ONE NIGHT ONLY Reviewed by GREG KING
Director: Will Gluck
Stars: Monica Barbaro, Callum Turner, Maya Hawke, Molly Ringwald, Roma Maffia, Michelle Hurd, Charlie Gillespie, Andrew Burnap, Bobby Cannavale, Pete Davidson, LeVar Burton, Julia Fox, King Princess, Mike Birbiglia, Ben Marshall, Nicholas Braun, Radio Man, Flavor Flav.
An interesting premise drives this romantic comedy from director Will Gluck, who gave us the Sydney-set romcom Anyone But You with Sydney Sweeney and Glenn Powell.
The film is set in a not-too-distant future in an alternative version of America. Three years ago, the government issued a mandate outlawing premarital sex, stating that sex should only be between married couples. However, there was one exception – one night of the year premarital sex was legal. Every single person over the age of 18 has been given a wrist tattoo that changes colour on this special night, and which can be checked by the morality police.
On this one night of the year we meet two people whose paths continue to cross as they search out a sexual partner.
Allie (Monica Barbaro, recently seen as Joan Baez in the Bob Dylan biopic A Complete Unknown) is a singer struggling to find success who is looking to form a real connection. Owen (Callum Turner, from Eternity, etc) owns a pizza parlour. He is in a relationship with Malika (Maya Hawke, daughter of actor Ethan) and plans on proposing to her on this special night. However, she leaves him to sleep with their neighbour instead. Owen finds himself adrift in New York City on the one night filled with lust and casual sex. He and Allie continually cross paths during the night in a number of locations, including a lavish and exclusive party, at the police station, and most hilariously in a bodega (run by Roma Maffia) that contains the last condom in the city.
Allie hooks up with the handsome, leather-jacket wearing motor bike riding piano playing Max (Andrew Burnap, from Snow White, etc), but he turns out to be anything but the ideal partner. She also forms a brief connection with musician Ezra Stone (Charlie Gillespie, from Splitsville, etc) who plays at the lavish party.
This is the debut feature film written by Travis Braun, who is best known for his work in children’s television, but his script here is much more adult in themes and content than his usual work. Braun has obviously been inspired by the screwball comedies of the past, but his script is at times trying a little too hard. There are a few genuine laugh out loud moments throughout, but One Night Only still follows the usual conventions of the genre. And there are no real surprises how it will end up.
Some of Gluck populates the film with some clever nods to his previous films, which sharp-eyed filmgoers will recognise. Cinematographer Yaron Orbach (Sing Street, etc) brings the nocturnal New York city scape to life.
Barbaro and Turner establish a good chemistry and they bounce off each other nicely as they continually cross paths. Solid support comes from Michelle Hurd as a no-nonsense detective, Molly Ringwald (yes, that Molly Ringwald) as Owen’s mother, Pete Davidson and Bobby Cannavale.
★★★
