Will Gluck’s contributions in the comedy/rom-com sphere have run the gamut. From the enduring modern classic, Easy A, to the likeable Friends with Benefits to the painful (yet shockingly successful) Anyone But You. Returning to the genre with a more high-concept premise, he unfortunately cannot reconcile the dystopian nightmare of the film’s backdrop with the attempted fizzy genre tone, leaving this, at best, a forgettable smattering of funny and sweet moments in amongst many that fall flat and, at worst, a problematic acceptance of puritanical rule which no cute moment can disguise.

One Night Only is set in a USA that has outlawed premarital sex, with the exception of a 12-hour window over one night of each year. We follow Allie (Monica Barbaro), a single hopeless romantic and cringe-worthy medical jingle singer as she sets out for the night, hoping to find more than a one-night stand. Immediately ditched by her wing woman, she returns home only for her roommate to encourage her into a more sparkly outfit and head straight back out into the night. At the bottom of her stoop, she bumps into Owen (Callum Turner), a pizza shop-owner, dumped by his girlfriend with minutes to go until the mandate exception as she declares she wants to spend the night hooking up with their neighbour. An initial spark is soon ruined when Owen throws up the romantic dinner he had bought his girlfriend and our two would-be lovebirds go off separately into the night, encountering all kinds of false-starts and incredulous obstacles as their paths keep crossing while the clock counts down.

This high-concept romcom falls at the first hurdle; it does not know what to do with its premise or how to reconcile it with its genre beyond largely attempting to ignore it. Even the opening text explaining the so-called mandate feels incongruous with the upbeat bass playing behind it and sweeping views of New York it overlays. It lays the groundwork for a twist on the ‘crazy night’ movie, pushing pretty much all characters in the city into the same mission, but the context – governmental control of people’s bodies and decisions, enforced by biometric trackers – is so dystopian and politically charged (particularly in the current climate) it repeatedly pops the film’s attempts at a bubble. It doesn’t have the absurdity of tone or precise comedic leanings that could have attempted to manage it and instead creates an unsolvable tonal mismatch, setting off on the wrong foot and repeatedly falling back there. There are miniscule attempts at political commentary during expository newsreels, but the film is so unconcerned with the problem it has created for itself, its acceptance risks feeling like tacit endorsement.

The world-building is fairly weak, offering a few fun sight gags and little details, but it doesn’t feel lived-in and the nonchalance with which the mandate is treated beyond a few signs or the occasional vocal protest makes for a very bizarre backdrop. There is one passing remark comparing the fictional restrictions of the film and the very real reality for LGBTQ+ people throughout history, but for the most part any analysis is brushed aside. Beyond that, obstacles and sequences that are borne of the premise also don’t make sense within it; for the one night a year single people are allowed to have sex but legally have to use protection, no one really seems to be prepared (all for the sake of set pieces – forgivable were it not so unbelievable).

When the film ignores its backdrop for enough of a stretch, or lulls your brain into submission, it does manage to create some sweet moments and some genuinely funny ones. Much of this rests on the chemistry between its stars (far beyond that of Anyone But You but not even close to the Hanks-Ryan, Hudson-McConaughey gold standard); a connection between the pair is completely believable and both Barbaro and Turner have enough charisma to keep you watching. Barbaro brings a genuine sense of vulnerability to Allie, a character allowed to be a little more rounded, and Turner brings a sympathy to Owen, even if he isn’t given as much depth within the script. The film doesn’t quite have a good enough reason to keep these characters apart as it does – beyond the ‘ick’ presumably given by Owen’s first impression – making the inevitable feel flimsily drawn out. The pair have some good back and forth but also contend with some egregiously cringey attempts at banter that feel straight out of an ill-constructed parody.

The leads’ chemistry barely eeks out enough sweetness to sustain the rom portion of its wares, while the com is also a mixed bag. There are numerous comedic moments that fall flat, hanging awkwardly on screen, eliciting nothing from the audience. Occasionally you can understand how the idea might have been funny, but gets completely botched in the execution, often down to comedic timing, primarily in the edit but also in the performances. However, isn’t completely devoid of laughs with some unexpected lines that catch you off guard and a few pieces of physical comedy that do work. In what feels like a throwback to the kind of films that wanted the audience to feel like they’re in on the film, the film is also pretty full of cameos. Some are brief and the surprise is successfully amusing (a few even linking together the Will Gluck Cinematic Universe), others a little more prolonged and random, adding little to the proceedings. 

As a romcom, we ultimately know what direction this is headed in but the big finale feels unsatisfying and is pretty bafflingly put together (plus has some truly abysmal coffee cup acting – this clearly needs to be a class at drama school). As much as there is a chemistry between our leads, little time has been given to truly developing their connection, leaving it feeling weak, and the circumstances surrounding the pair’s final moments are just incredibly unfunny and only serve to distract. The characters’ choices in this moment will also likely divide audiences and makes the film feel even more confused about its messaging within its context.

There are enough amusing moments and sweet exchanges to keep you somewhat engaged, but it does nothing to lift the bar for the modern romcom from the depths where it appears to have settled. Forgettable and deeply confused by its problematic backdrop, this is ultimately a misfire – it is lifted by its rising stars who deserve better vehicles.