Directed by Will Gluck
Where & When: TCL Chinese Theatres, Hollywood, CA. August 12, 2026 4:55 PM
When I heard about the plot for "One Night Only" which involves two single people trying to make a love connection during a time when premarital sex is outlawed in the United States except for one twelve-hour exemption period each year, I found the idea a bit preposterous. Yet surprisingly this high concept rom-com from director, Will Gluck manages to find a way to be delightfully funny and charming, thanks in large part to the clever script from Travis Braun. And while there are some moments that still remain hard to swallow, our leads, Monica Barbaro and Callum Turner are able to uplift the film even further with their irresistible chemistry and magnetic star quality.
Owen (Turner), who owns a pizza shop, is looking forward to spending the exemption night with his longtime, live-in girlfriend, Malika (Maya Hawke) and planned on proposing to her. However, during dinner, Malika informs her boyfriend that she plans to have sex with a neighbor in their building this evening, feeling they should both have an experience with someone else. Disappointed and deciding to put an end to their relationship, Owen presides to find a hook-up for the night.
Meanwhile, Allie (Barbaro) is a jingle singer with a specialty in songs for pharmaceuticals. This year she plans to go out with her friend, Jacinta (pop singer, King Princess) so they can try to meet men of substance together. But Jacinta quickly meets a guy at the bar, running off with him and leaving Allie to go through the night solo.
Owen and Allie literally bump into each other on the street, briefly flirting before he throws up (bad sushi from dinner) and she quickly moves on. We then follow them as Allie goes through a series of oddball men she meets at a bar before connecting with a sexy piano player (Andrew Burnap). Owen finds sympathy from a hot bartender (Julia Fox) who is willing to have sex with him after her shift. But condoms are required and have become a rare commodity on this particular night. Owen and Allie run into each other again when they are fighting over purchasing the last rubber in town.
As the story continues on, Owen and Allie each go through even more problematic and humiliating situations while trying yet failing to achieve a sexual connection, all the while continuing to run into each other through various intervals over the evening and becoming closer with each encounter.
The script of "One Night Only" gained attraction when it was placed on the Black List in 2024, an annual collection of the "most-liked" motion picture screenplays not yet produced. Braun (who became the first writer to make the list consecutively with his script, "Bad Boy" appearing in 2023) has a history creating programing for the Disney Channel and his time there may have helped inspire the broad concept for this movie. Braun's amusing screenplay might explain how the country ended up with this crazy law and the exact rules that apply (bio-sensor chips implanted in single people's arms to keep their libido on lock with gay people exempt from this sexual control) yet the overall silly plot still remains highly improbable.
Gluck, fresh off his surprise hit rom-com, "Anyone but You" that helped give rising stars, Sydney Sweeney and Glen Powell a boost on the big screen, puts his spin on Braun's story, managing to keep the energy fast-paced and playful. But it's his compelling cast that really makes "One Night Only" worth watching. Barbaro, who made many supporting appearances in television and film before her Oscar-nominated breakthrough playing Joan Baez in the Bob Dylan-biopic, "A Complete Unknown", has a lovely, easy charm and well matched with the British actor, Turner who lays on his New York accent pretty thick but it's not too distracting. And there are plenty of high-profile actors who make supporting or cameo appearances that includes Molly Ringwald as Owen's mother and LeVar Burton as her boyfriend along with Mike Birbiglia, Nicholas Braun, Pete Davidson, Bobby Cannavale, Este Haim and Ziwe popping up throughout the movie.
It's unclear to me if Gluck was intentionally trying to make a statement regarding sexual politics on how the women prepared for the evening with the ladies parading around town in lingerie, incredibly short skirts and their breasts barely concealed while the men simply show up dressed for the night like--well, men, not putting too much thought into their appearance. I suppose under these dire circumstances, people would not feel like wasting too much time as the basic primal urges would resort back to the prehistoric rules of attraction.
In this current political climate, the idea that the American government would radically try to control what people decide to do with their bodies is sadly not all that farfetched. Despite the hyperbolic premise, "One Night Only" still manages to draw you in with breezy comedic set-ups, appealing characters and some actual heartfelt emotions. Lately, most of the recent rom-coms are sorely lacking in any type of inventive spirit and adventurous style. "One Night Only" is a pleasant reminder of the simple pleasures a solid romantic comedy can actually create when there is some sort of effort made to engage viewers.
