Film review: One Night Only

For just one night a year in a near futuristic, marginally dystopian New York, sex for single people is no longer illegal. But will Allie and Owen make the right choice amidst the backdrop of ensuing chaos?

From director Will Gluck who has given us some tasty treats such as Easy A and Friends With Benefits comes another romantic comedy that sees the world this time a little darker than usual. Based on an original screenplay written by Travis Braun, who won the 2024 Black List prize for the second year in a row, we have the familiar premise and search of the boy seeking to get the girl, and the required pitfalls along the way to help create this marvellously eventful ride.

Starring Callum Turner as Owen, a pizza shop owner and Allie, a cover singer for commercials played by Monica Barbaro. Both are getting by in the hectic day to day living of Manhattan’s Upper West Side. Two people yet to really know each other seek to find the right person for the one night of the year single people are legally allowed to have sex.

Premarital intercourse has been outlawed in the United States for three years except for this one night that is counted in the same way new year’s eve is celebrated. A chance to perhaps meet someone new or known and have a physically eventful night – if all goes to plan. Of course if this was the case we wouldn’t have a story. And this one is actually quite a fun ride.

In 2023 Will Gluck brought us a comparatively successful Anyone But You, loosely based on Shakespeare’s classic “Much Ado About Nothing”. A tale of two people destined to be together; yet along the way, events work against them until we have the ultimate romantic payoff. The same could be said here. Owen and Allie are of course the leads in a romcom that on the whole is extremely well presented using real streets and apartment interiors of the ‘Big Apple’.

Purposefully filmed within the streets and backdrops around trendy upper New York rather than on film sets, director Will was aiming to recreate the real life hustle that only the outlying streets of the bustling Big Apple could produce. With rehearsals taking place in the summer and filming taking place soon after in the autumn, the choice of the green dress in Monica’s words left her ‘fureezing’. What could be described as a very similar story to Anyone But You, Will once again went for the wild ride that is not only highly transparent but also so much fun. Taking the original script from Baum, Gluck rewrote the leads once casting was confirmed. Turning Allie into a singer off the back of her Oscar nomination for her portrayal of Joan Baez in the film A Complete Unknown, allowed her to show off her singing despite the fact she is actually mic shy in real life.

The premise of the story is a contained timeline from just before 7pm one night in and around the heart of New York through to just after 7am the following morning. This gives us an opportunity to revel in the ups and downs of their sometimes wild 12 plus hour ride. From Owen avoiding couples deeply kissing; blissfully ignoring the world around them, to our pair retrieving a condom from a drain we allow ourselves to be taken along with a new story to a satisfyingly familiar ending. One Night Only is not designed or even destined to be in the running for any major awards. With the aforementioned Anyone But You, the budget was also very low yet the return was high partly thanks to the use of Natasha Beddingfiled’s song “Unwritten”, giving us a slightly more memorable soundtrack. Gluck aims to do the same thing here with a familiar premise, yet the music does not stand out quite the same way.

Monica and Callum portray fun and familiar without necessarily delivering too much added depth. We also have Molly Ringawald as Owen’s mother. Yes, I know, time has flown by, and Maya Hawke as Malika, briefly partnering with Owen, as his girlfriend. Should we expect higher things from a comedy? Yes. Absolutely. With the likes of the iconic When Harry Met Sally, of course starring Billy Crystal and Meg Ryan, and that scene. We had then a new spin on a couples relationship film; whilst diving into something a little different yet also giving us the recognised beats of the romantic comedy. Having said this, One Night Only does provide the elements we come to expect, giving us a reason to enjoy it more than once, which for box office success; is of course the whole trick.

Go for the cinematic evening ride of the bustle of the Big Apple, and immerse yourself into the heart of uptown New York. For One Night Only or possibly two as this does, like before, give us a reason to return.