While some movies tell their stories over the course of years or even decades, sometimes a tight-knit narrative thatunfolds throughout just one nightcan be even more thrilling. By condensing an entire film into such a short span of time, there’s no room for superfluous details, and the most engrossing one-night movies were defined by strong scripts, great performances, and a fast-paced narrative. It could beall-time great action moviesor thoughtful romances, but there were many fantastic films that occurred over the course of just one night.
A lot can happen in one night, and even though there’s only a limited number of hours before the sun comes back up, that does not mean it’s not enough time forlovers to find their soulmateor cunning criminals to get the job done. Whether it’s highly stylized releases from auteur filmmakers orcoming-of-age talesthat resonate with an entire generation, directors have been packing their stories into just a night since the birth of cinema. While allthese stories took place over a short span of time, they were so engaging that viewers will remember them forever.
10Clue (1985)
Directed by Jonathan Lynn
As one of the best board game movies ever, the comedic mysteryClueblended the varied characters of the original game with the style of classic whodunnit stories from the likes of Agatha Christie. With astacked cast of A-list talent including Tim Curry and Christopher Lloyd, this film paid tribute to the game by including three separate endings to represent the different outcomes within the game. Since different versions played at different theaters, watchingClueon the big screen at the time of its release was a fun-filled experience where audiences genuinely didn’t know which version they were watching.
As a cult favorite whose reputation has only grown over the years, it was exciting to see iconic characters like Mrs. Peacock, Wadsworth the butler, and Colonel Mustard included inClue. With plenty of wit and some exciting twists and turns, this exciting murder mystery took place over the course of one night as six strangers were invited to a secluded New England mansion. Although some critics at the time dismissedClue’smultiple endings as gimmicky, looking back, it cleverly played with conventions of cinema itself.
9Night On Earth (1991)
Directed by Jim Jarmusch
The countercultural icon and auteur filmmaker Jim Jarmusch took viewers on a thrilling nighttime journey around the world inNight on Earth. This cult-favorite anthology movie collected five vignettes taking place over the course of one night as various passengers formed bonds with taxi drivers in Los Angeles, New York City, Paris, Rome, and Helsinki. With sequences that became increasingly wild as the night progressed,Night on Earthperfectly encapsulated everything intriguing and unpredictable about Jarmusch’s unique style.
Featuring the likes ofRoberto Benigni playing an eccentric and sexually open cabbie confessing his sins to an uncomfortable priest in Rome,Night on Earthwas a funny, silly, and at times moving insight into the strange people who seemingly only come out at night. While Jarmusch has made other anthology-style films likeCoffee and Cigarettesin the years since,Night on Earthwould be a good entry point for those looking to discover this strikingly original director’s work.
Directed by Sam Raimi
Although director Sam Raimi may have laid the foundations of theEvil Deadfranchise with his original low-budget horror movie from 1981, it was the quasi-sequel-remakeEvil Dead IIwhere the franchise really came into its own. Taking place over just one night,Evil Dead IIretold the story of the original with a heavier focus on humor and slapstick comedy. Featuring acareer-defining performance from Bruce Campbell as Ash Williams, his commitment to his role alone was enough to turn this into an all-time great cult classic.
Evil Dead IIbegan with Ash taking his girlfriend on vacation to a remote cabin, only to accidentally unleash demons from an ancient text and find himself facing off against hordes of undead foes and supernatural forces. WhileEvil Dead IImay have taken place over the course of just one night, its legacy has only grown over the years as it has continued through its sequel, reboot series, comic books, and even a spin-off television series titledAsh vs Evil Dead.
7American Graffiti (1973)
Directed by George Lucas
Before gaining worldwide recognition withStar Wars, George Lucas captured the essence of the cruising and early rock ‘n’ roll cultures of his youth inAmerican Graffiti. This acclaimed coming-of-age story explored a group of teenagers and their adventures throughout a single night through a series of fun-filled vignettes. Film criticRoger Ebertsummed up the appeal ofAmerican Graffitiwhen he said it works not only as a great film but also as a historical document, as “no sociological treatise could duplicate the movie’s success in remembering exactly how it was to be alive at that cultural instant.”
American Graffitiwas a glimpse into an era that’s long since passed and was a bittersweet look at a group of 1962 high school grads last days of innocence. As a hugely influential movie, the legacy ofAmerican Graffitihas extended to the teen movie genre as a whole, aslater movies likeDazed and Confusedtried to replicate its culture-defining appealfor the 1990s. While Lucas shifted his focus towardStar WarsandIndiana Jonesafter this,American Graffitimakes us wish he also carved out a dual career directing more grounded, realistic films like this.
6The Warriors (1979)
Directed by Walter Hill
Walter Hill’sThe Warriorswas an unapologetically gritty look at New York street gangs fighting it out on one solitary, violent night. Telling the story of Coney Island teens trying to survive an intense showdown against an assortment of bizarre criminal gangs, this trashy, campy, and outrageous movie has since become a touchstone of popular culture and has been referenced in everything fromThe SimpsonstoJohn Wick. As an enjoyable example of a B-movie chaotic fun,The Warriorshad the style and feel of a video gameas various foes reared their heads on this wild New York night.
As a campy cult classic with over-the-top dialogue and highly stylized chase sequences through city streets,The Warriorswas as engaging as it was implausible. For as wild and unbelievable asThe Warriorswas, it also felt like the encapsulation of the disenfranchised feelings of young people during this era. With plenty of unlikely fans, even President Ronald Reagan was reportedly an admirer of the movie (viaSalon) and even phoned its lead actor, Michael Beck, to tell him that he had screened the movie at Camp David to tell him how much he enjoyed it.
5Who’s Afraid Of Virginia Woolf? (1966)
Directed by Mike Nichols
Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?was Mike Nichols' astounding adaptation of the 1962 play by Edward Albee, which depicted an eventful late-night gathering at the home of a college professor and his wife. What starts with the drunken couple inviting a young married couple back to their house for a drink soon turns into a stunning critique of the phoniness of American culture, the faces we wear around others, and the fragility of unstable marriages. As the couple uses their guests to fuel their own anguish and frustration toward one another, this minimalist story made for deeply uncomfortable viewing.
As a distressing look at emotional pain and buried resentment,Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?was made more engaging through the performances of four cast members. With 13 Academy Award nominations, including Best Picture, this marked the first time that four main actors were nominated for Oscars in their respective acting categories. The exploration of marriage inWho’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?was made all the more fascinating since its stars,Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton, were actually married in real life at the time.
4Before Sunrise (1995)
Directed by Richard Linklater
Richard Linklater made perhapsthe most beautiful example of a meet-cute ever captured on the big screenwithBefore Sunrise. Telling the story of a young American (Ethan Hawke) on a train to Vienna who encounters an introspective French girl (Julie Delpy), the two form an instant connection and disembark the train together to spend one night together characterized by intense conversation, philosophical rambling, and the extraordinary excitement of falling head over heels in love.
As a deeply moving depiction of the first flurries of romance,Before Sunrisewas made all the more engaging through the limited time these lovers had together, as they sought to squeeze every ounce of enjoyment they could out of this chance encounter. As the first film in Linklater’sBeforetrilogy,Before Sunrisewas the starting point of one of cinema’s most unlikely film franchises.
3After Hours (1985)
Directed by Martin Scorsese
While Martin Scorsese was behind some of the most acclaimed movies of all time, among his vast and varied filmography sits the highly underrated and underseen black comedyAfter Hours. Set over the course of just one night, this frantic neo-noir starred Griffin Dunne as Paul Hackett, an office worker who, after a dull day at work, had a night that was anything but. When a brief but intense connection with a woman named Marcy offers the chance of romance, Paul ends up having the most bizarre night of his life as he tries to reconnect with the girl.
After Hourswas categorized by sheer paranoia and unpredictabilityas Paul’s night became increasingly unwieldy in this farcical story that paired the yuppie era of the 1980s with the wackiness of a screwball comedy. As a thought-provoking glimpse into the soulless nature of corporate life, Paul’s journey was filled with false promises as he sought to replace the drudgery of his work as a computer data entry worker with a whirlwind romance. However, in the end, the night passed without any such memory, and he went back to work tired and depressed.
2Good Time (2017)
Directed by Josh and Benny Safdie
The Safdie brothers came together with star Robert Pattinson forGood Time, an anxiety-inducing thriller that unfolds over the course of one solitary night. With the same unsettling feeling as the Safdies’ follow-up filmUncut Gems,Good Timefollowed Connie Nikas (Pattinson) as he tried to avoid being arrested himself as he desperately sought to get his mentally disabled brother out of custody following a botched bank robbery. With intense visuals and a standout performance from Pattinson, this distinctive story helped solidify the Safdies’ reputation as some of the most interesting filmmakers working today.
The relentless urgency ofGood Time, paired with its neon color palette, made for heart-racing and visually stunning viewing. As a story that occurs over the course of just one night, Connie’s desperate journey felt like it was almost occurring in real time as each new twist and turn made it feel like he was just on the cusp of apprehension. As a chaotic, nerve-wracking, and tight-knit narrative,Good Timewas one of the best crime thrillers of the 2010sand deserves far more recognition as one of Pattinson’s crowning achievements as an actor.
1Collateral (2004)
Directed by Michael Mann
With two astounding performances at the center of this thrilling release,Collateralwas as one of director Michael Mann’s standout movies. With Jamie Foxx as the Los Angeles cab driver Max Durocher and Tom Cruise as his customer Vincent, this neo-noir action thriller saw Vincent eventually taking Max hostage as he embarks on a contract killer spree in his role as a hitman. Boasting a strong screenplay, great chemistry between its stars, and plenty of Mann’s signature stylistic flair,Collateralwas among the best movies ever that unfold over the course of just one night.
With everyone involved delivering at the absolute top of their game,Collateralwas just about everything you could want out of a thrilling action movie. Cruise gave one of his best performances, and Foxx was even nominated for an Academy Award for his role, a rare acknowledgment from the Academy for an action movie. WhileCollateralmay havetaken place over just one night, its legacy has only grown over the years.
