One Night Only review: Bask in the satisfying afterglow
‘One Night Only’ is a pleasurable comedy following two singles’ exploits on the one night of the year sex is legal.
In 1967, Canada’s Pierre Trudeau said, “there’s no place for the state in the bedrooms of the nation,” before moving to decriminalize private sexual encounters between two consenting adults. It would seem more than 50 years later, American politicians instead want “a government small enough to fit in our bedrooms.” They’ve slowly repealed and reproached people’s individual rights to choose. But how far might they go to impose their idea of family values? In One Night Only, sex outside of marriage is no longer just frowned upon — it’s illegal 364.5 days of the year.
For one night a year, unmarried individuals may lawfully have consensual sex. Other than mandating they must use protection, there are no other restrictions. Leading up to the evening, singles head out in hopes of finding Mr. or Ms. Right Now. Allie (Monica Barbaro) and Owen (Callum Turner) are on different trajectories for the night: she’s looking for a meaningful connection and he’s trying to even the score. But a bad first impression keeps them from considering each other, no matter how many times fate throws them together. The result is an eventful evening that neither will forget as they each scour New York for a one-night stand.
The film is essentially The Purge, except people are on the hunt for sexual partners rather than people to kill. It uses a similar 12-hour clock that starts with a siren and posts countdowns across the city. Even though the vibes are non-violent, it’s still wild and unpredictable. No one mentions the suspension of indecency laws, but people are having sex everywhere. It’s an anything-goes free-for-all. Consequently, everyone is ogling and sizing-up every passerby, making the city a large-scale meat market. Ingeniously, the story begins on August 7, which also happens to be the movie’s release date.
The film’s title gives the night a big event vibe. But looking around the protagonists, the couples are disproportionately hetero and attractive. Allie’s gay roommate suggests the holiday is for straight people, but that feels like a copout. In any case, abstinence amplifies a sense sexual freedom amongst the singles with many people seeking threesomes. Meanwhile, others lose any sense of tact when wooing potential partners, which is a mix of awkward, gross and hilarious.
The trailer’s biggest blunder is minimizing the humour. The movie is surprisingly funny with many organic laugh-out-loud moments. It is a rom-com about two people who will inevitably end up together, but the build-up is as good as the payoff. They go on several adventures, converging unexpectedly only to go their separate ways again with other people. Allie’s search for a “nice” guy keeps ending in comical disappointment, while Owen repeatedly fails to close the deal. Over the course of their evening of mishaps, audiences get to know the pair through charming character development that doesn’t sacrifice cleverness.
Director Will Gluck also makes great efforts to build a familiar but distinctly ludicrous world. The city is filled with signs demanding for the bill’s repeal, which are countered by even more signage reminding people of the law. The most amusing of these posters feature stick-figure diagrams illustrating what people can and cannot do. Even Duolingo gets in on the action with a suggestive subway ad.
The script also strives to answer some important questions about how the country got here. Refreshingly, they don’t use a dystopian cause like over-population or food shortages. They put most of the blame on politicians ignoring their constituents. An ironic interview with Chinese media includes an American representative explaining the policy. On the other hand, the science behind monitoring and enforcement isn’t sound, but it’s good enough to not have the question looming over the whole film. However, since sex is only allowed between married adults, it does make one wonder how this government overreach has affected marriage and divorce rates.
Moving the narrative along is a great soundtrack. Upbeat romance is heard in Maroon 5’s “Payphone” and Robyn’s “Dopamine.” Tongue-in-cheek pharmaceutical jingles replace the lyrics of popular songs, promoting psoriasis medication using Sara Bareilles’s “Brave” and a product called Vag-a-Clear via Vanessa Carlton’s “A Thousand Miles.” “Allie’s Song (Not a Duet)” is a particularly revealing tune.
The silly premise is reminiscent of a New Year’s Eve film counting down the search for the perfect midnight kiss. But with everyone and their mother (enter Molly Ringwald) in the same boat, it’s a night of hope and unpredictability that will put a gratified smile on audience’s faces.
Director: Will Gluck
Starring: Callum Turner, Monica Barbaro and Molly Ringwald
