User reviews

My Review - One Night Streaming on Paramount My Rating 8/10

After watching a number of series like One Night and The Lost Flowers of Alice Hart depicting domestic violence and sexual assaults on women by male perpetrators I long for another show like Ted Lasso or Poldark to convince me that not all men are sexual predators.

Saying that One Night is a fine example of Australian cinema storytelling I really had only two small criticisms and they were not about the performances of the actors but more about the little things that make a movie or series excellent rather than very good.

Mikaela Binns-Rorke who gave a very convincing performance as young Tess however she bared no resemblance whatsoever to Jodie Whittaker who is superb as the adult Tess . Perhaps the reason is because we don't have the great pool of actors that overseas productions have to choose from but when the drama of the series centres around the traumatic experiences of Tess and her two teenage girl friends 20 years previously the younger characters should I think be easy to identify Bridgette Armstrong resembled the adult Simone as did Bella Ridgway who played young Hat resembled the adult Hat .

One Night is the story of three women whose bond is all but destroyed when Simone anonymously publishes an unauthorised novel recalling the terror of that one night.

The traumatic events of one night 20 years previously comes back to haunt Tess beautifully played by Jodie Whittaker who has returned home to Sydney from living in the U. K for years with her wife Vicki and their two children Harper and Jude.

Nicole da Silva is also very impressive as Simone the author of the book that causes so much drama she seeks solace in alcohol which is a complete contrast to Tess who has remained sober since the trauma of that fateful night .

Yael Stone who plays Hat the third friend involved is an interesting character who holds the key to much of this story.

There are some fine male performers also in one night especially the two Calley brothers Trevor played by Errol Shand and Joey played by George Mason.

The only other small criticism I had that irritated me was Noni Hazlehurst's thick overdone Scottish accent her character Mary the unkempt vulgar local pub owner had lived in Australia for over 30 years with her two equally unpleasant sons Joey and Trevor so surely I thought that she would have lost some of her broad accent but no she sounded like she just stepped out of the Edinburg Tattoo.

Emily Ballou and Fiona Seres have created a disturbing,interesting and entertaining story which is impressively directed by Lisa Matthews and Catherine Millar and if this production from Easy Tiger Productions and Motive Pictures is an indication of an increase in Australian movie and television content on our streaming services I think we are in for some quality productions.

I highly recommend watching "One Night." 6 parts. Stellar casting. Amazing cinematography of the Illawarra region including my favourite road. And an incredible storyline. I binge watched it over two nights. It is that good. Did I mention the cast? Already a fan of so many but this is next level acting. Jodie Whittaker. (Dr Who! Enough said) Yael Stone. (Orange Is The New Black) Nicole da Silva. (Wentworth) Plus supports who are usually leads themselves. Noni Hazlehurst. Tina Bursill. Best thing I've watched in a long time. The only reason that it didn't get 10 stars is that it dragged a little at one point.

The scenery is beautiful and the actors put their soul into the roles but the overall effect somehow doesn't connect. I don't understand how anyone can have PTSD of a event which they have no memory of, and its never explained in the series. The whole premise is of 3 friends who had a bad experience one night , one of them getting raped when she was unconscious and leaving the town after that. They meet 20 years after and have to relive the events in their mind and life as one of them Simone chooses to publish a book about it.

The younger versions certainly seem to have bonding but I could see no genuine connection between them as adults. And Simone keeps saying it's also her story, no its not because she is the only one who is not in trouble because of the book or the night. Try as hard as I might , I could not empathize with Jodie Whittaker's adult character because the younger version is shown bold and doesn't even have memory of the event.

Frankly "Hat" is the only character whose concerns seemed genuine.

And then there is this token Asian character who is a weasel trying to garner publicity at the expense of the anonymity of the writer.

Is it true? Or have you created memories, because you do not want to remember what really happened?

Maybe you remember bits and pieces, how you felt at that particular night? What you thought has happened?

But then again, maybe you have blocked the whole night out in order to protect yourself?

Where is the truth between what these three women remember? Perhaps somewhere in the middle. Perhaps they do not have all the information that they need, in order to find out.

I watched this in one day, I am the same age as these women and I still find it difficult to admit that 20 years ago the concept of consent was unfamiliar territory.

Finally caught this on netflix after it was removed from paramount, and wow it is a good story. But your story is yours and yours alone to tell, Simone being arrogant and writing about things from the past instead of leaving them there not realising it would hurt so many people is proof that she was always probably going to write about the past. It was very hard to enjoy the story knowing how hurt her friends were . Nicole da Silva was great but don't get me wrong the script didn't do her talent justice, it needed to be tweaked a little more and maybe Jodie's character could've been played by someone else.

This is probably one of my favorite series of all time, aptly addressing the issues of complicated female friendships, perceptions over time, and of course the prevalent issue of sexual assault and how it can impact you. Very intense, kept me wanting to keep watching each episode despite the late hour. All three leads were amazing, but Jodie Whittaker in that "one scene" where her expressions perfectly conveyed her emotional responses to what she was "listening to" ( I wont spoil it for you) just broke me.

All the characters are complex, as we are in real life, each trying their best to navigate their way after a traumatic night that robbed them of their youthful openness and joy about life.

I have a common interest in these types of stories, but this one really caught my attention. At first, i was going to watch it just for Jodie Whittaker. But as it went on, my emotions really skyrocketed even more than i imagined they would. I think all the actors did a brilliant job portraying their roles. It's such a rare experience to see queer normalisation and thats not even the focus of the plot. This show deserves way more love. I will happily recommend this to absolutely anyone who has an interest in dramas to do with past traumas. Please boost this show. There isn't enough content surrounding it.

My god this series is just sooo slow and the whole story could have been wrapped up in less than half the time.

What is it about today's dramas that are so padded out with nothingness just to make them six hourly parters it really drowns out any meaning and the viewer just meanders from one boring scene to the next. Yes the subject matter is important but by the end of this series you just do not care anymore. The whole situation has been milked to death over episodes that it loses its impact.

Overall I found this drama very slow, meandering and ultimately quite boring to watch, they even speak slowly perhaps to fill in time.

Disclaimer: I would give this show a 8.5 or 9/10 but as I can see there is already some review bombing starting (including from people overseas who can't even watch the show legally)... It's getting a 10! This is exactly the kind of Australian content I want to see! A rare show clearly made by women for women but also just a damn fine Australian drama.

It has messy, complicated female characters who are all distinct, interesting to follow and equal parts deeply flawed and sympathetic. I didn't find any of them frustrating to follow in the episodes where they were the focus (each of the main three characters has two episodes focussed on them- as indicated by the titles of the episodes). I also found the relationship/friendship between the three women believably fractured and loaded for what they've been through, filled with subtext, secrets, and differing perspectives. Yet, at the core you can see the deep bond between the three.

It also has a complex and relevant story navigating trauma, friendship, family, memory, justice etc. I feel like just about every woman (and probably a lot of men too) can relate to the major traumatic event of the series and I generally like how it's handled. The show never feels like it is exploiting, glorifying or making a spectacle out of the trauma, and the mystery of what happened is less important than its fallout. It also deals with the justice system, and, once again, it is both infuriating and true to what goes on. Something I also love is how natural most of the dialogue is. The characters sound really unashamedly Australian in how they speak.

It also has a really beautiful Australian setting. It's so great seeing more stunning Australian areas getting featured in shows. Especially regional coastal areas of Australia. Australian film/TV has a big issue with always setting shows/films either in very rural Australian towns (usually drought-stricken, barren) or pockets of very white, coastal city suburbia. Regional coastal Australia especially has been woefully neglected and it's about time that changed.

Then there's the acting, which is top tier. The acting from the leads especially is incredible! It's so good! The three are powerhouses together, and there is never a sense of them trying to figure out the roles. They nail it from the start. All the emotional moments of the show hit so well. It's very satisfying to watch.

And a special kudos to Jodie Whittaker, who manages to pull off one of the best Australian accents out there, and still somehow give an amazing, understated and nuanced performance. Also as an Australian I feel so honoured that Jodie Whittaker picked an Australian show for her first role out of Doctor Who and was apparently willing to cut her maternity leave short and relocate here on the other side of the planet for months to film. That's commitment! Especially as she clearly put the hard yards into her Australian accent. She can come back here and play another Australian any time she likes! Seriously! She's an honorary Australian in my eyes and I'm sure many other Australians for that accent alone.

As for flaws, there are a few things but nothing that major. Some might understandably complain the pacing is slow at points, but I honestly didn't mind because I quite like a slow burn, and this kind of story flourishes in the character drama. I suppose that's personal preference. There were a few minor side characters or plotlines I wasn't as keen on, and a few plotlines/ plot points that felt like they weren't fully resolved or were dropped too quickly or conveniently, but nothing that left me feeling very dissatisfied. There was the rare line of dialogue that was a bit too obvious, and a few shots of the past felt a bit too on-the-nose whimsical. But overall I really enjoyed this miniseries and its attributes far outweighed its flaws! Definitely plan on rewatching it soon and I hope to see more Australian shows like it coming out! I love how many great Australian shows are coming out this year!

To be fair I didn't make it through the whole thing, ther is a point where you just have to say enough and I reached it quite early. Nothing much seems to happen and there are long meaningful chats that mean nothing in the end. It seems all about relationships and even though the actors did ok I couldn't warm to any of them. The whole was just a soapie stretched to fit the allocated time. Not an Assie show I'd recommend unless you have trouble sleeping. Cannot beieve all the 10 ratings - maybe actors friends and relo's, perhaps it appeals more to women as a show although it wasn't a feminist series.

The story was captivating and addressed a topic (sexual assault and its aftermath even decades later) that is rarely seen in this kind of depth. The emotions of the characters were so real that you could feel their pain at times, but you had to keep going to find out what happened. I was impressed by how brutally honest the series was regarding how much a single trauma can affect someone for years to come, as well as how it impacts their relationships with others. They also pulled no punches with all the things other people say that are the opposite of helpful and how much pain that causes the victim/survivor. Incredible acting by everyone involved, but Jodie Whittaker is definitely the standout, conveying so much with just her eyes. Amazing performance. I binged the series in two days which I rarely do, and it felt like reading a really absorbing book. Definitely worth the watch. Nice to see a series that is female-driven both on and off screen.

I really wanted to enjoy this series, with a strong female cast and an important message to tell in magical Australian central coast scenery. But it struggled to deliver. While the actors are fantastic in their own right, they felt misplaced with inauthentic accents hard to look past.

I felt some scenes predictable and the love story between two friends felt forced. It seemed to drag as well as convince us of the trauma, which feels uncomfortable but not in a good way.

Perhaps a 2 part episode with a less star studded cast could have delivered something more substantial as throw back scenes seemed the strongest.

It is so incredibly wonderful to watch stories of womens' lives told by women. Over the past few years I look for these shows. It makes me realise how profoundly accustomed we were to watching stories about women as imagined by men. Another thing I noticed was that the reviews for these shows are filled with men saying how unrealistic the characters are, and how crazy the female characters are. It's so refreshing not to be limited by those points of view, to see ourselves represented in tv drama.

This is the second thing I've watched this week showing women living with a constant threat of intimidation. I grew up as a teenager in the 70's. We had a good life, lots of freedom, but I've been thinking lately about how it was natural for us to have to be so very careful. I sometimes talk to my sister about the ways we had to act and talk and adjust ourselves to stay safe. I'm beginning to notice how much we adapted how we are in the world, and every show like this that I see shifts that dynamic.

This series is so beautifully written, directed, acted. Early on I worried about the pacing, but then a few more threads got woven in and I worried how it could all be resolved in 6 episodes. I used to live a few kilometres from where this is set, just down the road a bit. It is stunning country, and thats obvious in the scenery in this series. Makes me wonder why more tv hasn't been made in the area. The steep bluffs, the ocean, the small villages dotted along the coast, the sea cliff bridge, all create such an atmospheric background.

A couple of things that stuck out for me. All the women were very natural, hair messy, skin blemishes. The older women - the grandmothers - had sun damage, as you do living in that climate. The accents were all excellent. None of the characters were perfect, they all had their flaws which was part of the complexity of the drama. But in the end they managed to come to terms with themselves and each other. There was a lot of very positive messaging without being in any way preachy.

I watched this in 2 sittings and absolutely loved it.

There is no mystery. It's obvious enough right away what happened. The woman who got raped doesn't remember it and I don't understand why we need to watch hours of pretentious dialogue to have that confirmed yet again.

The scenery shots are tourist as meets stock footage, and there are far too many. The "character exploration" feels pretentious, like it's trying to show depth in simple things, but there is hardly any depth. Boring. Look at all these small town middle aged well off people grappling with their averageness and mortality... wow. At least give us a plot. On top of that it's painfully slow.

Don't bother. Too bad because the representation could have been valuable.

I crave Australian shows because the acting is 10 times better than it is in the US for example. Don't mean to hurt anyone's feelings but aussies seem to have what it takes to make it look natural. Nothing is ever overplayed. By the way I'm French, so...

Although the storyline wasn't that exceptional, I immensely enjoyed watching some of my favourite actresses (Kat Stewart and Nicole Da Silva, Yael Stone) gathered for this occasion. Couldn't dream of a better cast!!

Also, the scenery is really breathtaking.

I definitely want (no, NEED) more of these productions.

Okay I'll go check IMDB now!

Something bad happens. Woman writes a book about it years later. People fall out, then make up and life goes on. And that's it! Nothing new to offer (except a "modern" family with two mothers), no mystery, bad acting (and severe overacting!), bad editing. I felt no empathy for any of the characters, mainly as they were so unlikable (with the exception of the dad with dementia) or unbelievable. The dialogue was stilted, like the actors had forgotten or missed their lines. The best thing about it was the camera work and scenery, but ultimately, it really wasn't compelling enough to keep me interested.

Not sure why anyone thought it was worthy of a 10!

One of the most well written and executed shows I've seen. It deals with complex and heavy themes, but does so with such nuance, beauty, and authenticity that you can't help but feel more connected to your own humanity.

The show knows what it's about and what it's trying to do and it sinks into it wonderfully. You can tell it was made with great care and creativity - the camera choices in and of themselves are impactful and at times awe-inspiring. Every creative choice was made with deliberateness and with the goal to honor the story its apart of; nothing feels gratuitous or unnecessary.

It's a beautiful show that will break your heart and help it grow, all in one. An absolute must-watch, but do make sure to heed the content warnings.

I expected good things from this because of Jodie Whittaker, who is an actress I admire greatly. Well Jodie, not sure if you were just on holiday in Australia and was offered a few quid to show up in a low quality, low budget production or what but this series was terrible. Acting, cinematography and overall story telling was horrific. I saw it all through just to see the conclusion but what a complete waste of time.

Most of the Australian actors I'm pretty sure were from a few of the Australian soaps, or so my wife tells me. If this is the state of Australian production, I'm very sorry but I will avoid watching anything from there in future. Very very disappointed.

What do you remember?

Can friendships survive and be repaired after a shared trauma, especially if that trauma was experienced and dealt with in very different ways?

Who has the right to tell a story?

What happens when the truth comes to light after 20 years?

All of these questions, and more, make up the backbone of One Night. This is so much more than a simple "small town, big secret" trope. The complex, multifaceted characters (brought stunningly to life by Nicole da Silva, Yael Stone, Jodie Whittaker, and Kat Stewart) bring a depth of emotion that is often missing in the crime/mystery genre. And the raw beauty of the NSW coastline is as integral to the story as the script and the acting.

The subject matter is often triggering and hard to watch, so be warned, but the powerful performances draw you in and keep you in your seat until the long-buried truth is revealed. This powerful series is as near to perfection as I have seen in recent years and it deserves an international release.

One night is a beautifully told and important story that you will want to binge on!. Its about trauma, memory and friendship and focuses on the lives of three women following a night in their youth that changed the course of their lives. Whilst some men might be uncomfortable with the story because of its confronting subject matter this is a valuable invitation to better understand so many women's experience of trauma and indeed perhaps their own. Beautifully shot, poetically written and brilliantly acted this is a must see show. One Night will make you want to cry, get angry , laugh and talk more deeply to your friends about what matters. I thoroughly recommend it.

Great premise good friends after 20 years getting together and getting on well.

But one has wrote a book about a rape she saw 20 years ago on a mate.( anomalously) and turns out great. Ruffles this small town feathers and splits the friends up as they all had something to hide.

Simone who wrote the book had been doing a lot of dead end jobs but looking after her father with dementia ( I don't see any of friends helping her out). The cash will help her out.

Out of the wood works come some secrets. Nono Hazelhurst played a Scottish woman who owned the pub, but you can't understand her and she's in 18 century cloths.

Way too long.

Amazing talent. Don't think I have ever seen so many talented people in one series. Bravo to everyone. Writers, producers, actors, makeup, designers, I hope there will be more of this series. Australia produces so much talent. I was mesmerised and watched the whole series at once. I watch a lot of Australian movies and series and I would have to say this is the best. I wish you guys could produce more of these people and series. Nicole, George, Noni Yoel all deserve an (Oscar) i know it's American. But Australia has so much talent I can resonate with the story line having a paedophile step father and a current partner who is a rapist . I loved the sreies because of you, not what i have to live with xxx.

One Night is a brilliant series.

Rashomon-like, it depicts the trauma of an assault through the prism of various, differing recollections.

One Night features a superb cast.

Yael Stone and Nicole da Silva are particularly brilliant.

The latter's frailty and honesty are compelling.

Veteran theatre actor William Zappa is outstanding.

A young idealistic activist tries to appropriate the assault for her own purposes and devices.

The narrative unspools various layers of threads, which bind the characters and personae.

The brooding, dimly lit cinematography evokes the grandeur and mystery of the Australian coast.

One Night is a masterpiece.

This series shows how someone can be triggered without knowing why... how the brain works to protect us by forgetting and how healing can take decades. Absolutely loved the series and recommend.

Brilliant and powerful female portrayal of trauma and how it effects friendships, adult life and perspective.