‘One Shot with Ed Sheeran’ Review: A Live Musical Experiment in Real Time (Netflix)

There are several ways to approach One Shot with Ed Sheeran. Some viewers will come as fans of the English singer-songwriter, curious to watch him perform his songs in an unusual format. Others—myself included—may not be deeply versed in Sheeran’s work and instead feel drawn to the technical challenge at the heart of the project. The premise is simple: Sheeran joins the creative team behind the series Adolescence, not to craft a somber or introspective drama (something that hardly matches his upbeat persona), but to apply the same visual storytelling tools that made that show admired and talked about. In short: the continuous take, the uninterrupted sequence, the famed “one shot.”

So, what have Sheeran and director Philip Barantini done with that idea? Imagine a blend of Carpool Karaoke and Birdman, though with a celebratory energy much closer to the former than the existential weight of the latter. Like in Alejandro González Iñárritu’s film, the action begins on a late afternoon in a Broadway theater where Sheeran is rehearsing for a show taking place that same night. From there, the camera follows him—without cuts or at least without any obvious ones—across a series of locations and situations around Manhattan for just under an hour. If there are truly no edits, then the runtime of the film matches the duration of the singer’s real-time journey across New York.

Sheeran, an artist who earned his stripes the old-fashioned way—busking for money in the streets and on public transport—is particularly suited for the unpredictability and flexibility this format demands. Guitar in hand, he hops into a taxi and heads to his first “mission”: performing live for a fan who is proposing to his girlfriend on the High Line. From there, the adventure continues through a string of set pieces—some clearly planned, others possibly spontaneous—where he sings, plays guitar, throws together mini-shows, greets passersby, poses for selfies, and delivers a few surprises best left unspoiled.

One Shot is, in part, a friendly guided tour of Manhattan—glowing and welcoming on camera—part promotional vehicle tied to the release of a new album, and part technical and artistic challenge. The singer’s attitude helps enormously. Sheeran remains game, cheerful, breathless, and unfailingly accessible, singing while running, catching his breath between lines, and adjusting to the demands of the camera and the event without losing his smile. Manhattan, for its part, becomes something like a stage set, and the structure of the special recalls elaborate musical segments from some late-night TV shows.

As for the music, I don’t have much new to add—whether performed acoustically or looped live, the songs tend to blend together for someone not already steeped in Sheeran’s catalog—but the formal aspect becomes increasingly engaging. It’s impossible to watch this type of production without constantly wondering how it was achieved: What streets were controlled? How are the camera teams deployed? Who is security? Which encounters are real, and which are staged? Is that a seamless take, or is a hidden edit lurking somewhere? Aside from one small issue that becomes evident at one point (you’ll see it), everything flows with surprising naturalness. The camera starts by tracking Sheeran in traditional ways—walking, riding, entering buildings—but gradually takes more risks, some involving the drone work already seen in Adolescence.

It’s unclear whether this project is a one-off—something designed specifically for Sheeran—or whether Barantini and his team plan to turn it into a format for other artists, in the vein of Tiny Desk, The Take-Away Shows, or Carpool Karaoke. It wouldn’t be surprising to see different musicians take it to new cities, even with municipal support eager to mix tourism and star power. As a debut, One Shot feels like a cheerful, curious, and ambitious exercise that foregrounds careful planning, technical ingenuity, and the good-natured willingness (and talent) of an artist able to do his thing just about anywhere under any circumstance.