by Frank Calvillo
Box Office Alternative Column
Box Office Alternative is a weekly look into additional/optional choices to the big-budget spectacle opening up at your local movie theater every Friday. Oftentimes, titles will consist of little-known or underappreciated work from the same actor/writer/director/producer of said new release, while at other times, the selection for the week just happens to touch upon the same subject in a unique way. Above all, this is a place to revisit and/or discover forgotten cinematic gems of all kinds.
It’s usually a great time to go to the movies when the Coen brothers release another one of their dark and/or poetic films. And it’s always better when said new release is a comedy like their period Hollywood-set romp Hail, Caesar!.
Already garnering strong reviews, Hail, Caesar! stars George Clooney leading an all-star ensemble in a hilarious tale about a motley crew of Hollywood players in 1950s Tinseltown.
It’s a shame Clooney hasn’t been lauded more for his comedic abilities since the actor possesses some quality timing and delivery. While certain titles have more or less tried to showcase these talents, for me Clooney’s comedic gifts and affable demeanor were put to best use opposite Michelle Pfeiffer in the romantic comedy One Fine Day.
In One Fine Day, divorced mother Melanie Parker (Pfeiffer) and divorced father Jack Taylor (Clooney) find themselves stuck together after a series of events leaves them watching each other’s children (Alex D. Linz and Mae Whitman) as they try to juggle their daily routines, including her presentation at the architecture firm she works at, and his daily newspaper column. Throughout the course of the day, the two must endure mischievous children, angry bosses and their own dueling personalities if they are to make it through.
The most interesting feature about One Fine Day is just how universal of a story it is. The characters, situations, occupations and predicaments all seem to belong to the kind of carefree comedy usually found in the 40s or 50s. Nowhere is this more apparent than in the quick, zippy wordplay between the two leads, the best of which takes place in the city street and sees Melanie and Jack thrusting psychological complexes onto each other. At the same time, so much of the story belongs in the modern era. The plight of being a single, divorced parent, being consumed by work and trying to balance so many elements without letting a single one slip, is the story of so many men and women in today’s society. As a result, One Fine Day ends up being a film about yesterday and today.
Stellar production values are all throughout One Fine Day, especially in the look and feel. The film’s ongoing understated colors such as olive and tan might not be the obvious choice for a film as breezy as this one, but such design creates an elevated air that’s usually absent from other entries in the genre. Adding to this is an excellent pacing which wonderfully mixes moments of quick comedic action followed by sweeter, quiet moments. The best instance of this, hands down, is a scene with Clooney goofily playing with the pair’s children, followed by a shot of Pfeiffer in a taxi as she lovingly looks across the city view from the Brooklyn Bridge.
Serving as the film’s female lead and executive producer, Pfeiffer is in top form here as always. A natural comedienne, One Fine Day takes full advantage of the actress’ hidden gifts for both pratfalls and deadpan, while at the same time, inhabiting a cuteness that never becomes too much. She’s well-paired with Clooney, whose likeability and charisma shoots through the roof in what was his first role as a romantic leading man. His laid-back demeanor with Pfeiffer’s frenzied heroine makes One Fine Day a textbook example of sparkling screen chemistry.
It’s a shame that One Fine Day was given a Christmas release date and all the box office expectations that are attached to releasing a movie at such a busy season. With audiences either lapping up art fare like Fargo or family offerings like 101 Dalmatians, it seems there wasn’t much room for a film with One Fine Day’s sensibilities. Had it been released in Spring or early Fall, perhaps its only slightly profitable take at the box office would have been considered a success rather than a disappointment.
One Fine Day might be an odd duck for some people. The romance isn’t front and center as it is in most films. In fact, when the two leads finally do get the chance to sit down and get to know one another, the day is over and they’re too tired to do anything but embrace. But since the past hour and 40 minutes that came before were so effortlessly charming with such a carefree feel throughout, it hardly matters. I think one of my best friends perfectly nailed it when he described One Fine Day as simply: “a movie that makes you feel good.”