If you loved
After Hours
Martin Scorsese · Film · 1985
What hooked you in After Hours was the way a single night of bad luck spirals into a claustrophobic, existential nightmare.
Start with the source
Adaptation
Carlito's Way
Brian De Palma · Film · 1993
Books on the same thread
The Tenant
Freida McFadden · Book · 2025
Like the protagonist of After Hours, Blake faces a sudden, desperate loss of status that forces him into a chaotic downward spiral where his mundane life quickly unravels.
Looking for Alaska
John Green · Book · 2014
If the existential dread of After Hours resonated with you, you will appreciate Miles as he leaves his safe routine to chase the unpredictable, life-altering Great Perhaps.
The Various Haunts of Men
Susan Hill · Book · 2004
The relentless, obsessive investigation into a disappearance echoes the mounting urban paranoia found in After Hours, keeping you trapped in an increasingly tense and lonely search for truth.
Acts of Desperation
Megan Nolan · Book · 2021
The self-destructive behavior and emotional intensity here mirror the frantic, panicked energy of Paul Hackett as he navigates the unpredictable landscape of his own modern-day obsession.
Series on the same thread
Bored to Death
Jonathan Ames · Series · 2009
Jonathan Ames inhabits a similar world of urban existential crisis as the lead in After Hours, using humor and amateur detective work to cope with his unraveling reality.
Master of None
Alan Yang · Series · 2015
Much like the fish-out-of-water experience in After Hours, Dev finds himself struggling to navigate the absurd, high-stakes obstacles that define modern adulthood in a bustling, unforgiving city.
Moonlighting
Glenn Gordon Caron · Series · 1985
The fast-paced, screwball energy and the way characters are thrust into bizarre, high-tension situations mirror the frantic, unpredictable momentum that drives the plot of After Hours.
Your Friends & Neighbors
Jonathan Tropper · Series · 2025
Just as in After Hours, the protagonist’s sudden professional fall leads him into a dangerous, dark comedic journey where his desperation causes his social world to collapse entirely.
Podcasts on the same thread
Conan O’Brien Needs A Friend
Team Coco & Earwolf · Podcast · 2026
The underlying sense of professional isolation and the search for authentic connection in a cold, urban environment echoes the lonely, searching spirit of After Hours.
S-Town
Serial Productions · Podcast · 2024
The deep dive into the eccentricities and social decay of a singular location mirrors the way After Hours transforms an ordinary setting into a strange, immersive, and unsettling landscape.
Keep exploring
Common questions
Is After Hours based on a book or another source?
After Hours is not based on a specific book or external source material. It is an original film directed by Martin Scorsese that follows an office worker who experiences a series of increasingly desperate and surreal events after venturing downtown to meet a mystery woman.
Should I watch Carlito's Way if I enjoyed After Hours?
You should watch Carlito's Way if you appreciate Martin Scorsese's directorial style. While After Hours focuses on the frantic experiences of an office worker in Manhattan, Carlito's Way is a 1993 film that also showcases Scorsese's command of urban storytelling and atmosphere within the New York City setting.
How long is After Hours?
After Hours has a runtime of 97 minutes. This duration captures the intense, single-night progression of Paul Hackett's journey as he attempts to escape his routine and return uptown after his encounter with a mystery woman leads him into a series of bizarre downtown situations.
What is the main premise of After Hours?
The main premise of After Hours involves an uptown Manhattan office worker named Paul Hackett who seeks to escape his mind-numbing daily routine. His attempt to find excitement through a hookup with a mystery woman leads to a chaotic and desperate struggle to return home throughout the night.