One Night Only (2026)
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12-month trend
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2025-09 to 2026-08 · Missing measurements appear as gaps.
In a future where premarital sex is only legal for one night a year, two strangers must navigate a series of mishaps to find a connection.
The story
In a dystopian United States where a federal mandate has banned premarital relations for three years, sex is only permitted during a single twelve-hour window each year. During this 'exemption period,' Allie, a singer, and Owen, a pizza shop owner, find themselves navigating a landscape of social hurdles and personal complications. Both are searching for a meaningful connection during the limited window. After a series of coincidental encounters and shared struggles—including a desperate quest for a condom and navigating various social hurdles—the two are forced to work together to navigate the complexities of their situation in a world where their options are strictly limited by law.
Full plot (contains spoilers)
Under a federal mandate banning premarital sex, the only legal window for intimacy is a 12-hour period marked by color-changing wrist tattoos. Owen, a pizza shop owner, is told by his girlfriend Malika that she intends to sleep with someone else during the exemption. Meanwhile, Allie, a singer, is left alone by her friend during the search for a partner. The two meet by chance multiple times, first outside Allie's apartment and later at a convenience store where they team up to steal a condom. Their paths cross again at a party where Owen helps Allie overcome her stage fright to perform, and she meets a musician she admires. After a series of complications involving a dishonest date and a hospital visit, they end up at Owen's pizza shop. As they realize their feelings for each other, Owen receives a call from Malika. He initially returns to her but realizes his mistake and finds Allie at a lighthouse. They decide to wait until the next year's exemption to be together. The film ends a year later with them together as the next exemption begins.
- First release year
- 2026
- Runtime (minutes)
- 102
- Production countries
- United States
- Original languages
- English
- Directors
- Will Gluck
- Writers
- Travis Braun · writer
- Cast and characters
- Monica Barbaro · singer; Callum Turner; Maya Hawke; Molly Ringwald; LeVar Burton; Este Haim · Aura; Ziwe · Bethia
- Genres
- science fiction; romantic comedy; comedy; political satire
- Themes
- forbidden love; dystopian society; connection
- Tone and mood
- romantic; comedic; satirical
- Premise and plot tags
- high-concept; rom-com; sci-fi
- Source material / true-story basis
- Original screenplay by Travis Braun
- Reception
- The film received mixed reviews from critics and bombed at the box office, grossing just $25.1 million against its $25 million production budget.
- Reported review scores
- Metacritic · score: 42 · scale: 100 · review count: 36; CinemaScore · score: B+ · scale: A+ to F
- Production trivia
- The script was a 2024 Black List entry.; The director cut most sex and nudity during editing.; The soundtrack was released as a three-song EP.
Film metadata comes from the open sources listed in Credits & Contact. Catalogue details may be incomplete.
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