Hours

Hours

Year: 2013

Runtime: 97 min

Language: English

Director: Eric Heisserer

DramaThriller

When a devastating Category 5 hurricane hits New Orleans, one father finds himself in a terrifying situation. With no power and no access to medical assistance, he must do everything in his power to protect his newborn, premature daughter. Battling the storm and dwindling resources, he draws upon an immense amount of love and resolve to give her the best chance at survival.

Warning: spoilers below!

Haven’t seen Hours yet? This summary contains major spoilers. Bookmark the page, watch the movie, and come back for the full breakdown. If you're ready, scroll on and relive the story!

Timeline & Setting – Hours (2013)

Explore the full timeline and setting of Hours (2013). Follow every major event in chronological order and see how the environment shapes the story, characters, and dramatic tension.

Time period

2005

The events occur during Hurricane Katrina in 2005, as the hospital is overwhelmed and emergency systems collapse. The storm creates dangerous conditions: flooding basements, degraded infrastructure, and a relentless effort to sustain a baby's ventilator while supplies dwindle.

Location

New Orleans, Louisiana

Set in New Orleans during Hurricane Katrina, the story unfolds around a hospital evacuation, power outages, and rising floodwaters. The environment is chaotic, with a failing generator, looting, and a race against time to keep a newborn alive.

🌊 Flooded streets 🏥 Hospital 🏙️ City of New Orleans

Last Updated: October 03, 2025 at 19:52

Main Characters – Hours (2013)

Meet the key characters of Hours (2013), with detailed profiles, motivations, and roles in the plot. Understand their emotional journeys and what they reveal about the film’s deeper themes.

Nolan Hayes (Paul Walker)

A desperate, resourceful father who fights against time and deteriorating conditions to keep his newborn daughter Abigail alive. He improvises with a hand-cranked generator, confronts looters, and endures extreme sleep deprivation, revealing a protective, determined nature under pressure.

🔥 Determined 🧰 Resourceful ⏳ Stretched by time

Abigail Hayes

The newborn daughter who requires a ventilator and constant care as the hospital is overtaken by the storm. Her fragility makes every moment critical, and her survival hinges on Nolan's ingenuity and resolve.

👶 Fragile 🌟 Hopeful 🧡 Loved

Sherlock

A rescue dog Nolan frees from rope; Sherlock accompanies him through the ordeal, providing companionship and a symbol of loyalty and resilience amid disaster.

🐶 Loyal 🧭 Loyal companion ✨ Hope

Last Updated: October 03, 2025 at 19:52

Major Themes – Hours (2013)

Explore the central themes of Hours (2013), from psychological, social, and emotional dimensions to philosophical messages. Understand what the film is really saying beneath the surface.

🕰️ Time Pressure

Nolan is locked in a real-time countdown to keep his daughter's ventilator powered, improvising with hand-cranks and inventive solutions as minutes become hours.

❤️ Parental Love

The film centers on a father's unwavering commitment to protect his child, demonstrating the lengths a parent will go to keep a newborn safe during disaster.

🐶 Loyal Companion

A rescue dog named Sherlock accompanies Nolan, offering companionship and moral support as chaos surrounds them.

Last Updated: October 03, 2025 at 19:52

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Explore Movie Threads

Discover curated groups of movies connected by mood, themes, and story style. Browse collections built around emotion, atmosphere, and narrative focus to easily find films that match what you feel like watching right now.

Claustrophobic survival movies like Hours

High-stakes survival stories in confined spaces against oppressive forces.If you liked the tense, trapped feeling of Hours, explore more movies like it. This section features similar high-stakes survival thrillers where characters are confined and must use their wits against overwhelming natural or man-made threats.

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Narrative Summary

These narratives typically center on a single protagonist or small group confined to a limited space—a room, a vehicle, a facility. The plot is driven by a ticking clock and a series of escalating, immediate threats that demand constant, exhausting action from the characters.

Why These Movies?

This thread groups movies that share an overwhelming sense of confinement and relentless pressure. They create a similar visceral viewing experience defined by high intensity, a fast pace, and a tone of desperate tension as characters fight for their lives in isolation.

Dramas about parental sacrifice similar to Hours

Stories of parents pushed to their absolute limits to protect their child.For viewers moved by the parental love in Hours, this section collects other powerful movies with similar themes. Discover more stories like Hours, where a parent's devotion is tested by grief and a race against time to save their child.

desperategrippingheart-wrenchinganxioussolemnemotionaldeterminedunrelenting

Narrative Summary

The narrative follows a grieving or threatened parent who must overcome immense physical and emotional obstacles. The journey is a linear, straightforward test of resolve, where the parent's love becomes their primary weapon against a bleak and dangerous situation.

Why These Movies?

Movies in this thread are united by their central theme of parental sacrifice and the immense emotional weight it carries. They share a heavy, serious tone and often involve a race against time, creating a deeply affecting and gripping character-driven experience.

Unlock the Full Story of Hours

Don't stop at just watching — explore Hours in full detail. From the complete plot summary and scene-by-scene timeline to character breakdowns, thematic analysis, and a deep dive into the ending — every page helps you truly understand what Hours is all about. Plus, discover what's next after the movie.

Hours Summary

Read a complete plot summary of Hours, including all key story points, character arcs, and turning points. This in-depth recap is ideal for understanding the narrative structure or reviewing what happened in the movie.

Hours Summary

Hours Timeline

Track the full timeline of Hours with every major event arranged chronologically. Perfect for decoding non-linear storytelling, flashbacks, or parallel narratives with a clear scene-by-scene breakdown.

Hours Timeline

Hours Spoiler-Free Summary

Get a quick, spoiler-free overview of Hours that covers the main plot points and key details without revealing any major twists or spoilers. Perfect for those who want to know what to expect before diving in.

Hours Spoiler-Free Summary

More About Hours

Visit What's After the Movie to explore more about Hours: box office results, cast and crew info, production details, post-credit scenes, and external links — all in one place for movie fans and researchers.

More About Hours

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Discover movies like Hours that share similar genres, themes, and storytelling elements. Whether you’re drawn to the atmosphere, character arcs, or plot structure, these curated recommendations will help you explore more films you’ll love.