One Night Only Movie Review

Introduction (Warning Contains Spoilers)

One Night Only arrives with a premise that immediately demands attention. The romantic comedy movie is directed by Will Gluck. It is a setting where love exists in a society which has very strict laws.

Monica Barbaro plays the role of Allie while Callum Turner is Owen in the movie. All the two are single people who are seeking something that they do not know what it is yet.

The movie is set in a futuristic America where premarital sex has been made illegal by the conservative government.

But there is one exception made by the government, which is truly unique. Singles are allowed twelve hours each year where the law is suspended.

The period starts from seven o’clock in the evening on August the seventh and lasts until seven the next day.

The strange setup has not surprisingly been likened to the sexual version of The Purge movie, where the core premise of the movie is truly outrageous.

Everyone in New York City is ready for this annual event; everybody wants to take advantage of this unusual freedom.

Allie and Owen find themselves in this madhouse atmosphere with totally different plans. They keep bumping into each other in the course of this unique night.

It all starts out with a simple search for physical intimacy but develops into something more profound. The two characters slowly start to realize that there is an emotional link between them as well.

This gives the movie an unexpectedly philosophical approach. Beyond the humor, it poses some rather important questions on loneliness and true intimacy.

Regrettably, this movie fails to address these questions at its full potential. Instead, it opts for the safer way of the conventional rom-com.

This makes One Night Only entertaining at times. It also keeps it from being as good as it could be.

New York Becomes Part of the Story

The film’s most significant aspect is the way in which it uses the New York setting. New York is never used as an arbitrary background.

Instead, New York becomes part of the action. The city’s streets and atmosphere constantly affect the mood of the characters.

What seems most successful about the depiction of the characters moving around the familiar setting is that the city is seen as bustling, chaotic and somewhat overwhelming.

It fits the story well. Everyone appears to be looking for something in this peculiar yearly event.

The large amount of people further emphasizes the loneliness theme that runs throughout the movie. Allie and Owen are in the middle of so many people but still feel lonely inside.

It certainly fits the setting of the movie. A person can get lost in the crowd when he wants to be seen badly.

The cinematography helps to establish this connection with the city. The work of Yaron Orbach makes the movie look great visually.

The camera captures the scale of the city without making it feel overly artificial. We are constantly reminded that this is still recognisable New York.

This decision is especially remarkable due to the fact that this movie is set in the future. The director could have made the world look extremely futuristic.

However, he did not do it, and the movie does not include constant elements reminding that it belongs to the genre of sci-fi.

It allows the future world to become closer and scarier since it looks quite familiar. The future becomes much easier to perceive.

This fact can be considered one of the smartest decisions made by the film-maker. The world does not require the presence of futuristic technologies to seem different.

It only needs its laws. The effect also makes the film easier to connect with. Viewers can recognise the environment even when they cannot accept its rules.

Will Gluck’s Romantic Comedy Approach

Will Gluck is well versed in the romantic comedy format, as well as comedy in general. He has previously produced the films Easy A and Anyone But You.

It is clearly evident that he knows his stuff from One Night Only. The film clearly recognizes how to play a romantic comedy.

There is plenty of banter among the lead roles. Misunderstanding leads to conflict, and awkward situations to humor.

The film also knows how important chemistry is in the lead role. Barbaro and Turner have enough chemistry in their roles to make it interesting.

The directorial style of Gluck is most effective when they allow their personalities to come out. They tend to be more convincing when the characters interact quietly rather than during some big comedy moments.

The director knows how to maintain the visual dynamics in the film. The characters move from one place to another around New York.

This kind of approach goes well with the twelve-hour format. At all times, it is known that the characters are racing against time.

There is a good contrast created between the chaotic city and romantic moments. All the chaos around the intimate scenes gives more meaning to those scenes.

The weakness of the film lies in its predictable plot. This is because of Gluck’s experience in making romantic comedies.

At the beginning of the film, it promises to be unconventional. It ends up being a very conventional romantic plot.

In the end, it takes the conventional path of boy meets girl and then there is separation before getting back together.

This type of structure does not have anything wrong. For many years, romantic comedies have used the same structure effectively.

The problem arises if there is too much time wasted in delaying the inevitable. This can happen because of the predictability of the film.

It is very clear in the slow parts where the obstacles seem to be put there just to delay the union of the lovers.

The effect is that the film will become uneven in its speed. It may be exciting at one time and then overly long at another time.

A Film That Sometimes Feels Longer Than Its Night

The twelve-hour theory was supposed to bring a feeling of urgency. Sometimes, it works just like that.

A countdown gives the movie an excellent boost of momentum. Everything in every conversation seems like it could possibly influence the rest of the characters’ evening.

Sometimes, though, the pace goes against the plot. Certain situations arise that make the audience feel that something was done deliberately to postpone the moment.

Sometimes, those situations are funny. Other times, they become harder and harder to believe in.

Finally, people watching the movie start to wonder why Allie and Owen have not met yet. It becomes hard to understand whether the difficulties they face are realistic or just too convenient.

It happens due to the fact that the main characters are young and good-looking.

It may be somewhat artificial in the context created by the movie. The plot demands a certain amount of disbelief right from the start.

This is fine when it comes to a romantic comedy. But the other problems may be taking the tolerable amount too far.

The movie will be more successful when the madness is deliberate. It will lose strength when improbable situations merely make it longer.

There are plenty of truly funny scenes. There are many scenes that generate the laughter of the audience.

These scenes add a nice dose of energy to the slow moments. And they keep reminding us why the movie is enjoyable despite all its flaws.

The problem is inconsistency and not lack of entertainment altogether.

The Chemistry Between Allie and Owen

The entire plot of the movie relies heavily on the performances of the two characters. Luckily, Barbaro and Turner form a convincing pair.

Their chemistry creates some warmth for the romance. In its absence, the movie would be quite difficult to watch owing to its stereotypical plot.

Allie is maybe a bit more complex character than Turner’s character. Being a singer makes her an even more complex person.

The music helps to reveal some sides of her that cannot be said using dialogues only.

Here, Turner’s Owen provides an apt comparison since he seems less theatrical and grounded at times.

The two complement each other in some of the best exchanges in the film. As a result, their relationship gets more intriguing as they start breaking away from meeting expectations.

This is connected to one of the key themes of the film. All the people surrounding them seem to know what this particular night means.

Allie and Owen begin asking questions about the expectations. They realize that physical ability does not necessarily translate into emotional satisfaction.

This is where the film becomes more than a straightforward comedy. Unfortunately, it does not always remain in this more thoughtful territory.

When the Soundtrack Becomes Part of the Story

One Night Only is a film in which music takes on an especially vital importance, in part due to the career of Allie as a vocalist.

Indeed, the music of this film helps bring both vitality and character to it. In addition, the music provides for the emotional atmosphere of each scene in the film.

Music makes the city seem bigger and more exciting. In addition, it serves to create a greater contrast during the more intimate moments of the leads.

In this way, the music sung by Allie provides extra significance to the soundtrack. The singing does not act merely as background decoration.

Rather, the music helps to define who Allie is and how she interacts with her surroundings.

Moreover, there are elements in the movie that have to do with performance. Allie acts before other people, trying to find something sincere inside her.

It makes an interesting paradox, since she may be able to act out a song perfectly but not know what she really wants.

In this regard, the soundtrack is related to the general theme of the film. There is a difference between performing love and feeling it sincerely.

In this respect, the movie demonstrates perfect synergy of all its artistic elements.

The soundtrack also prevents the film from becoming visually or emotionally flat. It gives the story a distinctive rhythm.

In a film driven by one frantic night, that rhythm is particularly valuable.

More Themes Than the Film Can Handle

Among the most exciting aspects of One Night Only is its abundance of themes. The premise allows the creation of much more than a mere romantic comedy.

Perhaps the first theme that comes to mind is the distinction between sex and intimacy. The government can control physical interactions, but not emotional connections.

This is quite effective as it creates irony. People are legally allowed to have sex, yet they are lonely all around.

The issue of personal freedom is addressed as well. The government takes control over one of the most private aspects of human existence.

This brings up issues of personal freedom and governmental intrusion. Unfortunately, most of these ideas get lost in the background politically speaking.

The movie fails to dedicate enough screen time to the origins of such a society and its unique laws and their implications.

This can be understood considering the genre of the film; however, such an idea poses many questions that should be addressed.

The movie addresses dating in the contemporary world. The yearly festival transforms intimacy into a scheduled social event.

Everybody knows when it is going to occur. Everybody knows what is expected of them.

This is an exaggeration of the pressures faced in today’s dating. It can be stressful enough trying to find somebody and settling down rather than living alone.

What the movie does is take these pressures and make them ridiculous. In fact, it brings up these notions without exploring them sufficiently.

Loneliness is another theme that is better handled. Both Allie and Owen have plenty of options around them.

But neither of them is actually close to anyone. The setting shows that having people around doesn’t necessarily mean feeling emotionally close to them.

This theme becomes especially important in the context of the dense setting of New York. This setting offers lots of opportunities for making new contacts; but the characters are lonely.

Another important theme discussed in the movie is authenticity. Allie makes a living as an actress; at the same time, the surrounding society is very much into acting.

People are supposed to take part in this annual event, their behavior is almost determined by social conventions.

Allie and Owen stop paying attention to these conventions eventually. Their relationship becomes special because it lacks this performance element.

These themes are all great. But the problem is that a number of them are mentioned without further discussion.

The film sometimes feels like it has more ideas than its story can comfortably contain.

What Ultimately Works

Despite all of its shortcomings, One Night Only still has many appealing features. First of all, the main achievement of the film is its premise.

The premise of the film is absurd, yet clever enough to create a story of a romantic comedy. The director understands that the premise has to be treated with humour.

Secondly, New York City is also one of the strong points of the film. It provides the film with its unique atmosphere and vitality.

Thirdly, cinematography enhances the atmosphere of the film and does not make it look too futuristic. Finally, the soundtrack is also a very strong point of the film as it emphasizes Allie’s character and her feelings.

Credit must also go to Barbaro and Turner for keeping the chemistry interesting. It makes up for some of the more predictable elements of the story.

Humor is not consistent but there are plenty of funny scenes. These are proof that the movie can actually be very entertaining once it starts believing in its own characters.

What is good about the movie is the fact that it tries to tackle some important themes. It clearly wants people to think about intimacy and loneliness.

It is just that it does not allow these themes to breathe properly.

What Holds It Back

The most problematic element is the difference between the premise of the movie and its actual plot. This premise indicates something bold and unconventional.

The plot ends up being quite tame and predictable. It goes back to what is conventional in romance comedy rather than fully indulging in its own world.

This creates the feeling that some segments are too long for their content. The viewer knows where this journey will lead him or her.

The increasingly improbable complications then become irritating. Sometimes, they only seem to be there to drag out the plot.

Similarly, the political aspect of the assumption is underdeveloped as well. The government controlling sexual affairs could have made the narrative darker and far more interesting.

However, instead, the political system serves as the framework for the romantic narrative. It is not that it cannot do that, but one cannot help noticing the missed potential.

The same holds true for the movie’s comment on contemporary dating culture. There are several astute observations, but they are not developed further.

The result is a film that continually hints at greater depth. It rarely stays with those ideas long enough to make them truly powerful.

Final Verdict

One Night Only is an amusing romantic comedy that has a unique premise. This movie has great acting, vibrant directing, and great setting.

The setting of New York is one of the most unique aspects of the movie. It comes across as lively, busy, and totally immersed into the plot.

Also, the sound track of the movie contributes significantly to the personality of the movie. The fact that Allie is a singer makes the music very integral to the plot.

Perhaps the biggest flaw with the movie is its inability to break away from the traditional conventions of romantic comedy movies. Its unique premise suggests an unpredictable story, but that is not the case.

Its pacing becomes problematic when it starts adding more and more unlikely complications in the story which should ultimately lead to a predictable conclusion. While some scenes are quite hilarious, others seem completely unnecessary.

The same can be said about the themes of the movie. It touches upon some very interesting and relevant topics of intimacy, loneliness, freedom and contemporary dating.

Nonetheless, there are some ideas which could have been explored further in the story of the movie. This creates a certain disconnect between the ambition of the movie and its actual story.

Despite all that, One Night Only is definitely not a bad movie. It is an entertaining film with a lot of charm and great creative ideas.

It just leaves the audience wondering what the creators of the film could have done differently.

After all, One Night Only turns out to be an entertaining romantic comedy with an interesting concept right at its core. The film simply fails to develop that concept as effectively as it could have.

Though the twelve-hour rule sounds like something unusual, the story of love turns out to be pretty conventional in the end. And this is both the strength and weakness of the movie.