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!
