'One Night Only' Review
- Erica Richards
- 6 hours ago
- 2 min read
Release Date: 08/07/26 [Cinemas]
Genre: Comedy. Drama. Romance.
MPAA: Rated R.
Distributor: Universal Pictures.
The Verdict: A Maybe
First, you need to approach One Night Only the same way you would approach a sci-fi film, because the suspension of disbelief you need to get through the premise is a necessary baseline. This modern-day world where consenting adults in committed relationships are not permitted to have sex because they are not married - and this world in America, people are obeying it. One night a year, this no-sex ban is lifted. This is the new holiday. People base their lives around it. Forget New Year’s Eve/Day–what are your plans for the one-night-only sex day? What are you wearing? Who are you going out with as your wing-person to help you land the best potential partner? Are you looking for a real connection, or for the first person you lock eyes with?
What works about One Night Only is that it is silly and unserious, and completely aware of itself.
Allie (Monica Barbaro) and Owen (Callum Turner) are our obvious love interests, who have multiple “meet-cutes” throughout their unexpected and completely derailed evenings. Owen, a pizza shop owner who has planned to propose to his long-term girlfriend on the most unromantic night of the year, and Allie, a commercial jingle singer (this is just an excuse for Barbaro to show off her beautiful vocal cords, which I support!) who is on the prowl for a meaningful hook-up, bump into each other continuously over the course of their night. Owen is devastated after his girlfriend tells him she is going to spend the night sleeping with someone else and that he should, too. Side note: we eventually see a picture of the person who she has openly planned to sleep with, and it’s Glen Powell, through a LinkedIn-inspired photo–which is hilarious and a perfect example of how the film is completely aware of its absurd silliness. Owen and Allie’s first encounter seems like an immediate meet-cute but is abruptly interrupted by Owen puking basically in her face. From there, they follow the will-they. Wont-they rom-com formula pretty seamlessly until they reach a happy ending–pun intended.
Don’t go into this one with super high hopes, but it’s funny and cute, and a perfect date night or chick flick to enjoy with a glass of wine and popcorn. Is there a possible bigger message here about the fear of a fascist government and what our future could look like–barely!! But it’s mostly just a funny, cute, and totally self-aware film. One Night Only is a fun summer rom-com you didn’t know you needed!
