Directed by Martin Scorsese and written by Joseph Minion, an ordinary word processor has the worst night of his life after he agrees to visit a girl in Soho he met that evening at a coffee shop. Starring: Griffin Dunne, Rosanna Arquette, Verna Bloom, Tommy Chong, Linda Fiorentino, Teri Garr, John Heard, Cheech Marin, Catherine O’Hara, Dick Miller and Will Patton.
There’s one thing that you can easily see by looking through the filmography of Martin Scorsese and that’s that he has always been a director of variety. His projects vary wildly and After Hours is one that stands out as a particularly fascinating example of his wide-ranging skills. You can see touches of his other films from the era within it, the grime of the city, the snowballing intensity of the atmosphere and a growing threatening feel.
Yet, it’s somehow both grounded and surreal, creating that air of something that’s possible and preposterous, walking a fine line. Scorsese takes that Kafka influence but remains within an accessible arena. The whole aesthetic embodies that late night feel, with a dark edge and slightly gritty tones. It almost ventures towards sleazy but because it’s balanced with that oddness, it manages to create something more akin to a messed-up adventure.
Joseph Minion creates this nightmarish, purgatory styled, hellscape of an evening but it’s not overtly obscure or difficult to follow. It journeys deeply into the realm of the bizarre but isn’t laden with complex metaphors or existential crises. It lives within that dark comedy world, it’s strange and funny, holding onto this exceptionally quirky energy. Minion’s writing has this hugely offbeat sense of humour, finding the entertainment within Paul’s (Griffin Dunne) hell.
A big part of that is the way that Paul reacts to these increasingly ridiculous situations he lands in, his frustration goes through the roof and his patience wears thin, but he always has a certain level of composure. That quality to him of being able to handle whatever gets thrown at him keeps that vein of comedy going. Which of course is in no small part thanks to Griffin Dunne’s performance, he’s wily and surprisingly generous yet he does have his limits. There’s a charm to him but he’s not necessarily going for a traditionally likeable character.
There’s also a surprising supporting cast, an ensemble of unusual cameos that are very well done. Particularly Catherine O’Hara, who never disappoints and is delightfully odd here. Teri Garr brings an unrelenting but broken energy that feels filled with potential. The list goes on, each member of the cast feels as though they have something to add, even if it’s just the briefest of roles, like the cab driver or subway attendant.
After Hours shows the many sides to Martin Scorsese, with an outrageous story of an evening gone to hell. Griffin Dunne leads the way with a remarkable persistence while he’s hounded by an intensifying group of crazed strangers, played by a terrific supporting cast. It is truly bizarre and won’t work for everyone but for any Scorsese fan or lover of unusual cinema, it’s very worth watching.
Verdict: ✯✯✯✯ | 8/10
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