‘One Night Only’: Heart, Humor and Hella Horny
They say that art imitates life, and that statement could not be truer than with One Night Only. I can hear you scratching your head from here, but stay with me. A government that thinks they know what’s best, overstepping to control a group of people. Sound familiar? That situation has played out countless times in more films and television shows than I can count; however, not always to the laughter that came from watching this film in theaters. Billed as a romantic comedy, One Night Only asks the important question: What if all premarital sex was banned, except for a single night each year? Sure, we’ve seen this exact same concept in Universal Pictures and Blumhouse Productions’ The Purge, but hey, who wants to pillage homes and hurt people when you can channel that horny energy into a 12-hour sexcapade that makes for a funny story the other 364 days a year.
The concept sounds ridiculous, I know. It was in the same boat when One Night Only was first announced. Who would this movie appeal to? With a concept similar to The Purge (whose success varied by film), wouldn’t people get tired of the same old story? Also, how would a romantic comedy fit into a story that just oozes sex and debauchery every minute of screen time? I was intrigued, to say the least, to see what director Will Gluck and writer Travis Braun were creating, even if I was a bit hesitant. I mean, I love rom-coms and have watched more of them than I can count. My mom and I frequently pop one on and discuss the good, the bad, and the cheesy.
However, is One Night Only one of those films that I would want to see with my mother? Initially, I thought no, but as the days ticked by and she expressed more interest, I knew I had to suck it up. I mean, it can’t be that embarrassing a movie to see with the woman who gave you life, right? Right?
[Warning: possible spoilers for One Night Only are below!]
A rom-com unlike any other in One Night Only
Owen (Callum Turner) thinks he has it all, and to many, he probably does. A flourishing pizza business, a nice apartment, and a wonderful girlfriend. However, tonight, the night that premarital sex is legal, he’s decided he’s going to take his relationship to the next level. No, I’m not talking about intercourse, but instead Owen’s decided that he’s going to propose to his girlfriend, and then probably have sex with her.
The night is set. With a fresh haircut, a night outfit, and reservations at one of NYC’s fanciest sushi places, he’s ready to lock it down and put a ring on it. However, Malika (Maya Hawke) has other plans for the evening. While their wrist tattoos from Rexton Labs are still red, she tells Owen she wants to sleep with someone else tonight. She wants to explore her options before she agrees to having a life with anyone. In this scenario where the world is controlling when you can have sex, I have a level of sympathy for Malika, but in terms of One Night Only, she’s definitely painted as villainous.
She breaks Owen’s heart, not really calling off the relationship, but also not staying loyal and true to her boyfriend. This devastation is the catalyst for his journey into the heart of NYC, where he looks for some trouble for one night only.
A journey that brings him smack into Allie (Monica Barbaro), a woman on a mission. She’s another person people might think has it all, but Allie’s not living the life she promised herself. With dreams of being a singer, she now lends her voice to commercial jingles, which are… downright embarrassing. Yes, it’s an honest living; however, there are only so many times you can sing about toe fungus before you feel like you’ve sold a part of your soul. And so, she’s going out, hoping to have some fun with friends, and instead finds herself alone, amongst a sea of people who need to learn to metaphorically and literally keep their dicks in their pants.
Determined that she’s going to get laid, or at least attempt to find a decent man, Allie sets out to see what NYC has in store. With a few chance encounters, these two heartbroken and lonely people keep running into each other. However, instead of sleeping together, they are adamantly against it. However, as a result, perhaps something more can form. Can you find love in a world of horny adults? That’s exactly what One Night Only is hoping to answer.
Finding the romance amongst the sex in this Universal Pictures film
Like I always do with you readers, I’m going to be completely upfront. One Night Only is one horny movie. At times, it reads as just inches away from softcore porn, which could be a mega turnoff for some. The hormones are going wild in the first 45 minutes or so of the film, and for a moment, it doesn’t seem like it’s going to come back around to the romance aspect. The comedy aspect is strong, but again, most of it boils down to different levels of sex jokes, ranging from eye-roll (but in a positive way) to downright hysterical.
However, it’s when One Night Only finally embraces the rom in rom-com that it truly finds its stride. There are many moments in the first half of the film that Allie and Owen cross each other’s paths, although the romance doesn’t really shine through in those moments. Instead, the film is busy establishing the world in which these characters live, and making the audience fall in love with them individually before making them fall in love with each other. It’s a longer game, even a little tricky of Travis Braun and Will Gluck, but ultimately that’s what makes this film so charming.
You can’t help but love both Monica Barbaro and Callum Turner in these roles, because the film takes so much time to establish who they are as individuals. So when they finally fall for each other, it’s not only well deserved, but feels like the inevitable in a good way. You become so engrossed in who they are that you are just waiting for the moment when one of them realizes where their heart lies. While it definitely takes a moment to get to the romance, once One Night Only embraces it, it’s one of the best rom-coms of recent years.
Final thoughts on One Night Only
So what’s the takeaway? One Night Only isn’t going to be for everyone, and honestly that’s okay. There will be some who go into the film hoping for a traditional rom-com, and that’s not its identity. There is an incredible amount of humor in the film, with LeVar Burton and Molly Ringwald as some of the comedic standouts, but you have to wade through a ton of horniness to find the romance. Is it worth it? Most definitely. Will some people be turned off (no pun intended) by all the outrageous sex? Absolutely. But if you’re looking for a unique film that gives you warm fuzzies and makes you laugh, then you can’t go wrong with One Night Only.
One Night Only is currently in theaters! Have you seen this film yet? What did you think of it? Share your thoughts on social media and tag @bsb.insider to continue the conversation!
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