One Fine Day (1996, Michelle Pfeiffer, George Clooney)

In New York two single parents face a crucial 24 hours. Melanie Parker (Michelle Pfeiffer) must lead a presentation that can save her job; journalist Jack Taylor (George Clooney) must strengthen his story about City Hall corruption. The pair accidentally swap phones, and are forced to take their kids to work. Several frantic calls later, they reach a compromise: child-minding so their respective appointments can be met. As the day progresses, their hostility toward each other softens, and the children see an opportunity to matchmake…

From Matthew Broderick dialling up nuclear war to Sandra Bullock becoming caught in The Net , digital age technology and the movies have had a chequered marriage. One Fine Day joins those films by allowing another machine, the mobile phone, to take a starring role.

It helps boost this slight tale that, just nine years later, it has a touch of the time capsule about it. It’s the kind of movie Tracey and Hepburn would have chosen, evoking an age of innocence at odds with reality, but Clooney and Pfeiffer are decent substitutes. He offers rough-edged charm and rare comic timing; she boasts glamour against the odds in a role which complements Dangerous Minds and Frankie and Johnny in celebrating the values of American normalcy. The script begins with classy one-liners and screwball comedy humour before settling into more mass-market territory, delivering enough laughs to balance the lack of any doubt about the film’s obvious outcome.

production details
USA | 108 minutes | 1996

Director: Michael Hoffman
Writers: Terrel Seltzer, Ellen Simon

cast
Michelle Pfeiffer as Melanie Parker
George Clooney as Jack Taylor
Mae Whitman as Maggie Taylor
Alex D. Linz as Sammy Parker
Charles Durning as Lew
Jon Robin Baitz as Mr. Yates, Jr.
Ellen Greene as Mrs. Elaine Lieberman
Joe Grifasi as Manny Feldstein
Pete Hamill as Frank Burroughs
Anna Maria Horsford as Evelyn
Gregory Jbara as Freddy
Sheila Kelley as Kristen
Bitty Schram as Marla
Barry Kivel as Mr. Yates, Sr.
Robert Klein as Dr. Martin
George Martin as Mr. Smith Leland
Michael Massee as Eddie Parker
Amanda Peet as Celia
Holland Taylor as Rita
Rachel York as Liza
Marianne Muellerleile as Ruta
Steven Jang as Vincent Wang
Samantha Cintrón as Rosa Lopez
Victor Truro as Sammy’s Pediatrician
Ashley Greenfield as Jessica
Sidney Armus as Mayor Sidney Aikens
Hal Panchansky as Metro Reporter
Maggie Wagner as Daily News Reporter
Isabelle Ashland as Daily News Reporter
Jasmin Hartmann as Daily News Reporter
Larry Sherman as Daily News Visitor
Shaun Duke as Foreign Artist Guy
Thomas Schall as Gentleman
Michael Badalucco as Lt. Bonomo
Jeanie Van Dam as Old Woman
Kirstin Allen as Pregnant Saleslady
Michael Genet as Mayor Aikens’ Press Secretary
Julia Ryder Perce as Lew’s Secretary
P.J. Aliseo as Spiderman
Liam Ahern as The Incredible Hulk
José Rabelo as Museum Guard
Darla Hill as Oribe’s Receptionist
Joe Avellar as Reporter
Jullie Chung as Reporter
Dale Kasman as Lady in the Police Station
Andrew Magarian as Bum in the Police Station
Katherine Argo as Passerby #1
Rob Kelly-Buntzen as Passerby #2
Brian Cahill as Passerby #3
Fred Goehner as Davis
Kuniko Narai as Flower Shop Employee