Ed Sheeran floats through New York on a cloud of sunny high spirits in this hour-long Netflix special, 'One Shot With Ed Sheeran'. Directed by Philip Barantini, known for the single-take drama 'Adolescence', the special follows Sheeran as he mooches around Manhattan, guitar in hand, ahead of his evening concert.
The film is a single-take bravura piece, with no cuts except for an allowable fast-forward bit. Sheeran completes a late-afternoon soundcheck, then wanders through the city with fans swarming around him. He plays a song for a friend's marriage proposal, stages an impromptu gig on a tourist bus, performs at a rooftop birthday party, and jams at a pub. He then takes the subway to play on a train before returning to the theatre to start his concert.
Barantini pulls off magical camera moves, passing smoothly from handheld operators to drones and back again, reminiscent of Alejandro González Iñárritu's 'Birdman'. The camera floats through enclosed spaces and open skies, while the crew remains largely invisible. However, some moments of spontaneity seem suspect, such as Sheeran hailing a cab that lets the camera in without comment, or a chance encounter with Camila Cabello, which feels staged.
Despite these moments, Sheeran beams his way through it all, inexhaustibly. The special may appeal most to his fans, but it showcases his ability to absorb and radiate energy from fan-worship.
