If it was possible to watch a one shot movie side by side with your "normal" movie you would clearly see the diff. For one thing there are no scenes in a one shot movie-its all one scene. In your regular movies there are scenes that last on an average of 2-3 minutes and often much shorter. I.E. boy drives girl home. Kisses her and walks back to the car. End of Scene. Next scene-he's waking up and gets ready for work. That doesn't happen in 1917. From the time movie opens with the two young men resting on the ground they are followed to the general's quarters, on to the lines , and then on to the battlefield. The scene "seemingly" is one continuous shot until the movie ends. Since the movie took years to make there had to be "cuts" . So it was all in the editing to make it look like there were no cuts.
There are some experts who can look at 1917 and "see" the actual cuts and say "now we are in a new "scene" but for the average viewer like myself its impossible. I'm sure with Mendes success there will be plenty more-its just so difficult to make technically. As I said earlier I'm not sure I want to see another.
