By Jack Shanley

With this underrated classic hitting cinemas once again last month, it gave a fantastic opportunity to rewatch it and review it. After Hours directed by Martin Scorsese in 1985, is a darkly comedic exploration of one man’s surreal and nightmarish journey through the streets of New York City. With its frenetic pacing, eccentric characters, and Kafkaesque plot, the film immerses viewers in a world where every turn leads to increasingly bizarre and absurd situations. Set over the course of one long, eventful night, the story follows Paul Hackett (played by Griffin Dunne), a mild-mannered office worker who finds himself trapped in a series of misadventures after a chance encounter with a mysterious woman named Marcy (played by Rosanna Arquette). As Paul navigates the surreal landscape of downtown Manhattan, he encounters a colourful cast of characters, including eccentric artists, eccentric bartenders, and a vigilante mob, all of whom seem determined to thwart his attempts to return home. Scorsese’s direction is masterful in its ability to create and sustain a sense of escalating tension and unease. The film’s use of claustrophobic cinematography and discordant music adds to the feeling of paranoia and disorientation that permeates every scene. As Paul’s night goes from bad to worse, the audience is kept on the edge of their seats, never quite sure what twist or turn the story will take next. At its heart, After Hours is a black comedy that explores themes of alienation, urban isolation, and the absurdity of modern life. Paul’s descent into chaos serves as a darkly humorous commentary on the randomness and unpredictability of fate, as well as the often-absurd nature of human behaviour. The performances in After Hours are uniformly excellent, with Dunne delivering a standout performance as the hapless protagonist. His portrayal of Paul as a man caught in a Kafkaesque nightmare is both sympathetic and darkly funny, and he manages to convey a sense of mounting panic and desperation without ever veering into melodrama. In all truth I’d recommend checking out ‘After Hours’ and see what you think of it, I shall give it a score of Four Stars. You can buy ‘After Hours’ for €3.99 on YouTube. Director: Martin Scorsese – Rating: R – Genre: Comedy/Thriller – Run Time: 1h 37m Language: English. For more film content please follow @movies4fanatics on Instagram.