The Night Before

The Night Before

Year: 1988

Runtime: 90 min

Language: English

Director: Thom Eberhardt

Comedy

A socially awkward tech enthusiast is thrilled when a beautiful girl invites him to prom. What seems like a dream night quickly turns into a nightmare when he wakes up disoriented in a backstreet, with no memory of the evening's events. He's left questioning whether the magical night was real or simply a figment of his imagination, and desperately trying to piece together what transpired.

Warning: spoilers below!

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Timeline – The Night Before (1988)

Trace every key event in The Night Before (1988) with our detailed, chronological timeline. Perfect for unpacking nonlinear stories, spotting hidden connections, and understanding how each scene builds toward the film’s climax. Whether you're revisiting or decoding for the first time, this timeline gives you the full picture.

1

Winston wakes up in a dark alley

Winston regains consciousness in a dark alley, disoriented and wearing a pristine white tuxedo jacket. The night air is cold and he has no memory of how he ended up there. He checks his surroundings and realizes his wallet, keys, and sense of where he was headed are missing.

late night alley
2

Flashback to last night's disruption on the way to prom

A flood of memories returns as he recalls being waylaid on the way to the prom. He was robbed and knocked off course, losing his wallet and his confidence in what happened. The scene hints at danger shadowing the last hours of the night.

night before prom on the way to prom
3

Danny Boy steals Winston's car

In the memory, he finds a parking stub and Danny Boy offers to open the car and start it. Winston naively agrees, and once the car starts, Danny Boy drives off with it. Winston is left stranded and more vulnerable.

midnight parking lot
4

Tara's father warns Winston at Tara's house

At Tara's house, she explains she has to attend prom because she lost a bet. Tara's police officer father sternly warns Winston to take care of his daughter and bring her home by midnight. The weight of responsibility hangs over the night.

evening before prom Tara's house
5

Getting lost in East LA and wallet theft

Winston and Tara exit the freeway and end up lost in the East LA ghetto. A street thug tries to rob them by reaching through the window, but they shake him off after a few blocks. In the encounter, Winston's wallet is taken, increasing their vulnerability.

late night East LA ghetto
6

Bar reunion with Rhonda and warning

Back at a bar he had visited earlier, Winston is greeted by Rhonda the hooker, who warns him that trouble is brewing. She cryptically alludes to the strange night and Tara's disappearance. She is abruptly kicked out of the bar and tells him to meet Tito at dawn to settle everything.

late night bar
7

Tara's sale revealed

Rhonda clarifies a brutal fact: Tara has been sold to Tito for 1500 dollars. Winston realizes the danger closes in as Tito and his network close in on Tara. The revelation heights the urgency to act and find her before it's too late.

late night bar / memory
8

Winston drifts through the East LA underworld

Winston spends the rest of the night searching through East LA's underworld for Tara and trying to dodge Tito's growing wrath. He uses whatever leads he can find, hoping to intercept Tara before she is moved again. The city’s shadows press in as he travels from one grim venue to another.

late night East LA underworld
9

Toy-store robbery lookout provides a lead

A chance encounter with a lookout from a toy-store robbery offers Winston a potential lead. In exchange for a future favor, the lookout guides him toward a path that could lead to Tara. The arrangement helps him stay one step ahead of Tito's men.

late night street
10

At a brothel, Tara's fate tightens

In a brothel, Winston learns Tito has sold Tara to another pimp. He uses the 1500 from Tara's sale to fund the search, determined to keep Tara out of worse hands. The underworld dealings heighten the stakes.

late night brothel
11

The hotel and the Moroccan shipping plan

Winston pays a driver to drive around asking for Tara, chasing every possible lead. He eventually reaches a hotel where Tara is being held by a third pimp who intends to ship her to Morocco. Time is tight as dawn approaches and danger looms.

early dawn hotel
12

Final rescue: Tara, car, and the truth

Winston escapes with Tara from the pimp's clutches and retrieves his dad's car from Danny Boy, who had planned to sell it to Tito. Through a daring combination of grit and luck, he reunites with Tara and wins her trust. The night ends with Tara safe, Winston's car recovered, and the two of them starting a new chapter.

dawn streets / car

Last Updated: November 22, 2025 at 15:58

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