David Nicholls international best-selling novel got the big screen treatment in the shape of this 2011 film by An Education director Lone Scherfig, for which Nicholls also wrote the screenplay. Emma (Anne Hathaway) and Dexter (Jim Sturgess) meet upon their graduation from The University of Edinburgh on 15 July 1988. Polar opposites, the two nevertheless find themselves attracted to one another and spend just one day together in the city before they go their separate ways. The film follows the novel's structure by then proceeding to check in on the protagonists each 15 July for a period of twenty years. Chronicling Emma and Dexters successes, failures, moments of happiness and tragedies, the movie's unique form ensures viewers cannot help but grow attached to the two would-be lovers and become engrossed in their story. Whilst only a small part of the film is set in Scotland, any viewer will tell you that Edinburghs role in the story is both memorable and absolutely crucial. Nicholls purposefully highlights the romance, nostalgia and beauty of the Scottish capital; notable scenes filmed in Edinburgh include those in which Emma and Dexter climb extinct volcano Arthurs Seat and run down steps at the Royal Mile. The city is what brings the two together and is an important part of the film. One Day is not just a must-see for fans of romantic dramas, it is also perfect for movie fans wishing to see Scotland depicted on the big screen.
