One Night Only isn’t a bad film, but it never quite manages to stand out from the crowd. The premise immediately brings to mind The Purge, built around a high-stakes, time-limited window of danger. The film makes light of the fact that people didn’t have self control when it comes to consensual hookups or serious relationships, and even pokes fun at some folks who got married because they needed to satisfy their sexual urges. This could strike a chord with a much younger audience living in a much more real “distortion” reality and it may give an older audience that “thank goodness I’m not part of that crowd anymore” feeling.
The movie is perfectly watchable, and it moves at a decent enough pace that I didn’t hate my time with it. There are a few solid moments, and the cast does what they can with the material. Maya Hawke was great in her moments, playing a questionably committed woman to Callum Turner, who also played an amazing role, again, for what it was, a hopeless romantic. Unfortunately, it lacks the creative spark, sharp tension, or world-building needed to make it truly memorable. It lands right in the middle—not terrible, but not something I’d rush to recommend. It is a fine choice if you need to pass the time, but don’t expect it to stick with you after the credits roll. I almost feel like they should have ended it openly and make a part 2 showing their “gradual” relationship building, and then maybe a breakup? Overall, you can’t ever be disappointed with a Rom-Com!