At least One Night Only has an ambitious premise: In an admittedly plausible near-future America, premarital sex has been outlawed. Singles are, however, given one night each year to indulge in their carnal desires, leading to a sort of coital holiday complete with corporate branding, dedicated apps and defiant political rallies. Somehow, amid all this, director Will Gluck and writer Travis Braun have shoehorned in a romcom.
Think of the Movie One Night Only Like a National Prom Night
Allie (Monica Barbaro) is a reluctant romantic, determined to find a worthwhile partner on a night when most of the population is happy to keep things casual. Owen (Callum Turner) is planning on using the occasion to propose to his girlfriend (Maya Hawke); when it’s time to pop the question, however, she confesses that she’d like to spend their night of debauchery with a neighbor instead.
Allie and Owen literally collide on the sidewalk, kicking off a night of chance encounters (and forcing the audience to disregard the fact that the odds of five or six consecutive chance encounters in New York City are Powerball-level absurd). Owen attempts to find a hook-up to get over his girlfriend; Allie keeps looking for a soulful man amongst the rabble. Misunderstandings (occasionally wacky) and flirtation (intermittently compelling) ensue.
No Sparks, No Fire — and a Mixed Message
Unfortunately, the chemistry between the leads is lacking. Barbaro, an Oscar nominee for A Complete Unknown, proves charming and surprisingly funny; Turner, on the other hand, seems removed and disinterested. Romance films live and die on the spark between the leads; here, there’s barely a flicker.
More concerningly, the film either hasn’t chosen a point of view or has settled on a poor one. It seems that the filmmakers have spent some time coming up with the rules and realities of a world where sex is outlawed but don’t seem to have much to say about their outlandish premise. There are glimmers of commentary here and there, particularly about the relationship between power structures and unjust laws, but those feel almost incidental.
If you’re inclined toward an uncharitable reading of the film, you could even mistake the filmmaker’s intention for being … well, anti-sex, or at least comfortable with moralistic government control. I don’t quite believe that was the intention, but the ambiguity speaks to an overall lack of clarity. Sure, it’s just a date movie — but can’t we ask for a bit more substance from our romcoms?
A Gory, Bad Time With Ice Cream Man, and More to Find In Theaters This Weekend
Elsewhere at the multiplex, hit-and-miss horror filmmaker Eli Roth returns with Ice Cream Man, an over-the-top gore-fest about children made homicidal by cursed ice cream. The film, which bears no relation to the identically titled ’90s horror flick, has become controversial for a half-dozen reasons; an apparent reliance on generative A.I. for some effects and images has been roundly criticized. (So has Roth himself; the director is, to put it mildly, divisive.) Genre fans looking for gleeful violence will find plenty in a lively middle act, but Ice Cream Man is ultimately too mean-spirited to recommend; this is a movie where children hate everyone, everyone hates children and violence is purely comic. The success of Roth’s admittedly enjoyable 2023 film Thanksgiving was enough to get Ice Cream Man to cinemas … but I’d suspect his next effort will be headed straight to streaming.
What Else is Playing?
The comedy sequel Super Troopers 3, also out this week, reunites the Broken Lizard comedy troupe for another round of law-enforcement hijinks. Reviews haven’t been glowing, but there’s ample affinity for the cult-classic original; fans will likely still have a good time. Those looking for at-home entertainment could try The Last House, a supernatural thriller debuting on Netflix; Wagner Moura, who was Oscar nominated for The Secret Agent, and Greta Lee, who should’ve been for Past Lives, co-star.
Of course, none of the aforementioned films will win the weekend at the box office; it’ll certainly be a repeat triumph for Spider-Man: Brand New Day, the superhero smash that last weekend posted the best three-day total in history. Expect similarly busy showings for Spider-Man this weekend — and read our review if you’re curious about the film’s merits. The Odyssey, which we reviewed quite favorably, will also continue its march toward Oscar season. And if you’ve got kids to entertain, we promise: Minions vs. Monsters is perfectly pleasant.
Keep exploring this summer’s releases with Sean’s line-up of the summer blockbuster season.
Story by Sean Collier
Photos Courtesy of Nicole Rivelli / Universal Studios
Subscribe to TABLE Magazine’s print edition.
