Hollywood figure Will Gluck has directed some sexy, visually attractive romantic comedies like "Friends with Benefits" (2011) and "Anyone But You" (2023). We know he’s comfortable and confident leading a lighthearted current-day romance, and we know he’s comfortable flirting with the sex lives of his gorgeous characters.
So why does his latest film, about the sexual adventures of perfectly in-shape, white, 30-year-olds, feel so timid and bland? My questions about the motivations of the lead characters and the decisions they make in this film kept piling up in my head that I ended up leaving the theater in a seriously bad mood.
This new rated R romantic comedy is "One Night Only." Set in the not-too-distant future, all pre-marital sex is illegal in the United States except for one night each year. So everyone in New York City is filled with excitement and anticipation for this very special night. Men and women are making out everywhere and getting condoms...except for hopeless romantic Allie and recently dumped Owen. This man and woman cross paths multiple times in one night as their potential hookups with strangers lead them to a police station, a private party, a bodega, and a hospital.
As their paths keep crossing, Allie and Owen slowly realize they’re meant to be together. Do you know why? Because they both don’t care about having sex this one night of the year. They only care about finding that special emotional connection.
First of all let me say, I think the premise of "One Night Only" is interesting. While watching the first 15 minutes of this, I was on board and entertained even though I know many other critics online do not like this idea of criminalized sex before marriage. Such a premise, with the federal government monitoring the private activity of adult’s bodies, is an obvious interpretation of the politically conservative dominance happening in the U.S. right now. Interpretations like this often hold up a mirror to viewers which can ignite many different responses. That's a big part of an engaging movie experience.
What frustrates me about this film is it wants to be a bold sex comedy like "The 40-Year-Old Virgin' (2005) or "Superbad" (2007), but it’s too ambivalent or modest to really go there.
This ambivalence is the downfall of "One Night Only." There’s no tension or increasing pressure in this story (nevermind there’s a strict nationwide deadline to get a piece of action). The sexual frankness appears a bit in the dialogue, but it’s inconsistent. The chemistry between the two leads, played by Monica Barbaro ("A Complete Unknown," 2024) and Callum Turner ("Eternity," 2025) , is charming and cute in some moments, but is also inconsistent. So much potential is wasted in this film, I found myself asking, “What kind of film is this trying to be?”
The potential to look at the sex lives of young singles honestly is squandered in this for the sake of expected romantic comedy tropes. ("I'm looking for that one special person," "We're both attractive and single, but we don't like each other," and "Let's reunite somewhere dramatic to kiss.")
"One night Only" is like the violent crime drama "The Purge" (2013) meets the 1997 romance film "‘Til There Was You." So many straight white couples are in every scene of this film I started thinking, “Do gay people or racially diverse people even exist in this version of NYC?” But three gay couples are given approximately two seconds each to show their kisses. What a miraculous stride forward for inclusion here.
The screenwriter for this is a hetero man named Travis Braun. His previous writing credits are only for children’s animated TV shows like "Pupstruction" (2023-2025) and "Vampirina" (2017-2020) some of which have played under the branding holy grail of Disney. Maybe this screenwriter’s previous work crept too much into "One Night Only," making it too much of a juvenile skipping trip stepping around sexual candor (even though it has some of the makings to be a more stimulating marathon).
Celebrity cameos of Molly Ringwald ("Sixteen Candles," 1984); Julia Fox ("Uncut Gems," 2019); and Pete Davidson ("Bodies Bodies Bodies," 2022) attempt to make this film more hip than it actually is. But the cameos are one part of this film that goes too far. Even the multiple glimpses of male nudity can't help this romantic comedy rise above the many other recent lackluster films in this genre.
