[Screen It]

 

"ONE FINE DAY"
(1996) (George Clooney, Michelle Pfeiffer) (PG)

Alcohol/
Drugs
Blood/Gore Disrespectful/
Bad Attitude
Frightening/
Tense Scenes
Guns/
Weapons
Minor None Mild None *Minor
Imitative
Behavior
Jump
Scenes
Music
(Scary/Tense)
Music
(Inappropriate)
Profanity
Mild None None None Mild
Sex/
Nudity
Smoking Tense Family
Scenes
Topics To
Talk About
Violence
Mild Minor Moderate Mild Minor


QUICK TAKE:
Romantic Comedy: Two divorced strangers spend a day alternating taking care of the other's child.
PLOT:
Melanie Parker (MICHELLE PFEIFFER) is a single, working architect mom who's raising her son, Sammy (ALEX D. LINZ). At the beginning of yet another hectic, but typical day, she's off to pick up Sammy's classmate, Maggie (MAE WHITMAN). What she doesn't know is that Maggie's been dropped off with her dad, newspaper reporter Jack Taylor (GEORGE CLOONEY) who's keeping her for a week. Both parents are late getting their kids to school and thus both students miss a field trip and the parents find themselves stuck with their kids for the day. Melanie and Jack don't get along, and through a series of mishaps they must rely on each other to watch the other's child. As they struggle to complete their day's work, they begin to fall for each other.
WILL KIDS WANT TO SEE IT?
Although two children have rather important roles in this film, it's doubtful younger kids will want to see this lightweight, romantic comedy. Older teens will, however, if they like this genre or are looking for a suitable "date" movie.
WHY THE MPAA RATED IT: PG
For language and mild sensuality.
CAST AS ROLE MODELS:
  • MICHELLE PFEIFFER plays a harried, working mom who occasionally gets mad at her son for being underfoot and for causing her additional stress as she must deal with him while she's trying to meet a job deadline.
  • GEORGE CLOONEY plays a divorced dad who identifies with the kids by acting like a child at heart.
  • CAST, CREW, & TECHNICAL INFO

    HOW OTHERS RATED THIS MOVIE


    OUR TAKE: 6 out of 10
    In this romantic comedy, one main ingredient is missing until the very end of the movie. And that's romance. Sure we know the couple's going to dislike each other from the start and then inadvertently flirt with each other as the story progresses. And we know that they'll end up in each other's arms by the end. This movie, however, nearly pushes the dislike between them too far and just manages to get them together before all hope is lost. That's too bad, because the scenes at the end where they finally, truly like each other are great. It's the bickering and the constant "darn those kids who mess things up" plot line that gets tiresome after a while. Thus, the chemistry never seems to be there between the two leads until the very end. And that's a shame because both Pfeiffer and Clooney are very charismatic, likeable people. Don't get us wrong --this isn't a horrible movie by any means -- it's just that one wishes the lead actors had more to work with. As it is, it's a rather pleasant, lightweight comedy with romance hinted at and finally delivered by the end. We give it a 6 out of 10.
    OUR WORD TO PARENTS:
    There isn't a great deal to object to in this film that younger kids probably will not want to see, but older, dating aged teens might. There's mild profanity with 3 "s" words being the worst, and smoking and alcohol use gets only a minor rating (There is a quick, passing reference to another student talking about LSD, but nothing is seen). Sexually related material involves just some mild references and Michelle Pfeiffer being seen in her bra several times. That's about the worst of the material, but we suggest you read the category listings to make sure the film is suitable for you and your family.

    ALCOHOL OR DRUG USE
  • Sammy calls his mom from day care (where it's super hero costume day) and says that "Spiderman" was talking about LSD he got from his brother.
  • Executivesm, who Melanie is meeting, drink martinis.
  • BLOOD/GORE
  • None.
  • DISRESPECTFUL/BAD ATTITUDE
  • Both Melanie's mother and sister are too vain (and too "busy" getting manicures, etc...) to take care of Sammy when she needs their help.
  • Jack calls Melanie "baby," but she tells him right away that she doesn't want to be called that.
  • FRIGHTENING SCENES
  • None.
  • GUNS/WEAPONS
  • While talking with Melanie on the phone, Jack teases her by acting like he's telling Sammy to "put the gun down" to make her think he's been too casual about watching her son.
  • IMITATIVE BEHAVIOR
  • Phrases: "You dog you," "Stupid," "Bastard," "Snot," and "Piss you off."
  • The kids make faces at each other (including the pushing up of one's nose to look "pig-like").
  • Although the act isn't seen, Sammy pushes a marble up his nose and they have to take him to the doctor to remove it.
  • Melanie, who's late getting Sammy to school, runs with a fish bowl in her hands, sloshing the fish about while doing so.
  • Jack tells Maggie that she should kick mean boys in the shin.
  • Maggie purposefully knocks down another soccer player during a game.
  • JUMP SCENES
  • None.
  • MUSIC (SCARY/TENSE)
  • None.
  • MUSIC (INAPPROPRIATE)
  • None.
  • PROFANITY
  • 3 "s" words, 3 "ass" words, 3 hells, 2 damns, and 8 uses of "Oh my God," 3 uses of "God damn," and 1 use of "God" as exclamations.
  • Sammy calls his mom from day care (where it's super hero costume day) and says that the "Hulk" was reprimanded for using the "f" word (it's not heard).
  • SEX/NUDITY
  • To further antagonize Melanie, Jack asks the person on the other end of a phone conversation (who happens to be his male boss), "Are you wearing any panties?" and then asks what color they are.
  • Jack talks with his psychiatrist and uses metaphors for describing women (so that his daughter doesn't pick up on what he's talking about) and uses the term "fish" for a woman. He then tells the psychiatrist that he met "a fish who was a fox (an attractive woman)...who shoved HER fish in my face." The doctor responds, "So she's AC-DC," thinking that the woman is bisexual, but misunderstands that Jack was mixing metaphors and real aquatic fish.
  • Melanie wonders if Jack's mother thought he was gay after he tells her that his mother told him, "Love your man like a boy and he'll grow into a man." Of course, he's not and she didn't. He simply mis-phrased his words.
  • Melanie is seen in her lacy bra several times as she changes clothes. She's also seen adjusting her cleavage in another scene (but no nudity is seen).
  • SMOKING
  • People are seen smoking in the background outside, and later in a bar.
  • TENSE FAMILY SCENES
  • The movie deals with divorced parents and their kids. While the actual divorces have long since passed, their effects on the kids linger. Sammy wonders if his father is going to be at his soccer game and if his mother loves his father. Jack's ex-wife wants him to watch Maggie when her child care plans fall through, but he doesn't want to (saying he's too busy).
  • Melanie loses sight of Maggie in a store after Maggie wanders outside while following a cat.
  • TOPICS TO TALK ABOUT
  • A big part of the story deals with the two kids being in the way of the parents getting their work done. Some kids may think that's the case with themselves.
  • Sammy calls his mom from day care (where the other kids are dressed in super hero costumes) and says that the "Hulk" was reprimanded for using the "f" word and "Spiderman" was talking about LSD he got from his brother.
  • VIOLENCE
  • Sammy rolls over while asleep and accidentally hits his mom in the face with his arm.
  • Jack tells Maggie that she should kick mean boys in the shin.
  • Jack grabs an informant (for a newspaper story) behind the ears and squeezes his head while trying to convince the man to stick with his story. The man says, "You're hurting my head," and Jack lets go once he realizes what he was doing.
  • Maggie purposefully knocks down another soccer player during a game.



  • Reviewed November 30, 1996

    Other new and recent reviews include:

    [Around the World in 80 Days] [Family Camp] [Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness]

    Privacy Statement and Terms of Use and Disclaimer
    By entering this site you acknowledge to having read and agreed to the above conditions.

    All Rights Reserved,
    ©1996-2022 Screen It, Inc.