It's not about coverage vs. one-shot...it's about choosing the right coverage. Check out how Ang Lee shoots many of the dialogue scenes in EAT DRINK MAN WOMAN. He uses long takes that subtly rack from one character to the next, only cutting when he needs to. Or any Kubrick film-he often takes very selected, minimal coverage, but never loses any information or dramatic thrust. Selected, smart coverage I think is almost always superior to shooting every angle possible in a scene and then assembling it in the editing room. Not only does this feel uncertain from a directorial standpoint, but it takes forever for that many setups on set.
