The One and Only is a 2002 British

England

England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...

 romantic comedy

Romantic Comedy

Romantic Comedy can refer to* Romantic Comedy , a 1979 play written by Bernard Slade* Romantic Comedy , a 1983 film adapted from the play and starring Dudley Moore and Mary Steenburgen...

 film directed by Simon Cellan Jones, and starring Richard Roxburgh

Richard Roxburgh

Richard Roxburgh is an Australian actor who has starred in many Australian films and has appeared in supporting roles in a number of Hollywood productions, usually as villains.-Early life:...

, Justine Waddell

Justine Waddell

Justine Waddell is a South African born, British actress. Her roles include playing Estella in the 1999 BBC adaptation of Charles Dickens’s Great Expectations and her dual role in 2006 feature film The Fall...

 and Sharon Scurfield. The film is a remake of Susanne Bier

Susanne Bier

Susanne Bier is a Danish film director best known for her feature films Brothers, After the Wedding and the Academy-Award-winning In a Better World.-Life and work:Susanne Bier was born to Jewish parents in Copenhagen, Denmark...

's 1999 Danish box-office hit Den Eneste Ene. Supported by the Newcastle City Council

Newcastle City Council

Newcastle City Council is the local government authority for Newcastle upon Tyne, a city in Tyne and Wear, England. The council consists of 78 councillors, three for each of the city's 26 wards...

 to promote a positive image of the city, the story was reset in Newcastle

Newcastle upon Tyne

Newcastle upon Tyne is a city and metropolitan borough of Tyne and Wear, in North East England. Historically a part of Northumberland, it is situated on the north bank of the River Tyne...

 and Gateshead

Gateshead

Gateshead is a town in Tyne and Wear, England and is the main settlement in the Metropolitan Borough of Gateshead. Historically a part of County Durham, it lies on the southern bank of the River Tyne opposite Newcastle upon Tyne and together they form the urban core of Tyneside...

.

Synopsis

The film opens with two couples visiting their GP for childlessness. Stevie is married to Sonny, an Italian footballer who plays for Newcastle United, but who has succumbed to frequent injury. He is desperate for a child, and it soon emerges that Stevie has not really been trying. She is reluctant to become pregnant as she doesn't want to get fat. Jenny and Neil are trying to adopt, as Neil is infertile. Being childless has turned Jenny into something of a monster, and Neil now views her with dislike. He wants to break with her but is too kind- hearted. He goes ahead with the plan to adopt to keep her happy. When Stevie meets Neil on the day he comes to deliver her brand new kitchen, it's already too late for love at first sight. Too late for both of them. Stevie is already five minutes pregnant by her Italian footballer husband. And too late for Neil too - his wife Jenny has already applied to adopt an African girl. But too late or otherwise, love at first sight is exactly what happens. How can Neil and Stevie get out of their mistaken marriages and into each others arms?

Cast

Actor	Character
Justine Waddell Justine Waddell Justine Waddell is a South African born, British actress. Her roles include playing Estella in the 1999 BBC adaptation of Charles Dickens’s Great Expectations and her dual role in 2006 feature film The Fall...	Stevie
Richard Roxburgh Richard Roxburgh Richard Roxburgh is an Australian actor who has starred in many Australian films and has appeared in supporting roles in a number of Hollywood productions, usually as villains.-Early life:...	Neil
Jonathan Cake	Andrea "Sonny" Bufflini
Patsy Kensit Patsy Kensit Patricia Jude Francis "Patsy" Kensit is an English actress, singer, model and former child star, known for her television and film appearances. Her films include Lethal Weapon 2 and she has been married to rock stars Jim Kerr and Liam Gallagher, as well as herself fronting the band Eighth Wonder...	Stella
Michael Hodgson Michael Hodgson Michael Hodgson is a professional rugby league player for the Canterbury Bulldogs in the Australian National Rugby League competition. He primarily plays in the second row and previously played for the Parramatta Eels and the Canberra Raiders.While attending St...	Stan
Aisling O'Sullivan	Jenny
Kerry Rolfe	Sharon
Donna Air Donna Air Donna Air is an English television presenter, singer and actress.-Early life:As a former student of Gosforth High School, Donna attended the Drama School at First Act in Gosforth, Newcastle upon Tyne, where she was a pupil alongside Jill Halfpenny, Ant & Dec and Dale Meeks.-Television:She became...	Donna
Angel Thomas	Mgala
Charlie Hardwick Charlie Hardwick Claire Elizabeth Hardwick is an English actress well known for her part in ITV's Emmerdale as Val Pollard.-Acting career:...	Doctor
Tracey Gillman	Social Worker
Tom Goodman-Hill Tom Goodman-Hill Tom Goodman-Hill is an English actor of radio, film, stage and television.Born as Tom Hill and raised near Newcastle upon Tyne, he qualified as a teacher before turning to acting. During his time in Newcastle, he regularly acted in amateur performances at the People's Theatre...	Kitchen Salesman
Trevor Fox	Trevor
Joe Caffrey Joe Caffrey -History:Caffrey was born in the shipbuilding town of Wallsend, Tyneside. His father had worked at Swan Hunter's Shipyards and both of his grandfathers were miners...	Joe
Judi Earl	Manageress

Themes

The film is a comedy, but deals with serious issues, such as childlessness, adultery and death. Newcastle is depicted as a city of rich and diverse architecture, with the "Angel of the North" featured prominently. Much of the comedic element derives from the over-the-top portrayal of Sonny the Italian footballer by Jonathan Cake, and the unlikely sexual alliance of Stan and Stella, played by Michael Hodgson and Patsy Kensit. Slobby Stan, best friend to Neil, is apparently irresistible to Stella, due to his liberal use of "pheromes". The film follows a fairly formulaic pattern, with a dramatic chase at the end to save both an unborn child and a small African girl.

External links

• BBC News review