Some movies leave a mark, but One Day (2011) left a piece of my heart on the screen—and if you’re like me, it might just do the same for you.
To say it’s my favorite movie would be an understatement. I’ve seen it more times than I can count, yet every single viewing has me sobbing. I’ve never cried this much over any movie, and even knowing what’s coming, the emotions hit just as hard each time.
One Day isn’t your typical, predictable romance. Forget the clichés of “boy meets girl, they fall in love, get married, have kids, and live happily ever after.” This film is something else—it’s real, raw, and honest. It strips love down to its bare bones and shows us that sometimes love is less about the grand gestures and more about the everyday decisions. The choices we make, whether to let go or hold on—are what define our relationships. And in this story, those choices are everything.
The movie takes place every June 15th for 20 years showing Dexter (Jim Sturgess) and Emma (Anne Hathaway), the film’s central characters’ chaotic love story with highs, lows, missed chances, and quiet moments of connection. Showing us how love is never linear. It zigzags, takes detours, and sometimes it breaks your heart. But through it all, there’s a sense of hope—hope that even in the messiness of life, love can endure.
What makes One Day so powerful is that it holds a mirror up to the complexity of life and love. It asks the hard questions: What if your love story isn’t picture-perfect? What if love means waiting years, going through heartbreak over and over again, trying to remain hopeful, or missing out on moments you thought would last forever? It’s not a sugar-coated fairy tale, but that’s what makes it so beautiful and heartbreaking at the same time. You realize that love is not about finding “the one” and living a perfect life together—it’s about learning to navigate the imperfect moments and deciding what, or who, is worth fighting for.
This movie will make you laugh, it’ll make you cry (seriously), and it’ll make you think. It’s a reminder that true love is not just a feeling; it’s a choice and that not all endings are happy endings. It’s the quiet moments, the unwavering commitment, and sometimes, the heartbreak that makes it all worthwhile. It redefines what it means to love someone—because sometimes love doesn’t follow a script, and that’s the most authentic kind of love there is.
So, if you feel like watching a romantic movie and getting your heart shattered to pieces with a tub of ice cream, One Day is definitely for you.
P.S.: If you’re planning to watch One Day for the first time, maybe don’t do it right before an important event or on a school night. The emotional distress is real. You have been warned:)
