A Wild, Bizarre, Completely Sudden Pleasure

I will be fully trustworthy: I went into my screening of “One Evening Solely” with a nasty perspective. I introduced a good friend as my plus one, and whereas inviting her, I merely texted, “Do you need to go giggle on the intercourse ‘Purge’ film?” For those who’ve heard actually something about rom-com king Will Gluck’s newest effort — the place “A Full Unknown” star Monica Barbaro and Mr. Dua Lipa Callum Turner run round New York Metropolis as a result of premarital intercourse is barely authorized for one evening a yr — you most likely perceive my apprehension right here. 

I used to be incorrect. I am sufficiently big to confess it (when it occurs). “One Evening Solely” is an absolute delight.

Frankly? I ought to have recognized! There are just a few administrators that I consider as “turd polishers” working as we speak (Phil Lord and Christopher Miller, who someway made not one however two extraordinarily good “21 Leap Road” “reboots,” fall into that class). I by no means actually thought-about Gluck to be one among them, however with “One Evening Solely,” this man has handily confirmed that he could make a pointy, candy, genuinely humorous romantic comedy even with an idea as weird and unsettling as “the federal government tells individuals exactly after they’re allowed to get freaky with one another.” Barbaro and Turner play Allie and Owen, respectively, two New Yorkers who discover themselves single on the large evening and, avoiding a simmering attraction to one another, determine to group as much as discover companions collectively.

Add in a ton of cheeky cameos, some unbelievable jokes about pharmaceutical advertising and marketing within the soundtrack, and world-building that was so thorough that I can not wait to rewatch this film as a digital launch and pause it to seek out each little Easter egg, and you have a film that is not simply surprisingly good. It is legitimately good.

When Callum Turner — a man I genuinely solely know as pop star Dua Lipa’s husband — first ambled on display screen in “One Evening Solely” as New York Metropolis pizza store proprietor Owen, I had my doubts. In early moments together with his preliminary girlfriend (performed briefly by Maya Hawke), Turner is a bit of wood. Fortunately, earlier than lengthy, he crosses paths with Monica Barbaro’s Allie, a singer who desires of performing in entrance of crowds however, due to crippling stage fright, is caught performing embarrassing pop covers for pharmaceutical advertisements. (A canopy of the Sara Bareilles track “Courageous” about plaque psoriasis comes up greater than as soon as, and never solely are the jokes and lyrics legitimately humorous, nevertheless it’s a good way to remind audiences that Barbaro can sing.) When the film places them collectively, Turner and Barbaro mild up the display screen.

Each of them discover themselves solo on the one evening a yr that single individuals are allowed to make a journey to pound city, and each of them are greater than a bit of determined. We be taught that Allie acquired “ghosted” by a man final yr, and early into the large evening, her good friend Jacinta (a cleverly deployed King Princess) instantly absconds with Tejan (Okieriete Onaodowan), who seems to be an precise prince. Owen, who arranges for an elaborate omakase dinner for his girlfriend and plans to suggest solely to be advised that she desires to sleep with one among their neighbors as an alternative of him, is set to outdo her at any value. So how do they meet? Effectively, first Owen actually bumps into Allie and barfs that omakase throughout her; then, later, they discover themselves preventing over Chekhov’s condom in hopes of utilizing it with different individuals.

Nothing about “One Evening Solely” ought to work, however I ought to know, by now, to belief Will Gluck. The primary film from Gluck I ever noticed is “Straightforward A,” which grew to become a long-standing favourite and, actually, additionally has a extremely loopy premise that sees Emma Stone’s quirky excessive schooler Olive Penderghast pretending to sleep along with her classmates for Dwelling Depot reward playing cards and lobster dinners. His follow-up, “Associates with Advantages” — no, not the one with Natalie Portman and Ashton Kutcher, that is the one with Mila Kunis and Justin Timberlake — is simple and largely dumb however has its moments, and Gluck’s remake of “Annie” however, his monitor document is extra stable than not. For those who assume you are not aware of his work, you positively are: “Anybody However You,” Gluck’s 2023 rom-com led by Glen Powell and Sydney Sweeney, made a small fortune on the field workplace and cemented these two as romantic comedy leads regardless of most likely being one among his weakest narratives to this point.

I do not assume anybody else might have made “One Evening Solely” and made it not solely watchable, however really enjoyable. Gluck’s sharp cuts, cautious route of his actors, and legitimately nice eye — there have been a handful of enhancing gags and lovely shot compositions on this film that made me giggle and made me gasp in equal measure — make “One Evening Solely” a legitimately good time. Once more, no person is as stunned by this as me. 

As Allie and Owen spend twelve hours on a madcap sprint by way of New York to get some, I used to be actually delighted by a few of the bizarre twists and turns, from a possible accomplice being a prison to a brief dive right into a sewer. Then there’s the supporting solid.

I already talked about Maya Hawke and King Princess — the previous is finest recognized for “Stranger Issues” and being the kid of Uma Thurman and Ethan Hawke, and the latter is a well-liked singer-songwriter who additionally dabbles in performing — however I nonetheless cannot imagine how a lot stunt casting and what number of cameos Will Gluck packed into this comparatively tight film. (It runs for about an hour and 42 minutes, which is, actually, the proper size for a romantic comedy.) Early within the movie, we meet Owen’s mom, performed by former Brat Packer and teenage film icon Molly Ringwald; he additionally nearly hooks up with a beautiful bartender on the (actual) White Horse Tavern who’s performed by Julia Fox. Fox, a mannequin, actress, and writer who made her debut in “Uncut Gems,” fairly famously practices celibacy in her actual life; casting her as somebody on the hunt for a possible accomplice throughout The One Authorized Intercourse Evening is extraordinarily humorous.

The listing goes on and on. LeVar Burton performs Ringwald’s lover, who kicks Owen out of the home and sends him on his sexual odyssey. Este Haim and Ziwe pop up as two bouncers at an unique occasion, “Severance” standout Sydney Nicole Alexander seems as a lady that Owen meets on a relationship app, Quintessa Swindell performs Allie’s supportive roommate, Mike Birbiglia performs an exasperated cop, “Legislation & Order: Particular Victims Unit” OG Michelle Hurd is completely deployed as an exhausted detective, and Jay Ellis, Nicholas Braun, and Ben Marshall all present up as horrifying potential suitors vying for Allie’s, uh, hand. I am unable to totally clarify how and why all of this casting makes the film work so nicely, nevertheless it simply does.

I feel the side of “One Evening Solely” that may drive repeat viewings — not only for me, however for anybody who enjoys this foolish, fully enjoyable film — is the world-building. Sure, the “intercourse ‘Purge’ film” has world-building worthy of a sci-fi epic, and for the millionth time, I am simply as shocked as you’re. Regardless that Will Gluck’s model of New York is grounded in our actuality in some features — I used to be genuinely glad to see town depicted as each stunning and plagued by free trash luggage, and it is one of many solely instances I’ve seen a film get the New York Metropolis subway exactly proper — it is also a dystopian nightmare the place a repressive, “Handmaid’s Story” lite model of Congress has determined to chop down on undesirable pregnancies and STIs by making premarital intercourse authorized for only one evening a yr and utilizing biometric trackers on residents to implement the rule. That is extremely darkish and, frankly, I do not need any members of our precise Congress to observe this and get any concepts. 

Nonetheless, Gluck makes this deeply unsettling idea humorous and unusually actual. The world of “One Evening Solely” seems like ours, however is not; at varied factors you may see advertisements for “AI massages” and “Omicron Airways flights to Cuba,” each of which made me giggle actually arduous. In nearly each enterprise, there is a signal with the phrase “intercourse” in all caps and a line by way of it, and the diagrams of what is “allowed” between single residents are as filthy as they’re humorous. Gluck’s dedication to the bit right here, from graffiti to intelligent signage to a looming countdown clock, makes the film sing.

Talking of singing, although, there are some missteps in “One Evening Solely” — and most of them come all the way down to the script. Gluck’s directorial thrives and aforementioned world constructing are nice, and he additionally will get nice main seems of Monica Barbaro and Callum Turner, however Travis Braun’s script is a bit of boilerplate and provides in some plotlines that land with a thud. Essentially the most egregious instance is Allie’s profession as a singer. Giving her stage fright — which paradoxically permits her to satisfy one among her creative heroes within the movie’s second act — is predicted and boring; whereas her jingle profession gives a few of the film’s greatest laughs, why cannot she merely be somebody determined to carry out her personal materials? This subplot did not add a lot and will have been altered barely or modified fully, and it is not that massive of a deal, however the scenes centered round Allie’s dream of singing in public hit flat notes. (Barbaro didn’t, although. Once more, she’s acquired pipes.) Some traces are clunkers and a few moments are rote, however this can be a rom-com, in any case — we have a formulation to comply with.

Regardless of just a few stumbles, “One Evening Solely” reaches an really candy conclusion bought fantastically by Barbaro and Turner, and although I do know I am repeating myself, I have to be abundantly clear. “One Evening Solely” should not work. I’m shocked that I left the theater grinning ear to ear and, one might say, totally happy. “One Evening Solely” is a high-concept, patently absurd romantic comedy that defies the percentages and makes you fall in love with it. You will need multiple evening with this one.

/Movie Ranking: 8 out of 10

“One Evening Solely” opens in theaters on August 7, 2026.