This Is the Night (2021): Cast & Ratings
This Is the Night is a 2021 comedy drama directed by James DeMonaco, starring Naomi Watts as Marie Dedea, Frank Grillo and Madelyn Cline. It runs 1 hour 47 minutes and was made on a reported $10 million budget. Critics gave it 14% on Rotten Tomatoes, and IMDb users rate it 5.5/10.
- Released
- Runtime
- 1h 47m (107 min)
- Director
- James DeMonaco
- Original language
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English
- Budget
- $10M
- After the credits
- No No extra scene
What Is This Is the Night About?
The premise of This Is the Night without spoilers.
In 1982, a close-knit Italian-American family on Staten Island anticipates the premiere of a highly anticipated boxing movie. As the community celebrates, the family confronts unexpected challenges that test their bonds and force them to re-evaluate their priorities. They learn to cherish each moment and appreciate the importance of family amidst the excitement and uncertainty surrounding them.
This Is the Night Themes & Keywords
· 14 tags- gay
- boy boy kiss
- gay kiss
- gay interest
- summer
- travesty
- swimming pool
- close up of eyes
- teenager
- year 1982
- coming of age
- teenage boy
+2 more Show fewer
- 1980s
- boy girl kiss
This Is the Night Cast & Characters
Naomi Watts leads the cast as Marie Dedea, with Frank Grillo as Vincent Dedea and Madelyn Cline as Sophia Larocca. Directed by James DeMonaco; 10 actors are credited in all.
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Director James DeMonaco
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Naomi Watts as Marie Dedea -
Frank Grillo as Vincent Dedea -
Madelyn Cline as Sophia Larocca -
Jonah Hauer-King as Christian Dedea
Also Starring in This Is the Night
· 6 more- Lucius Hoyos Anthony Dedea
- River Alexander Dov Sabian
- Lenny Venito Carmine Cacioppo
- Chase Vacnin Albie Lenza
- Steve Lipman Santo Saggese
- Constantine Rousouli Rafe the Handsome Mailman
More from James DeMonaco
More films directed by James DeMonaco, best-rated first: The Purge: Anarchy, The Purge: Election Year, The Purge and The Home.
This Is the Night Reviews & Ratings
Critics gave This Is the Night 14% on Rotten Tomatoes, and IMDb users rate it 5.5/10. Our Echo Score gives it 50/100, strongest in character & emotion (60) and weakest in art & craft (38).
This Is the Night Echo Score Breakdown
Overall, This Is the Night delivers a mixed impression that leans toward disappointment. Critics uniformly condemn the film's direction, pacing, and tonal consistency, describing it as a misfire and generic, while several viewers highlight moments of sincere sentiment and occasional strong performances. Audience reactions diverge, with some praising the ensemble acting and nostalgic backdrop, yet many note a disjointed narrative and uneven execution. Consequently, the film offers limited lasting appeal despite isolated strengths.
Our own 0–100 rating, built from five aspects: art, character, story, the sensory experience and how well a film rewatches.
- Art & Craft 38
In terms of art and craft, the film struggles with direction and overall execution. Critics repeatedly label the direction as stale, generic, and a misfire, while a few viewers acknowledge the director's effort to juggle multiple storylines. The consensus points to uneven editing and uninspired visual choices, resulting in a weaker technical foundation that undercuts the movie's ambitions.
- Character & Emotion 60
When it comes to character and emotion, performances generate the most praise. Numerous users commend Jonah Hauer-King, Naomi Watts, Frank Grillo, and Method Man for delivering solid, heartfelt portrayals, and some note strong chemistry among the cast. Critics, however, find the characters unconvincing and the acting occasionally overwrought. The balance of positive audience feedback against critical reservations yields a moderately favorable character assessment.
- Story & Flow 45
Story and flow are viewed as the film's weakest element. Critics describe the plot as exhausting, disjointed, and riddled with contrived conclusions, while viewers point to a confusing, generic teenage comedy structure. A handful of audience members appreciate the nostalgic premise and coming-of-age beats, yet the prevailing sentiment highlights pacing issues and a lack of coherent narrative drive.
- Sensory Experience 50
Sensory experience receives a neutral appraisal due to limited commentary. Neither critics nor users frequently mention the soundtrack, sound design, or visual style, leaving the assessment to hinge on indirect references to direction and visual cohesion. The modest score reflects an absence of strong praise or criticism, suggesting the sensory components neither elevate nor detract significantly from the overall film.
- Rewatch Factor 55
Rewatch factor shows slight optimism among some audience members. Several users report watching the film multiple times and cite its nostalgic, feel‑good moments as reasons to revisit. Conversely, critics argue the material lacks depth and replay value. The mixed but gently positive audience sentiment pushes the rewatch score just above average.
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IMDb 5.5 /10
See on IMDb -
Rotten Tomatoes 14% Tomatometer
Popcornmeter 48%
See on Rotten Tomatoes -
TMDB 56% User score
See on TMDB -
Letterboxd 3.4 /5
8.3K ratings
See on Letterboxd
This Is the Night Trailers & Videos
The trailer of This Is the Night.
Seen This Is the Night?
Movies Like This Is the Night
Films with a similar story, tone or audience, including Una Noche, Saturday Night Fever and A Night Like This.
This Is the Night FAQ: Cast, Runtime & Release Date
Runtime, release date, director, cast, budget, ratings and post-credit scenes of This Is the Night, each answered in a sentence.
How long is This Is the Night?
This Is the Night runs 1 hour 47 minutes (107 minutes).
When was This Is the Night released?
This Is the Night was released on September 17, 2021.
Who directed This Is the Night?
This Is the Night was directed by James DeMonaco.
More films by James DeMonaco Who is in the cast of This Is the Night?
This Is the Night stars Naomi Watts as Marie Dedea, Frank Grillo as Vincent Dedea and Madelyn Cline as Sophia Larocca, among 10 credited actors.
What was the budget of This Is the Night?
This Is the Night had a reported budget of $10 million.
How is This Is the Night rated?
This Is the Night has 5.5/10 on IMDb, 14% on Rotten Tomatoes, 56% on TMDB and 3.4/5 on Letterboxd.
Does This Is the Night have a post-credit scene?
No. This Is the Night has no extra scene during or after the credits.
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