One Day Blu-ray Review

The Blu-ray release of "One Day" offers a high-definition video presentation that resonates with the original film's visual intent. Encoded in 1080p/VC-1, the transfer effectively mirrors Benoît Delhomme's cinematography, enriched with a filmic grain that maintains a natural aesthetic. The colors are purposefully subdued, varying between warm and cool palettes to reflect character emotions and narrative shifts. While primary colors occasionally punctuate the overall muted scheme, fine details fluctuate—sometimes highlighting individual lint on clothing and other times appearing slightly smudged. Despite these inconsistencies, the image remains clear with smooth transitions, offering stable sharpness and respectable clarity.

Contrast levels are meticulously handled, aligning with thematic elements such as emotional states or altered perceptions due to substances. Blacks range from deep to faded, contributing to a dynamic visual experience. High-level detail enhances the appreciation of nuanced textures without succumbing to aberrations like smearing or aliasing. While noise is present in darker scenes, it remains unobtrusive and controlled. The transfer's dedication to maintaining source fidelity ensures that artifacting, banding, and other visual distractions are minimal or non-existent. The result is an engaging high-definition presentation that successfully conveys the director's vision while keeping technical imperfections at bay.

The audio presentation of "One Day" on Blu-ray showcases a commendable DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 track, complemented by DVS Dolby Digital 2.0 and Spanish and French DTS 5.1 tracks. The primary Master Audio track is exceptionally clear, capturing the nuanced interactions and environmental sounds with great fidelity. Dialogue is consistently warm and intelligible, even amidst ambient effects, although some viewers noted occasional difficulties discerning low-level dialogue due to Anne Hathaway's British accent. High-level detail is evident with subtle nuances in the music score's instrumentation and sound effects.

The sound mix is predominantly front-oriented, maintaining clear vocal reproduction and natural ambiance with restrained yet effective LFE output and rear speaker activity. Environmental noises such as street sounds, wind through leaves, seagulls, and restaurant chatter are realistically rendered, enhancing the film's setting without overwhelming the main narrative. Notably, the music score shines throughout, effectively setting the temporal context and occasionally transforming the listening space into an immersive soundscape during pivotal scenes. The surround channels are used sparingly for ambient effects, creating a wonderfully subdued sound field.

Overall, while "One Day" may not deliver a demo-worthy audio experience, it excels in leveraging the DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 track to immerse viewers in its subtle soundscape. The balance between dialogue, music, and effects is expertly managed, providing a captivating audio environment that complements the film's intimate storytelling.

The Blu-ray for "One Day" offers a range of extras that enhance the viewer's understanding and appreciation of the film, albeit with some shortcomings. The feature commentary by director Lone Scherfig, although insightful, is plagued by long silences and minimal contribution from her guest. The collection of brief featurettes such as "Anne Hathaway: Bringing Emma to Life," and "Em and Dex, Through the Years" offer surface-level insights with a promotional tone typical of EPK content. "The Look of One Day" attempts to delve into the nuances of a 20-year love story but falls short due to its brevity and repetitive film clips. Additionally, the deleted scenes provide minimal added value, showcasing moments that were rightly left out of the final cut. Features like My Scenes Bookmarking and BD-Live seem functional but don't significantly enrich the experience.

Extras included in this disc:

• Feature Commentary by Director Lone Scherfig: Scherfig provides production insights.
• Deleted Scenes: Unremarkable cuts adding minor context.
• Em and Dex, Through the Years: Interviews and film clips highlighting their journey.
• Anne Hathaway: Bringing Emma to Life: Insights into Emma's character.
• The Look of One Day: Brief exploration of aging characters over 20 years.
• My Scenes Bookmarking: Bookmark favorite scenes.
• BD-Live Functionality: Online interactive features.

Directed by Lone Scherfig and adapted by David Nicholls from his bestselling novel, "One Day" presents the two-decade-spanning relationship of Emma (Anne Hathaway) and Dexter (Jim Sturgess). The film begins on July 15, 1988, during their college graduation, and revisits the characters annually on the same date. Unfortunately, Scherfig's direction results in a romance that feels uneven. Despite the rich source material, the film struggles to capture the poignant essence of its novel counterpart and lacks the elegant touch seen in Scherfig’s previous work, "An Education." The narrative isn’t as sweeping or universal as it aims to be, frequently meandering into predictability and failing to delve deeply into the intricacies of love.

The performances by Hathaway and Sturgess, while earnest, are let down by the screenplay. Hathaway’s portrayal of Emma displays depth, despite her character being underdeveloped with an inconsistent English accent. Sturgess’ Dexter is portrayed as a self-indulgent charmer without much emotional growth until it's too late to make an impact. Both actors manage to extract moments of genuine emotion, but these instances are sparse. Supporting performances by Patricia Clarkson and Ken Stott as Dexter’s parents offer brief but effective reprieves, their scenes providing some of the film's more authentic emotional beats.

"One Day" makes a commendable attempt to avoid typical romantic clichés but slips into other well-worn tropes. The film’s structure of yearly check-ins lends itself to moments of surprise but fails to convincingly build the depth of Emma and Dexter’s bond. The relationship feels contrived rather than genuine, exacerbated by a script that doesn't fully establish their initial connection or convincingly portray their enduring love. Combined with a familiar and predictable ending, the film leaves much to be desired. While "One Day" aspires to be heartfelt and profound, it ultimately plods along without leaving a lasting impact.

Review of One Day (Blu-ray)

The Blu-ray release of "One Day" by Universal boasts an impressive technical presentation that compensates for some of the film's narrative shortcomings. The video transfer is exceptional, providing a rich and detailed visual experience. While the detail isn't consistently at the highest level throughout, it never dips into low quality, ensuring an overall satisfying visual journey. The DTS-HD Master Audio track is equally commendable, offering robust and clear sound that builds an atmospherically fitting backdrop for the romantic drama unfolding on screen.

However, the film itself may not resonate with everyone. Although it avoids the usual cliches found in many romantic dramas, the chemistry between the main characters lacks the compelling spark needed to elevate it into a memorable love story. Additionally, the conclusion doesn’t quite match the uniqueness of the preceding narrative, leaving a sense of missed potential. Despite these narrative flaws, "One Day" still surpasses many standard romantic dramas, making it a worthwhile watch for genre enthusiasts.

In conclusion, "One Day" on Blu-ray delivers nearly flawless technical attributes that enhance the viewing experience, even if the film’s storyline and character dynamics fall short of excellence. For those interested in a more distinctive romantic drama, renting the Blu-ray before committing to a purchase might be the best approach. The outstanding audio and visual quality make it a worthwhile consideration for any home entertainment collection, despite its deficiencies in supplementary content and ultimate emotional impact.