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A Night of Crimes (2019) movie poster

Timeline

A Night of Crimes (2019) Timeline Explained – Every Event in Order

Release, runtime and language
2019 · 15 mins · Portuguese
Directed by
Marcelo N. Reis
Starring
Ricardo Boechat, Leandro Sherman, Cristiano Bello, Luriam Almeida, Joelma Neves

When the police force unexpectedly goes on strike, chaos erupts in Brazil as criminals seize the opportunity to run rampant. Ordinary citizens must fight to survive a day where law and order have vanished, struggling to protect themselves and their loved ones amidst the escalating violence. Inspired by real events, this film portrays a city descending into turmoil and the desperate measures people take to endure a terrifying situation.

Crime Cast, crew & box office
On this page (5)
  1. 1 Events in order (12)
  2. 2 Timeline questions answered
  3. 3 Movie threads
  4. 4 Categories
  5. 5 Every angle

12 events in order · contains spoilers

A Night of Crimes Timeline: Events in Chronological Order

Every key event of A Night of Crimes (2019) in order, scene by scene, with when and where it takes place. Use it to untangle flashbacks, time jumps and parallel storylines, to refresh your memory before the sequel or to find the exact scene you are thinking of.

  1. Joe and Susan hear a scream and discover a murder

    Joe Powell visits his girlfriend Susan Cooper and they hear a woman's scream. They rush to the hallway and discover Ellen Smith has been strangled to death in her apartment across the hall. The shocking discovery sets off an investigation and raises the stakes for everyone in the building.

    When
    Evening
    Where
    Across the hall from Susan and Joe

  2. Mona Harrison reappears in the headlines

    Mona Harrison, an actress who had recently disappeared, again makes headlines. Police chief Williams interviews everyone who attended Mona's dinner party the night before. Mona's servants have quit, and she had offered to take the guests out for dinner, but she never shows up at the restaurant.

    When
    Next day
    Where
    Mona's home

  3. Susan investigates Mona's bedroom

    Susan searches Mona's bedroom and finds a hidden safe. When a man enters Mona's room, she hides in the closet and the encounter nearly ends in her being strangled. Detective Hoffman arrives, and the assailant escapes before he can be captured.

    When
    That night
    Where
    Mona's bedroom

  4. Mona's death is confirmed; different killers for Ellen and Mona

    Joe and Susan learn Mona has been found dead, and the coroner's report reveals a disturbing distinction: Ellen was murdered by a man, but Mona was killed by a woman.

    When
    Morning after Mona's death
    Where
    City morgue

  5. Joe faces danger while researching Mona's sister

    Joe is nearly killed by an unseen assailant as he checks Mona's office files for her twin sister Marie. The close call confirms that someone is actively trying to hide Mona's secrets.

    When
    Later that day
    Where
    Joe's office

  6. Susan decides to head to Reno for safety

    Susan decides to leave for Reno, Nevada, seeking safety away from the escalating danger. The move signals a strategic shift as the threat tightens around Mona's murder case.

    When
    That evening
    Where
    Susan's apartment

  7. Joe, Hart, and Carol Lynn head for Reno

    Concerned about Susan's safety, Joe, Hamilton Hart, and Carol Lynn head for Reno to provide protection and pursue the truth. The group travels together to intervene and uncover the conspiracy.

    When
    The following day
    Where
    On the road to Reno

  8. Arthur Evans menaces Susan on the road

    On the road, Susan is nearly driven off the highway by Arthur Evans, heightening the peril surrounding Mona's murder. The chase underscores the stakes and links Arthur to the blackmail scheme.

    When
    During the trip
    Where
    On the highway en route to Reno

  9. Susan reunites with the group at the Reno hotel

    When Susan reaches the hotel, she reunites with Joe, Hart, and Mona's sister Marie. The reunion consolidates the team and aligns the pieces of Mona's murder.

    When
    Evening
    Where
    Hotel in Reno

  10. The blackmail scheme is laid bare

    Susan reveals that Arthur was married to Marie and that they were blackmailing Mona. Mona refused to pay more; Marie killed Mona and Arthur killed Ellen, who had witnessed Mona's murder. The confession shifts the investigation toward Marie as the central culprit.

    When
    Confrontation scene
    Where
    Hotel room

  11. Marie falls to her death

    Marie becomes violent and, in her fury, she accidentally falls to her death from the hotel window. The violent climax resolves the immediate threat but leaves the other characters to process the consequences of the deceit.

    When
    Climax
    Where
    Hotel room / window

  12. Aftermath and closure

    With Marie dead, the web of blackmail is exposed and the immediate danger subsides. The surviving characters begin to move forward as the truth behind Mona's murder is finally revealed.

    When
    After the events
    Where
    Hotel in Reno

Last updated: February 20, 2026 at 12:20

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Timeline questions answered

A Night of Crimes Timeline Explained: Your Questions Answered

When does it happen, and why in that order? The questions people ask about the chronology of A Night of Crimes (2019): time jumps, flashbacks, cause and effect between scenes and the correct order of events, each answered with spoilers.

Q1

Why was Ellen Smith killed by a man but Mona Harrison killed by a woman?

The coroner's findings reveal a crucial clue: different people killed Ellen and Mona because they were killed for different reasons. Ellen was murdered by Arthur Evans to silence her as a witness to Mona's murder. Mona was killed by her own twin sister Marie, who was furious that Mona refused to continue paying money for their blackmail scheme.

  • ellen smith
  • mona harrison
  • different killers
  • coroner report
  • murder investigation
Q2

Who was the man that attacked Susan in Mona's bedroom?

The man who attacked Susan in Mona's bedroom was Arthur Evans, who was secretly married to Mona's twin sister Marie. Arthur was part of the blackmail scheme and entered Mona's bedroom to protect their conspiracy when he discovered Susan snooping. He nearly strangled her before Detective Hoffman arrived and scared him off.

  • arthur evans
  • susan cooper
  • mona bedroom attack
  • strangulation
  • detective hoffman
Q3

Why was Joe attacked while researching Mona's files?

Joe was attacked because he discovered references to Mona's twin sister Marie in her office files. The attackers, Arthur Evans and Marie, were actively trying to hide the connection between the two sisters, which was central to their blackmail scheme. Joe's discovery threatened to expose their conspiracy, so they tried to eliminate him.

  • joe powell
  • mona files
  • marie
  • office attack
  • conspiracy
Q4

How is Marie related to Mona Harrison?

Marie is Mona Harrison's identical twin sister. The two share a striking resemblance, which becomes important in the blackmail plot. Marie and Arthur Evans used this familial connection to manipulate Mona, ultimately leading to her murder when Mona refused to continue paying them.

  • marie harrison
  • twin sister
  • mona harrison
  • identical twins
  • family secret
Q5

What was the blackmail scheme involving Mona Harrison?

Arthur Evans married Marie (Mona's twin sister), and together they blackmailed Mona, using her celebrity status against her. When Mona refused to pay more money under the threat of exposure, Marie killed her in cold blood. This scheme was the central motive behind both murders in the story.

  • blackmail
  • mona harrison
  • arthur evans
  • marie
  • extortion scheme
Q6

Why did Arthur Evans kill Ellen Smith?

Arthur Evans killed Ellen Smith because she witnessed Marie committing murder. When Ellen saw Marie kill Mona, Arthur strangled Ellen to prevent her from becoming a witness to the crime. His role was to eliminate anyone who could expose the sisters' secret.

  • arthur evans
  • ellen smith
  • witness elimination
  • mona murder
  • strangulation
Q7

Why did Marie kill her own sister Mona?

Marie killed Mona because Mona refused to continue paying money for the blackmail scheme they had been running together. When Mona discovered the scheme and stopped paying, Marie's greed turned to rage, leading her to murder her own twin sister in a fit of fury.

  • marie kills mona
  • twin sister murder
  • greed
  • blackmail motive
  • family betrayal
Q8

Why did Mona's servants quit before her death?

Mona's servants quit because they likely sensed something was wrong in her household or had become aware of the dangerous situation surrounding her. Their departure added to the mysterious atmosphere and signaled that Mona was increasingly isolated before her murder.

  • mona servants
  • house staff
  • quitting
  • mystery
  • isolation
Q9

What was inside Mona's hidden safe?

While the exact contents of Mona's hidden safe aren't specified in detail, its discovery by Susan suggests it contained evidence related to the blackmail scheme or personal secrets. The safe represents Mona's attempt to protect sensitive information from the people trying to control her.

  • mona safe
  • hidden safe
  • secret evidence
  • susan discovery
  • blackmail documents
Q10

How did Marie die at the end of the movie?

Marie died after falling from the hotel window in Reno during a violent confrontation. When Susan revealed the full truth about the blackmail scheme and Arthur's marriage to Marie, Marie flew into a rage and accidentally fell to her death while trying to attack the group. Her death marked the violent climax of the conspiracy.

Foreshadowing: Earlier hints of Marie's volatile temperament appear in the tension surrounding the dinner party and her servants' sudden departure.

  • marie death
  • hotel window
  • fall
  • climax
  • conspiracy end

Movie threads

More Movies Like A Night of Crimes, by Mood & Story

Curated lists built around what makes A Night of Crimes tick: the same mood, the same kind of story or the same emotional payoff. Each list explains why these movies belong together.

Societal Collapse Thrillers like A Night of Crimes

Stories where the thin veneer of civilization shatters overnight. If you enjoyed the high-tension chaos of A Night of Crimes, explore these movies about society breaking down. These films feature cities in turmoil, lawless environments, and desperate survival against overwhelming odds, perfect for fans of intense, high-stakes thrillers.

  • chaotic
  • dangerous
  • desperate
  • bleak
  • anxious
  • paranoid
  • Tone: tense, dark, bleak
  • Pacing: fast, chaotic
Why these movies?

The story pattern: These narratives typically begin with a catastrophic event that dismantles the social order, plunging characters into a world where survival is paramount. The story follows their journey through an increasingly dangerous landscape, forcing them to confront moral dilemmas and make brutal choices as they fight to protect themselves and their loved ones.

Why they belong together: Movies in this thread are united by their shared exploration of societal fragility and the visceral experience of watching a familiar world descend into anarchy. They deliver a consistent mood of high-intensity tension, desperation, and the bleak reality of human nature under extreme pressure.

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A Night of Crimes

2019
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Time to Hunt

2020
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Alongside Night

2014
Rebel Ridge movie poster

Rebel Ridge

2024
The Unthinkable movie poster

The Unthinkable

2018
The City of Lost Souls movie poster

The City of Lost Souls

2002
The Fix movie poster

The Fix

2024
Daybreak movie poster

Daybreak

2005

High-Stakes Race Against Chaos like A Night of Crimes

Ordinary people thrust into a violent crisis with time running out. Fans of the frantic energy and desperate survival in A Night of Crimes will love these movies. They share a fast pace, high tension, and a sense of ordinary people fighting against overwhelming odds in a world spinning out of control.

  • fast-paced
  • suspenseful
  • dangerous
  • desperate
  • anxious
  • unpredictable
  • Tone: tense, anxious, dark
  • Pacing: fast, relentless
Why these movies?

The story pattern: These plots are driven by a rapid succession of life-threatening events, creating a relentless pace. Characters are constantly reacting to new dangers, with the narrative focused on their immediate survival rather than long-term planning. The journey is a desperate, reactive scramble against an ever-worsening situation.

Why they belong together: These films are grouped by their shared fast pacing, high intensity, and a tense, anxious mood. They all center on the visceral experience of being a pawn in a large-scale, dangerous event, creating a feeling of unpredictability and constant threat that keeps viewers on edge.

Fast Track: No Limits movie poster

Fast Track: No Limits

2008
Gone in 60 Seconds movie poster

Gone in 60 Seconds

1974
Hit-and-Run Squad movie poster

Hit-and-Run Squad

2019
Redline movie poster

Redline

2007
Fast Charlie movie poster

Fast Charlie

2023
A Night of Crimes movie poster

A Night of Crimes

2019
High Voltage movie poster

High Voltage

1998
Chaos movie poster

Chaos

2003

Categories

Movie Lists Featuring A Night of Crimes

A Night of Crimes appears in these hand-built movie categories. Each one groups movies by a specific mood, theme or story type, with their plot summaries and endings explained.

View all movie categories
Malevolent System Error Thrillers movies

Malevolent System Error Thrillers

Thrillers about system errors

Every angle

A Night of Crimes (2019) Explained: Plot, Timeline & Characters

Everything about A Night of Crimes in one place: what happens in the plot summary, the timeline in chronological order, the characters and meaning and a spoiler-free summary. What's After the Movie adds the cast, box office and post-credit scenes.

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