That Night

That Night

Year: 2013

Runtime: 19 mins

Language: English

Director: Chris Foggin

A story of life, love and a friendship that could only last the night.

Warning: spoilers below!

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Timeline & Setting – That Night (2013)

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

Time period

1961

The story unfolds in 1961, a time of conservative social mores on the cusp of the 1960s. Life centers on family reputation, neighborhood scrutiny, and strict rules about romance and pregnancy. The setting uses the late summer atmosphere of a coastal suburb to heighten the tension between desire and duty.

Location

Long Island, New York, Upstate New York

Set on Long Island in 1961, the film follows a close-knit seaside suburb where bowling alleys, beaches, and boardwalks frame the daily rhythms. The community is intimate and quick to gossip, with reputations shaped by rigid expectations. The journey also takes the characters upstate to an unwed mothers' home, highlighting the geographic pull of escape and consequence.

🏝️ Seaside community 🏠 Suburban dynamics 🗣️ Gossip-driven society

Last Updated: October 03, 2025 at 06:40

Main Characters – That Night (2013)

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

Sheryl O'Connor (Alexandra Roach)

Seventeen-year-old Sheryl becomes the focal point of desire and conflict after forming a forbidden bond with Rick. She navigates maternal restrictions and social rumors while wrestling between a hopeful future and familial duty. Her pregnancy intensifies the pressures around love, loyalty, and leaving home.

💘 Romantic longing 🏠 Family pressure 💪 Resilience

Rick (James Corden)

A charming counter boy drawn to Sheryl, he leads a group that encloses the lovers in danger from neighborhood judgment. His loyalty to Sheryl grows as circumstances push them toward a risky plan to be together. He embodies impulsive romance tempered by the realities of social consequences.

💘 Romantic devotion 🔥 Risk-taking ⚖️ Consequences

Alice Bloom

A curious ten-year-old observer who records events and pursues truth in a world where adults hide their complexities. Her bond with Sheryl and her fascination with Rick drive her to witness and document a forbidden romance. The experience shapes her understanding of love, loss, and the price of growing up.

🧒 Curiosity 👀 Witness to secrets 💭 Growth

Last Updated: October 03, 2025 at 06:40

Major Themes – That Night (2013)

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

💘 Forbidden Love

A tender but perilous romance forms between Sheryl and Rick, challenged by age gaps, parental disapproval, and community judgment. Their relationship becomes a flashpoint for desire, loyalty, and the costs of pursuing happiness. The story tracks how love collides with social boundaries and the longing for a different future.

🌱 Coming of Age

Alice watches the adults with a wary, growing curiosity as she navigates her own awakening. The film traces her shift from passive observer to active participant in a decision she cannot control. Innocence is tested by witnessing love, loss, and the first seeds of responsibility.

🗣️ Gossip

Word travels fast in the close-knit community, turning private moments into public spectacle. The rumor mill drives characters to mask truths and protect appearances, often at personal cost. Observation becomes a tool that shapes choices and fates.

🏠 Family & Consequences

Sheryl's pregnancy and her mother's reaction reveal how family duties and obligation govern individual desires. The film explores the pressure to conform, the consequences of defiance, and the fragile bonds that hold a family together under strain. Community judgment magnifies the stakes of intimate decisions.

Last Updated: October 03, 2025 at 06:40

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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.

Movies about pivotal summers like in That Night

Stories where a single season forever alters the course of young lives.If you liked the nostalgic, life-changing summer in 'That Night', explore more movies with similar stories. These films capture the intense, formative experiences of youth set against the backdrop of a single, unforgettable season, blending romance, friendship, and the ache of growing up.

nostalgicyearningintimatemelancholicsun-drenchedcoming of agereflective

Narrative Summary

The narrative typically follows a character, often on the cusp of adulthood, through a condensed period of intense experience. The setting of summer—with its freedom from routine and heightened emotions—accelerates personal growth and emotional discovery, culminating in a significant, often bittersweet, transition by season's end.

Why These Movies?

These films are grouped by their shared use of summer as a narrative catalyst and their focus on the profound, melancholic nostalgia for a fleeting, transformative time. They deliver a specific emotional mix of warmth, yearning, and the poignant recognition that some of life's most important chapters are also its shortest.

Movies with witnessed forbidden romance like That Night

Intimate stories of secret love, seen from the perspective of an outsider.Find movies similar to 'That Night' where a secret or forbidden love story is seen through the eyes of an observer. If you liked the poignant perspective of Alice watching the romance unfold, you'll enjoy these films that explore love, class, and family disapproval from an intimate, outsider's viewpoint.

intimateyearningreflectivemelancholicforbidden loveobservernostalgic

Narrative Summary

The narrative structure is defined by a point-of-view character who is not the primary participant in the central romance. Their journey involves watching, interpreting, and being emotionally shaped by the relationship they observe. The tension comes from societal barriers and the threat of discovery, while the emotional core lies in the observer's vicarious experience and ultimate loss of access to that world.

Why These Movies?

These movies are connected by their unique narrative framing and the specific emotional texture it creates. They share a mood of intimate yearning, a tone blending warmth and melancholy, and a thematic focus on how we are shaped by witnessing the passions and struggles of others.

Unlock the Full Story of That Night

Don't stop at just watching — explore That Night 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 That Night is all about. Plus, discover what's next after the movie.

That Night Summary

Read a complete plot summary of That Night, 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.

That Night Summary

That Night Timeline

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

That Night Timeline

That Night Spoiler-Free Summary

Get a quick, spoiler-free overview of That Night 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.

That Night Spoiler-Free Summary

More About That Night

Visit What's After the Movie to explore more about That Night: 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 That Night