Nightfall Reflections: Deconstructing After Hours

After Hours, 1985

Directed by: Martin Scorsese

The film “After Hours”, Martin Scorsese's dark comedy, was released in 1985. During one wild night in New York City, the movie follows the adventures of Paul Hackett, a regular office worker, as he comes across a number of strange and progressively nightmare occurrences.

Paul meets Marcy at the start of the film, a young lady he meets at a coffee shop. They get along, so Marcy invites Paul to her SoHo apartment. When Paul accidentally leaves his money in the coffee shop and is unable to pay for a taxi to Marcy's house, their plans take an unexpected turn. Paul's night quickly turns into a sequence of terrible and bizarre incidents from this point on. He runs across strange and occasionally dangerous personalities, is mistaken for someone else, and finds himself in ridiculous situations. Paul's attempts to get back to his apartment in the security of uptown Manhattan are getting harder and harder. Paul then meets a variety of odd characters throughout the course of the night, including an eccentric waitress, a temperamental bartender, a self-described vigilante, an artist who makes weird sculptures, a crime boss and his goons, and more. Every contact puts Paul in a different situation since he attracts suspicion and is put in danger. In the end, Paul's night of insanity comes to a dramatic conclusion that makes viewers wonder about the limits of reality and the strange nature of fate. "After Hours" explores a man's terrifying journey through the bizarre and unpredictable streets of New York City in a darkly humorous and exciting way.

The plot device of the film is a paperweight statue that resembles a human being. One of the characters, Marcy, steals the statue from her place of business, and Paul, the main character, unintentionally gets involved in its possession. Even though it may seem unimportant, the statue itself represents the confusion and chaos that occur in Paul's life. It symbolizes a wanted item that starts a series of events that sends Paul on his journey.

The 3 main turning points of the film were first Paul's encounter with Marcy at the coffee shop. Marcy invited Paul to her SoHo apartment after she immediately captured his attention. However, Paul's realization that he left his wallet at the coffee shop and is unable to pay for a taxi becomes a critical turning point since it derails his entire night creating the following events that took place. The second is Paul's mistaken identity and the violent encounter with Tom and his friends.

He was mistaken to be a burglar after getting lost and ending up in a nightclub while desperately trying to find his way home. As a result, Tom, a volatile bartender, and his pals get into a heated argument that turns violent. The 3rd turning point is Paul finally making it to Kiki's place in search of protection and safety. He learns that Kiki is part of an odd artist group and that their strange behavior contributes to the strange feel of the evening. A crucial turning point occurs when Paul learns that Kiki was involved in the mayhem and his desire to leave the crazy of the night grows stronger.

The main changes in characters were Paul, in the beginning of the film he is a typical office employee leading a routine and predictable life. Paul then goes through a tremendous transformation as the night goes on and he finds himself involved in a chain of more strange and dangerous scenarios. He learns to negotiate the chaotic and unpredictably changing world he finds himself in, becoming more resourceful, adaptive, and resilient. Paul's experiences force him to step outside of his comfort zone and confront his beliefs, ultimately transforming him into a more independent and assertive person.

Also, Marcy begins the film presented as an attractive and intriguing young woman but throughout the film she is revealed to have a troubled and complex personality. Her actions become more unpredictable and disconnected from reality as the night goes on. Her character becomes more complex and mysterious as a result of this transition, which also makes one question her intentions and mental health.