FILM REVIEW – One Night Only

Something’s Gotta Give

I gave in to temptation. Similar to 2am the morning after an unintentional night on the town, I Walk of Shame’d my way out of a screening of One Night Only. A feeling of confusion mixed with pleasure crept up my body as the credits rolled. Like the main character in a bad/good rom-com, I smirked exiting the building. The pull of a ridiculous plot combined with the spark between the two leads to pull me along. It was bad, but a question loomed heavily in my mind: why did I like it so much?

This film starring Callum Turner and Monica Barbaro brings to the table ingredients that are not healthy. A head-scratching premise, stark exclusions and political ambitions that contradict themselves. If those ingredients are so bad, then why did the outcome feel so good? Sometimes, you need a good milkshake after a long week. The bloated feeling after a rom-com is a comfort to some. Luckily, the film is self-aware about its own ridiculousness while keeping its central relationships sincere. Everyone playing along knows the game they are in. It feels like sometimes people do not like seeing others enjoy stupid things, even if it is just for a night.

Serendipity

Allie (Barbaro) and Owen (Turner) are separately getting ready for their respective evenings during what I am calling the Sex Purge. This is the one night of the year the government allows people to have pre-marital sex. Owen ends up alone after his girlfriend (Maya Hawke) decides to spend the night with someone else instead. Allie is desperate to find someone that will make her night be one to remember. Yes, this is the premise.

The more you detach yourself from its emotional core, the more fun you will have. The film does a good job helping you detach. There are genuinely funny moments and characters you can see yourself hanging out with. It is the type of bigger rom-com where stars pop in and make you go “hey, it’s them!” The writing is also way more interested in progressive ideas than it lets on. Unfortunately, some of the exclusions make those ideas fall apart the moment you scratch beneath the surface. LGBTQ+ members are simply brushed to the side because they “figured it out” in terms of not being tracked by the government.

It is when Allie and Owen go, erm, in and out of each other’s evenings that the real reason to see the film is there. Their firecracker chemistry is hard to brush aside. They know exactly what they are each bringing to the table, and they are fully game to put it together. If their chemistry did not work, the film would fall apart.

After Hours

Production Designer Scott Kuzio has put these characters against the backdrop of modern-day New York City. All production elements are focused on one thing: Allie and Owen. Their relationship remains central to all decisions made, both good (setting) and bad (lack of LGBTQ+ incorporation when it would absolutely be there). Leveraging this relationship amongst the ocean of crazy premises makes the film feel more balanced than it really should be.

On the surface, the entire film should be laughably bad. One could argue it could be offensive. Thankfully, some elements come together really nicely. It may not be a memorable ride for all the right reasons, but it is certainly a ride that can be enjoyed. It is just one night. What could possibly go wrong?