The United States Government has instituted a national ban on pre-marital sex, and New Yorkers are preparing for the only night of the year where the ban is temporarily lifted and they can fulfill their suppressed desires. While it’s unfortunately not crazy to envision this as a not-too-distant future headline in the real world, it’s actually the premise for One Night Only, Will Gluck’s new romcom starring Monica Barbaro and Callum Turner. The duo’s characters, Allie and Owen, meet on this fateful day and, as expected, shenanigans ensue. What follows is a good enough time at the theater, but nothing that adds anything special to the genre. 

A vital ingredient in any rom-com is the chemistry between the lead actors, and Barbaro and Turner do a serviceable job here. Their connection isn’t particularly unique or memorable, but they feel like a believable item and are fun enough individually to spend the film’s runtime with. Of the two, Barbaro is the strongest in her role and displays a real knack for comedic timing. She has several instances of subtle but hilarious physical comedy throughout the film that stand out. Fresh off of her Oscar nomination for playing Joan Baez in 2024’s A Complete Unknown, she gets another opportunity to flex her singing chops and does so with a charming ease that really connects us to Allie. Turner holds his own as Owen, but it never feels like he reaches the heights that a true charismatic movie star might. It’s hard not to imagine  what other “of the moment” actors such as Glen Powell may have done with the role, and if you look closely enough, you may catch that the filmmaker gives the Anyone But You star (a film which Gluck also directed) a cheeky nod.  

Outside of our leading couple, there are not many standout supporting performances to speak of in One Night Only. Maya Hawke makes a limited appearance as Owen’s initial girlfriend, Malika. We also get a small dose of 80’s Brat Pack idol Molly Ringwald as Owen’s mother. But what the film lacks in a substantial supporting cast, it makes up for with a smattering of B-list celebrity cameos – the kind that make your non-cinephile friends and family point at the screen and say “Isn’t that so-and-so from that one show?” That’s not to say they’re bad! Several are quite fun and add a bit of spice to the film. Saturday Night Live fans, in particular, may have a few surprise treats in store for them. 

What drags the film down the most is its main hook.There’s quite a bit of exploration of the sex ban: the mechanics behind it, what it means for society, how it is enforced, and the list goes on. Going into it, I had those same questions and was interested in how this would all work. In execution, it feels a bit clunky and distracting. The first act of One Night Only in particular really places a lot of focus on the “how” behind it all, and it does so at the sacrifice of character and relationship development. It’s as though writer Travis Braun set out to deliver both a classic romantic comedy and a condemnation of tyrannical government, but the two never fully mesh in the way he intended. 

As you might imagine with a premise centered on sexual denial, there’s certainly some low-hanging fruit when it comes to the jokes. Some hit, some miss. Some fly by with rapid pace and others are dragged on longer than they’re worth (see the frustratingly long sequence of chasing down New York City’s only remaining condom). The film lacks a signature moment that cements it as something that would stand the test of time, a la the Katz Deli scene in When Harry Met Sally or Julia Roberts’ “I’m Just a Girl” speech in Notting Hill. In that sense, it feels like it could have just as easily made its home on a streaming service from the outset.  

If you’re looking for an easy night at the theater, One Night Only has enough of what you need. It’s not a film you’ll be discussing with your friends the next day but, as with the film’s premise, you may end up being satisfied for a single evening.

Universal Pictures will release One Night Only in theaters nationwide on August 7.

OSCAR POTENTIAL:

• None. Maybe Barbaro could sneak in for a Golden Globe acting nomination?