I had the chance to catch an early screening of One Night Only, starring Monica Barbaro and Kaleo Turner, and I’ll admit, the premise immediately made me raise an eyebrow.
The film follows two New Yorkers searching for love during the one night each year when it’s legal for single people to have sex. On paper, it sounds completely ridiculous. Honestly, my first reaction was, This is absurd.
But then I started thinking… is it?
That’s where the film surprised me.
Beneath the outrageous setup is a story with some very cheeky political undertones. I won’t spoil exactly what it’s saying because discovering that for yourself is part of the fun, but I appreciated that the filmmakers weren’t afraid to use comedy to comment on the world around us. I always enjoy when a film takes the current political climate and finds a creative way to build a story around it rather than hitting audiences over the head with a message.
The screenplay deserves a lot of credit here. It takes an outlandish concept and grounds it with sharp dialogue, entertaining situations, and characters you actually enjoy spending time with. More importantly, it’s funny. Not the kind of movie where you politely smile every once in a while—I mean genuine laugh-out-loud moments.
I saw this with a packed audience, and the theater was erupting with laughter throughout the film. Those shared reactions made the experience even better, and it’s one of the reasons I’d recommend seeing this one on the big screen instead of waiting to stream it.
Another unexpected highlight is the number of cameos sprinkled throughout the film. I won’t spoil any of them because that’s part of the fun, but my daughter came with me to the screening, and we kept turning to each other with that “Wait… was that…?” look. Those surprise appearances add another layer of entertainment without feeling forced.
The audience wasn’t only laughing, either. There were several moments where characters made questionable decisions, and people around us couldn’t help but react out loud. You’d hear gasps, people saying “No!” or laughing in disbelief. That’s the kind of crowd engagement you hope for with a comedy, and One Night Only earns those reactions.
By the end, I walked away feeling like I’d had a genuinely good time. It’s funny, the performances work, the political commentary is clever without overwhelming the story, and the entire experience benefits from being shared with a theater full of people who are equally invested.
I’m giving One Night Only 3.5 out of 5 stars. It isn’t trying to reinvent the romantic comedy, but it knows exactly what it wants to be. If you’re looking for a comedy that delivers plenty of laughs while sneaking in a little social commentary along the way, this is an easy recommendation.
One Night Only arrives in theaters on August 7.
