Our Review

                Movie: ONE NIGHT ONLY

  Rating: R, sexual material, language                        and brief nudity

                          Length: 1:42

              Release Date: AUGUST 7, 2026

JEANNE: ONE NIGHT ONLY is definitely one of those films in the gray area between being decent --- and somewhat disappointing. The premise is kind of interesting: there is now only one night a year when single people are permitted to have sex --- and they must use a condom. One can only imagine the possibilities, but director Will Gluck’s film, based on a screenplay by Travis Braun, is unfortunately rather tame.

Set in New York City, a Mandate had been passed three years earlier that made premarital sex a crime. First thought --- why --- WHY --- wasn’t every single person revolting? Protesting? Screaming from the rooftops? But, I digress. Anyway, in this world, singles have from 7 p.m. to 7 a.m. to do whatever they choose --- sexually.

Owen (Callum Turner) has the perfect night planned for his girlfriend, Malika (Maya Hawke), a lovely dinner at an expensive restaurant, then, of course, sex. Only Malika has other plans. She wants to spend this one night with a neighbor from their building. And in one of the funniest moments to come later, Owen shows a photo of this guy --- and it’s another well-known actor whose name I will not divulge. He never actually appears in the movie, but that shot is pretty darn funny.

To say that Owen is stunned is an understatement, but he is determined to get out there and find a partner. In the meantime, Allie (Monica Barbaro --- so fabulous as Joan Baez in A COMPLETE UNKNOWN), a singer of commercial jingles, has plans with a girlfriend, Jacinta (King Princess), to meet at a local bar so each can find a man for the night. Much to Allie’s chagrin, Jacinta finds her Prince Charming --- who is really a prince --- immediately, so Allie is left on her own.

Out on the sidewalks of New York, she literally bumps into Owen, who is still reeling form his canceled dinner with Malika. But there’s a spark there --- and maybe, just maybe, they could be each other's date for the night. That is until Owen upchucks his expensive dinner --- he didn’t want to waste it --- in front of Allie. So, that ends that --- or does it?

During their night-long quest to find someone --- anyone --- who isn’t a creep or clearly damaged, Allie and Owen keep running into each other. Another pretty hilarious scene has them battling over the last condom in NYC.  As the tension builds between these two, we can only hope ONE NIGHT ONLY has a satisfactory conclusion. Though I found the journey to be funny at times, the ending was a definite letdown. 

Again, this is a premise that conjures up a boatload of scenarios, some raunchier than others. Gluck and Braun’s decision to play it safe is fine but unsatisfying. The film is rated “R”, so there is plenty of sexual innuendo --- and simulated sexual acts, it just doesn’t make as much of a statement about the current dilemma of dating because everyone is too busy trying to hook up.

Barbaro and Turner have decent chemistry --- they are very sweet together and believable as a couple. The sequence late at night at Owen’s pizzeria, Claremont, is particularly charming, allowing Barbaro and Turner an opportunity to get to know one another without all the chaos.

The supporting cast is a lot of fun. King Princess, though it’s a very small role, is hilarious as Jacinta in her crazy outfit. And Molly Ringwald is delightful as Owen’s mother, along with LeVar Burton who plays her boyfriend, Rick. They about croak when a depressed Owen shows up, because as singles themselves, they just want to have sex.

ONE NIGHT ONLY is passable as a rom-com that would make for an interesting date night. If nothing else, it would certainly be fodder for the follow-up conversation. But I still can’t get over the fact that single people all over the country put up with that absurd Mandate.

OPINION: WAIT FOR VOD

DAVID: ONE NIGHT ONLY is a totally original film with a tagline of “12 hours can change everything.” The setting is New York City and a congressional Mandate that bans premarital sex is forgiven for one night a year. Ergo, single people, designated as such with a green tattoo on their wrist, have 12 hours to find a compatible mate for sex. Married people sport a red tattoo so they are not subject to the controversial Mandate.

The two leads in this movie are played by British actor and Bafta nominee Callum Turner as Owen, and American actress and double Oscar nominee (A COMPLETE UNKNOWN and TOP GUN: MAVERICK) Monica Barbaro as Allie. They keep running into each other and intuitively we know they will end up together, but getting to that point is all the fun.

The two stars are a joy to follow. She is an aspiring singer with stage fright and he owns a successful pizza shop in Manhattan. ONE NIGHT ONLY is loaded with beautiful people in various stages of undress --- another “don’t take your mother to see it” --- and because of the Mandate, sex-crazed people buy up all the condoms. When a sexy bartender agrees to connect with Callum after her shift, he is frantic running all over NYC looking for any place that still has condoms to sell. This is just one example of the hilarity in the script.

An unrecognizable Molly Ringwald plays Owen’s mother and LeVar Burton is her boyfriend, Rick, both in small supporting roles. There are three cameos of importance with one of the three delivering one of the funniest lines of the whole film which I can’t reveal here, this being a family review.

Meanwhile, Owen and Allie’s attempts to be together are constantly interrupted by others. Allie is appealing and beautiful. She does deliver a very nice song despite her fear. Owen, not the drop-dead handsome guy, but sporting an infectious smile with a great personality, one obnoxious (but amusing) 12-year-old boy describes him as the guy with elephant  ears.

ONE NIGHT ONLY, upon reflection, is a movie that grew on me. Directed by Will Gluck and written by Travis Braun.

OPINION: SEE IT NOW!