Parents' Guide to

One Fine Day

By Teresa Talerico, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 12+

Clooney and Pfeiffer plus kids is fun romp.

Movie PG 1996 108 minutes
One Fine Day Poster Image

A Lot or a Little?

What you will—and won't—find in this movie.

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age 12+

Based on 1 parent review

Nahla eshaq
Nahla eshaq Adult
March 25, 2020
age 12+
This is one amazing heart warming movie. If you’re looking for a nice cozy day movie, this is the best movie for you. George Clooney is out of the world ! Can watch it again and again and this movie would still be my favourite. No nudity, sex, swearing, just simple and classic. Underrated
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What's the Story?

In this fast-paced romantic comedy, multitasking single mom and architect Melanie (Michelle Pfeiffer) meets journalist Jack (George Clooney), who is taking care of daughter Maggie for a week while his former wife honeymoons with her new spouse. The two immediately clash when they find themselves towing their children around Manhattan after they miss a class field trip, because Melanie is a bit of a control freak while Jack charms his way through life. As they careen through the day as an unexpected team, the feelings between Melanie and Jack begin to thaw, and they reevaluate their opinions of each other (and themselves). Will the gun-shy survivors of divorce take a chance on love? Their kids seem to know the answer from the start.

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say (1):
Kids say (1):

Sometimes the parents' constant bickering threatens to bring the movie down, but the kids save these scenes from descending into nastiness with their cute antics. And when the adults' identical-looking cell phones accidentally get switched, this makes for an enjoyable running gag.

Melanie and Jack gamely try to balance their workdays with parenting, a tactic that yields both disastrous results and touching moments. A final romantic sequence feels a bit too long and slow compared with the rest of the movie's quick-moving plot, but overall it's entertaining.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about how the main characters complement each other, despite their initial feelings of dislike. Why do you think it's hard for them to hit it off?

  • How is it hard for kids of single parents who date? Why do you think Melanie has pictures of her ex-husband everywhere?

  • Why is it so scary for parents when a child wanders off?

Movie Details

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