Top 10 Movies that Take Place Over One Night

Paramount definitely “rolled the dice” on this one. Based on the iconic murder-mystery board game, the film version takes place in a lavish New England mansion, as a collection of suspicious dinner guests try to figure out who killed their host, Mr. Boddy. Considered a cult classic, this film ups the urgency by compressing the investigation into a single evening. As the drama unfolds, the tensions rise and the bodies start to pile up; everybody begins to wonder if they will make it till morning. In a unique marketing move, and one that remained true to the game, the film’s ultimate dénouement could play out in a variety of different ways, with theaters receiving one of three versions of the film, each with a different ending.

Making a good movie doesn’t need to be complicated – just stick Tom Hardy in a car for two hours with nothing but his brooding stares and a cellphone. Well, that’s the gist of this nighttime thriller. Successful construction foreman Ivan Locke must juggle work, infidelity, and his family over the phone as he drives through the night from Birmingham to London. This unique chamber play takes place entirely within the confines of Locke’s car, with all conversation occurring over the phone. The nighttime setting of the film doubles as a metaphor for the personal darkness that is slowly enveloping Locke as he makes the drive. A slow cruise at midday wouldn’t have been nearly as effective.

They call it the city that never sleeps – and for good reason. This found footage thriller takes place in, you guessed it, New York City. As a monster tears the place apart, a group of friends race against the odds on a daring rescue mission. In true J.J. Abrams fashion, the film weaves a tense narrative around the carnage and mayhem of a city under siege. As the landmarks begin to crumble and darkness sets in, the characters find themselves wondering if they will ever see another sunrise. Word of advice: if you’re ever in NYC, maybe steer clear of an overnight battle with a world conquering alien mega-monster.

Bloody murder coupled with a black leading man – not exactly typical when it came to films of the 1960s. Then again, George A. Romero is anything but ordinary. The director’s iconic film is more than just your standard zombie flick: it is THE zombie flick. Trapped in a farmhouse and surrounded by a swarm of reanimated corpses, a group of strangers must work together to ensure their survival. Over the course of the night, things go from bad to worse, with the kind of graphic violence the world has come to expect from Romero. Subversive, bold, and uninhibited; this movie utilizes the darkness of the night to heighten the suspense and the terror.

Nobody knows how to shoot Los Angeles at night quite like Michael Mann – and this film is no exception. For taxi driver Max, it was just another night making the rounds. That is, until he picked up Vincent; a contract killer hell-bent on ensuring his targets don’t make it till morning. Being able to cram this much action into a single evening is what makes this film a standout. As the night rolls along, a new, beautifully choreographed action sequence is seemingly around every corner. Weaving itself through many different parts of the city, the film truly emulates the feeling of being a cabbie in nighttime LA. That being said, a typical taxi ride doesn’t usually involve this much bloodshed.

Ah beautiful New York City: Times Square, Coney Island, and gang members murdering each other in the streets. In this ‘70s cult classic, a gang must fight their way across the city after being falsely accused of killing the magnetic leader of The Big Apple’s largest gang. Being pursued by every tough guy in town, the men must keep their heads on a swivel if they wish to make until morning. The overnight setting of the film plays like a ticking time bomb, with the characters well aware that if they don’t make it home by sunrise, it’s going to go off. Next time someone asks you to “come out to play,” maybe it’s best if you just stay home.

T-birds, drive-ins and rock n’ roll: welcome to California in the ‘60s. This movie follows a group of teenagers as they cruise around the city discussing life, girls and their impending futures. For high school grads Curt and Steve, this night may very well be the last in their hometown. The film pulls off the impressive task of making audiences care about a cast of characters based solely on one night with them. Shot on a shoestring budget, this period piece went on to gross over $200 million, was nominated for five Academy Awards, and in the ‘90s, was selected for preservation in the National Film Registry. Not bad for a single evening in Modesto.

Have you ever had a really bad night? Well, in this Scorsese comedy, an innocuous word processor experiences the worst night of his life. Seemingly trapped in the Manhattan neighborhood of SoHo, Paul Hackett’s evening goes from bad to worse as he attempts to make it home in one piece. Audiences can feel the urgency in Hackett’s character as he fights the kinds of demons that only come out after dark. The night appears to grow more sinister at every turn, elevating the tension, as Hackett just can’t seem to escape his surroundings. Scorsese makes the most of the nighttime setting, turning the SoHo streets and alleys into a never-ending maze.

Ah, to be young and in Europe. After meeting on a train coming from Budapest, Jesse and Celine decide to spend the evening together walking around the city. As the night unfolds, the two 20-somethings begin to realize that their feelings for one another are much stronger than they could have ever anticipated. The film is striking in that it compresses an epic love story into a single night. Richard Linklater has you caring so deeply for these two lovebirds, that by the end, all you want is for their time together to last a little longer. Not surprising when you consider that this is the same guy who gave us “Dazed and Confused.”

Before we unveil our top pick, here are a few honorable mentions:

- “Attack the Block” (2011)

- “Coherence” (2013)

- “Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf” (1966)

- “25th Hour” (2002)

- “Night on Earth” (1991)

No movie is perfect…but “Die Hard” is pretty damn close. Set in a Los Angeles high rise, a group of German mercenaries masquerade as terrorists in order to pull off a daring heist. Standing in their way is a shoeless Bruce Willis; armed only with a machine gun and a truckload of sarcasm. Whereas other action flicks take their time, spreading out fight sequences over days, weeks or even years, “Die Hard” packs the heat into just one night. Endlessly quotable, this film jams so much intensity into a single evening, you’d think you died and went to action movie heaven. The nighttime setting illuminates Nakatomi Plaza, highlighting it as the battleground for one of the greatest action movies ever made.

Do you agree with our list? What’s your favorite movie that takes place over one night? For more entertaining Top 10s published daily, be sure to subscribe to WatchMojo.com.