by Henry Pham
One Night Only follows Owen, a pizza shop owner, and Allie, a romantic seeking a meaningful connection. After an initial spark, a series of complications and detours keep them apart as they navigate the city. The narrative is set against a government mandate that restricts sex to married couples, except for one night each year when premarital sex is permitted for 12 hours with mandatory protection. Most characters receive a tattoo at age 18 that turns red when sex is prohibited and green when permitted, either through marriage or during the annual exception.
Oscar nominee Monica Barbaro (A Complete Unknown) and Callum Turner (Apple TV’s Masters of the Air, Fantastic Beasts films) star as Allie and Owen, two love-starved strangers who crash into each other in New York City on the one night of the year when single people are allowed to have sex. Allie is a commercial singer, while Owen is a pizza shop owner. These two actors are having a blast working together, as romantic films became their strong suit. Not to mention that they are absolute a hot, charming couple in this, making their onscreen chemistry easily engaging with the audience.
The supporting cast – consisting of Maya Hawke (Netflix’s Stranger Things, Pixar’s Inside Out 2), Julia Fox (Uncut Gems), King Princess (Hulu’s Nine Perfect Strangers), Ben Marshall (NBC’s Saturday Night Live), Ziwe (Showtime’s Baited with Ziwe), Michelle Hurd (CBS/Paramount’s Star Trek: Picard), Molly Ringwald (The Breakfast Club), and Levar Burton (Paramount’s Star Trek: The Next Generation) – are decent despite being given a limited screen-time.
Will Gluck (the director of Easy A, Anyone But You, and the Peter Rabbit films) directs and produces, with Travis Braun as screenwriter. The film blends humor and drama, relying on themes of sex, drugs, nudity, and romance to maintain engagement. Cinematography and costume design follow the protagonists throughout New York City. The adorable score offered by Este Haim (who also appeared in the film) and Christopher Stracey also contributes to the plot and the main characters. While the film offers appealing visuals, particularly the pizza scenes that evoke the spirit of NYC, the plot is underdeveloped, especially in the scenes and interactions between Barbaro and Turner. Most of the story unfolds overnight to emphasize the central theme. Some camera work is distracting due to noticeable shaking.
While the plot doesn’t reach the perfection of crafting a simple romantic story down the line, One Night Only is a fun romantic ride, thanks to the chemistry offered by Monica Barbaro and Callum Turner. I do expect a little more from this; however, given their respected, prized roles in their previous films. Again, I loved how those two main actors held solid roles throughout the film, with the latter recently married to English singer Dua Lipa, as you all heard. Because of its R-rating, I don’t recommend this for anyone under 13. If you want to watch this, you and your special someone should; don’t forget to grab a pizza to make your evening unforgettable. The film’s runtime is 102 minutes.
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