Life in a Day

Parts of this "we are one big global family" experiment work incredibly, if predictably, well. One great example is the quickly edited scenes of people eating, drinking, and moving against their various cultural backdrops. Some of the people we see a bit longer than others are poignant as they try to share snippets of life -- walking around in Kabul, filming their son's first shave, coming out to their grandmother on the phone. Other aspects of the movie may raise a cynic's eyebrow -- did we really need to see the smug look of satisfaction on face of the middle-aged-man who drives a Lamborghini? -- or lose viewers with short attention spans.

Parents will particularly enjoy the segments that feature families. One of the funniest videos is of the hilarious 50th anniversary vow renewal of an English couple named Ann and John; the priest asks Ann on John's behalf "Will you do that thing you promised you'd let John do on his 40th birthday, but still have not yet done?" In contrast, a newlywed couple is shown being toasted by their best man, who explains that when two creatures live together, they should expect to mate, but also some blood. Another favorite shows a clueless new father attempting to quote Walt Whitman while his exhausted wife holds their newborn twins and snaps at him to stop being selfish and come watch the babies. Ultimately, the idea that human beings are all more similar than they are different isn't that original, but the film is still an insigtful, worthy reminder that all of us take it one day at a time.