The central premise of the romantic comedy, One Night Only, is that the U.S government is regulating when single people can have premarital sex. The two protagonists of the film, a couple of single people who keep crossing paths on the one night that singles can have sex without criminal repercussions, is a very scary idea. Look, whatever your moral or religious beliefs are, the idea of government regulation of sex between people who are not married is a very frightening concept. The reality is that people are going to have sexual relations when they want, how they want, and when they want. However, if the government deems it inappropriate for the other 364 days of the year, it is not only a bizarre situation but also reflects a disturbing possibility of the government overstepping its boundaries.
Now, I know this is not supposed to be a critique of government abusing its powers, but the fact that this movie uses a romantic comedy to tell such a story is a bizarre choice. On top of this, I really didn’t find the movie all that romantic, and rarely funny. The lead actors, Monica Barbaro and Callum Turner, are both attractive people who really shouldn’t have too much trouble finding mates for sexual activity. So plausibility is pretty much out the window here. What is frighteningly plausible is government overreach into people’s personal lives.
Throughout this crazy movie, most of the characters shrug it off, like everything is fine, and that’s just how it is. In reality, there would be rebellion and protests against an unjust law. However, other than a few chants of “F*ck the mandate!” everyone goes about their business seeking naughtiness as if it is perfectly normal.
Written by Travis Braun and directed by Will Gluck, One Night Only plays out like a bland and unamusing version of Martin Scorsese’s After Hours, where Barbaro’s Allie and Turner’s Owen attempt to get laid with other people, but cross paths so many times that they cannot help but develop an attraction for one another.
I really like Barbaro in this role, as she is adorably awkward and funny, while Turner can be charming. I didn’t find his character all that interesting. The two have some moments together that work fine, but I feel like their relationship lacked the right level of chemistry. The movie has a wild assortment of cast members, including LeVar Burton, Molly Ringwald, Maya Hawke, Julia Fox, King Princess, Pete Davidson, and Bobby Cannavale.
I found the movie to be utterly baffling overall. Though I did laugh occasionally, too many of the gags and jokes fell flat. If this movie is supposed to be a satire, it absolutely lacks the necessary bite. One Night Only is such an incredible dud of a satire and lacks the fire and passion that this type of rom-com desperately needs.