One Night Only rom‑com imagines U.S. law limiting single sex to one night

One Night Only is a 2026 romantic comedy directed by Will Gluck and released by Universal Pictures. The film stars Callum Turner as Owen, a Manhattan pizzeria owner, and Monica Barbaro as Allie, a singer who earns a living doing pharmaceutical jingles. Its high‑concept premise imagines that the United States Congress has passed a mandate banning premarital sex for all single people, except for a single 12‑hour window each year, enforced by wrist‑implanted neuro‑sensors that alert police to spikes in dopamine.

Set in a near‑future New York City, the story follows Owen and Allie as they each try to make the most of the annual “legal” night. Owen’s plans to propose are derailed when his girlfriend Maya Hawke’s character decides to sleep with someone else, while Allie hopes to find a lasting connection rather than a one‑night stand. Their separate misadventures repeatedly bring them together, leading to a tentative romance amid a series of comedic mishaps.

Critical response notes the film’s inventive premise and the chemistry between its leads, but many reviewers find the satire under‑developed, the world‑building thin, and the comedy uneven. The movie runs 102 minutes, is rated R, and has generated discussion for its blend of dystopian policy satire with conventional rom‑com tropes.