Revisiting—or in a few cases, watching for the first time—and celebrating the work of Michelle Pfeiffer, the best actress of my lifetime.
The classic screwball romantic comedy, when done right, is beautiful to behold. In 1996, established superstar Michelle Pfeiffer starred alongside then-rising Hollywood hunk George Clooney in the charming and delightful One Fine Day. When mentioning Pfeiffer's best work, this film isn't often named, but it deserves to be. Certainly, it's a light, frothy affair, which might lead some to dismiss it as unworthy. That would be a mistake, as Pfeiffer is simply radiant in a memorably sublime performance.
It's an utter joy to be in Pfeiffer's and Clooney's company here, tagging along as they make their way through one exceptionally frenzied day in the lives of two busy New Yorkers just trying to wrangle their kids while also doing their jobs. You know, just the usual adulting stuff, really. Throw into the mix that Pfeiffer's single mom Melanie Parker and Clooney's single dad Jack Taylor keep intersecting with each other throughout the day—while also passing their kids off to one another at different points—and that the actors have terrific chemistry, well then you have the ingredients for a truly exceptional rom-com.
The film throws a series of endless contrivances at the two leads, and both actors handle them with nimble grace and aplomb. Pfeiffer especially is pure white gold here, all eye rolls and snappy retorts,
exhaustion and exasperation. She's the classic romantic female lead updated to the then-modern age, complete with such '90s accoutrements as a permanently frazzled personality and a hilariously oversized cell phone. It's easily one of her very best comedic performances, ranking close to her astonishing comic excellence in 1988's Married to the Mob. As in that film, she handles physical comedy beautifully, while also exuding a real warmth and magnetic charisma. She takes what could be a tired archetype—the Type A woman and all of the cliches that entails—and creates a complex and fully dimensional woman, one that any parent or working professional can easily relate to.
The film also contains a stellar example of the legendary Pfeiffer cool. At one point she has to squeeze into her kid's goofy dinosaur t-shirt. Even in such silly attire, she remains the coolest person on the planet, easily.
The film also contains a stellar example of the legendary Pfeiffer cool. At one point she has to squeeze into her kid's goofy dinosaur t-shirt. Even in such silly attire, she remains the coolest person on the planet, easily.
I’m addicted to One Fine Day, have been ever since I first saw it on its release. I remember it was a rare sunny summer night when my girlfriend and I took our regular Friday night trip to the cinema. She had plans on watching Batman and Robin, but I surprised her by only giving her the option of watching either Addicted to Love or One Fine Day. After a verbal spat worthy of Jack and Melanie, we kissed and made up and finally ended up watching both!
ReplyDeleteI've now lost count of the number of times I've watched One Fine Day over the years. It’s a comforting film to watch and comforting to blog about, although it always leaves me wishing Michelle had done more romantic comedies over the years. Maybe that’s what makes One Fine Day so special. It’s one of those rare, one-of-a-kind movies that captures romantic lightning in a bottle. Great article, once again you've made my day!
That's a wonderful story, what a great memory of your first time seeing this film. I saw it with my then-girlfriend, who several years later became my wife. We've both always enjoyed this film, as it was one of the first we ever saw together.
DeleteThat said, it's also a fantastic romantic comedy, a very good film, truly. I was a little intimidated to write about it after your brilliant pieces on it over at your online home, but I finally said, here goes nothing! Glad you found something interesting in it, that means a lot to me.
I'm glad you did take the plunge, reading this was a genuine thrill and your closing paragraph is a gem. I wish I'd written that!
DeleteI've finally got around to sharing your review of One Fine Day over at my place. Thanks for allowing me to re-blog this piece, I really do appreciate it.
ReplyDelete