All articles tagged with #one night only
The Ringer’s review of One Night Only notes that a world where single people can only have sex on one annual night raises big questions about governance and surveillance. While the film hits funny, satirical notes and strong rom-com performances, it largely avoids explaining how the dystopian system operates or its broader social impact, leaving viewers amused but unsure what the premise ultimately means.
The Hollywood Reporter chats with One Night Only writer Travis Braun and producer Jacqueline Monetta, with star Callum Turner, about a rom‑com set in a near‑future where premarital sex is illegal except during a 12‑hour yearly window. They say the film centers on a love story, while world‑building (seen in the background on TVs and signage) isn’t the plot, and not all rules are explained to invite discussion. Gluck notes viewers will catch more on repeat viewings, and Braun hints some answers exist in the movie but politics aren’t the focus. Turner and the team encourage audiences to go see the film, which is now in theaters.
Will Gluck says One Night Only isn’t about The Purge, despite online chatter calling it a “sex Purge.” He emphasizes the rom‑com uses a dystopian premise to explore two New Yorkers navigating a single night when premarital sex is legal, aiming to show both sides and focus on the characters rather than taking a stance.
Director Will Gluck says test audiences forced him to cut a large amount of nudity from One Night Only (The Sex Purge), arguing a societal shift toward privacy with nudity in theaters and applying lessons from Anyone But You to strike a balance in the film.
Will Gluck says he trimmed substantial nudity from the rom‑com One Night Only after audiences showed discomfort with on‑screen sex, editing out scenes to keep the focus on the characters, using an intimacy coordinator, and even casting real couples. He argues that privacy norms among Gen Z/Gen Alpha and shared theater experiences are changing how filmmakers depict adult content, and that word‑of‑mouth will determine the film’s theatrical success rather than explicit scenes.
This weekend brings One Night Only to theaters as the biggest new release, Evil Dead Burn available to rent or buy, and streaming options like You, Me & Tuscany on Peacock, Billie Eilish: Hit Me Hard and Soft on Paramount+, and The Last House on Netflix; plus other titles such as Tony (an Anthony Bourdain biopic) and more, with critics noting One Night Only's bold premise and varied takes on the horror entry.
Spider-Man: Brand New Day remains the weekend box office king, with Thursday previews pushing its domestic total to about $510.8M and an estimated second-weekend haul around $144M after a $29M Thursday; One Night Only opens with about $1.35M in previews (including $750k on Thursday) and is targeting a $10M+ debut, though critics give it 47%; Super Troopers 3 launches in theaters with an expected low single-digit opening around $350k in previews as summer winds down.
The Verge’s Meredith Haggerty argues One Night Only treats its outrageous premise—single adults can only have sex on one annual night—as a rom-com playground, aided by subcutaneous chips that flip tattoos from red to green. The film delivers witty gags and strong chemistry between Monica Barbaro and Callum Turner, but raises big questions about enforcement and the political backstory that it largely sidesteps.
Callum Turner and Monica Barbaro star in One Night Only, a Purge-like rom-com about a yearly ban on premarital sex for singles; critics are split, with some calling the premise grim or even putrid, though others praise the leads. The film holds 52% on Rotten Tomatoes from 65 reviews as US release on August 7 and UK release on August 28 approaches.
Vulture critic Alison Willmore argues that One Night Only starts with a sharp dystopian premise about a society enforcing chastity, but the film never commits to satirical bite and devolves into a bland rom‑com. It teases brands, surveillance tropes, and a critique of romance cinema, yet stumbles in execution, with Callum Turner as Owen and Monica Barbaro as Allie unable to elevate the material. The piece suggests a Verhoeven‑style subversion could have saved it, making this a missed opportunity rather than a bold social satire.
A USA TODAY opinion piece argues Callum Turner proves he could be a fresh, charismatic Bond in the rom‑com One Night Only, praising his mix of mischief and wit, his screen presence, and noting supporters like George Clooney as the casting conversation shifts toward a more diverse, modern take on 007.
A roundup of four new releases—One Night Only (a rom‑com satirizing a government sex purge with a disappointing anti‑sex ending), Late Fame (a tender look at aging artist Willem Dafoe), Ice Cream Man (Eli Roth’s gross, practical‑effects horror that outstays its welcome), and Soulm8te (an audacious but blunt AI‑romance thriller)—delivers mixed verdicts, from sharp satire to blunt exploitation and heartbreak.
Universal’s One Night Only tries to mine a provocative 'sex purge' premise—where singles can only have sex for 12 hours once a year—into a sunny, glossy romcom, but it’s overstuffed and undercooked: slick visuals and a sturdier lead pairing can’t compensate for thin writing, awkward world-building, and a grim political premise that never fully pays off.
Dua Lipa attended the NYC premiere of One Night Only with her husband Callum Turner, their first red-carpet appearance as a married couple, and the piece notes she has seen the film and playfully requests her full review while joking about the film’s provocative premise and how it might be tracked.
Callum Turner and Monica Barbaro lead Universal’s One Night Only red carpet in NYC, joined by Dua Lipa and a slew of stars including Molly Ringwald, as the romantic comedy directed by Will Gluck makes its premiere ahead of its August 7 US release.