two freshly graduated students, Emma Morley, played by Ambika Mod, and Dexter Mayhew, played by Leo Woodhall. The two meet for the first time at their university’s graduation party, where Dexter approaches Emma late in the night. The two end up returning to Emma’s flat, although the night ends with just a kiss. Though it was just one night, it became one that would change the course of both their lives forever.
For the next 14 episodes, the storyline presents that same day, July 15, every year starting from 1988 all the way to 2007. And as the years progress, it is evident that Emma and Dexter’s lives are very much intertwined, even if they are not directly involved. Each episode reveals a day in each year when Emma and Dexter somehow find each other’s company, despite their surrounding circumstances. Eventually, the two find their way back to each other romantically and finally realize how many years they have wasted because of their miscommunication about their relationship. But by then it was too late: just a year later, Emma is hit by a car, leading to her tragic passing, leaving Dexter in shambles.
Besides its bittersweet and wistful storyline, the show also possesses an alluring soundtrack. The use of classic indie and alternative music, including songs by Radiohead and Pixies, truly amplified the intensity of many scenes and the characters’ emotions. In addition to this, the show’s enthralling yet simple cinematography truly enhanced the show’s aesthetic. The show used a variety of nature shots, especially beaches and lakes. These two aspects of the show took it to the next level and refined Emma and Dexter’s story.
One Day undeniably presents a theme not seen in many modern day romances. It beautifully displays how important communication is within relationships, shown through Emma and Dexter’s painful lack of contact and expression of their true emotions for one another. The show also diverges from the stereotypical “happily ever after” ending, breaking audiences’ hearts with Emma’s tragic passing. But this melancholic moment of the show, along with the portrayal of Dexter after losing Emma, actually reflected the idea of acceptance and growth alongside complex feelings of grief.
One Day is an emotional yet sentimental series that showcases the complexity of romantic human relationships and the missed opportunities that stem from miscommunication. The show is a realistic portrayal of true love, for it not only contains desire and growth, but also regret and frustration. Emma and Dexter’s story is one of a kind and definitely worth a watch.
