A film like 1 Night comes along every now and then and surprises me on how much more territory the romance genre has left to offer film goers. We live an era where moviegoers want lust, like Fifty Shades Darker. But that message is blank and meaningless. A film like 1 Night has dignity and intelligence that drives the romance of the film. Instead of skin flick, we have a smart flick. The acting is natural and honest. No kinky billionaires here. Common people are the characters and that allows the story and the audience to empathize and put themselves in the character's shoes. The film succeeds in laying all of its cards on the table to give rare, romantic sincerity to the narrative and dialogue. But there are several surprises up its sleeve that guarantee a grander mosaic and deeper message that will surely invite all to a gleefully welcomed second viewing. The message is clear: Romance never dies, it's transcendent.
