Sign up
Trailer

The Day After

1983Movie2 h 7 minNR

Drama
77
GreatGoodWatch score
IMDb7.0Letterboxd3.4/5Rotten Tomatoes86%69%

A deeply moving, relentlessly bleak sci-fi movie about society and everyday modern life.

Good for friends night · teens · thought-provoking

Skip it if you need an uplifting mood

Where to watch

Set your services

Not streaming in United States. Where it is:

Fingerprint

Not for warmth, laughs or comfort.

Movies with

Story

They told us it would be impossible to make this movie. They told us it would be impossible for you to watch it. We hope nothing is impossible.

In the mid-1980s, the U.S. is poised on the brink of nuclear war. This shadow looms over the residents of a small town in Kansas as they continue their daily lives. Dr. Russell Oakes maintains his busy schedule at the hospital, Denise Dahlberg prepares for her upcoming wedding, and Stephen Klein is deep in his graduate studies. When the unthinkable happens and the bombs come down, the town's residents are thrust into the horrors of nuclear winter.

Feels like

  • Post-Apocalyptic
  • Nuclear War
  • Social Commentary
  • Psychological Impact
  • Bleak Outlook
  • Small Town America
  • Human Resilience
  • Thought-Provoking

Cast

23 of 23

Crew

Directed by
Nicholas Meyer
Written by
Edward Hume
Produced by
Robert Papazian
Music by
David Raksin

Everyone

Pick a department, or search for a name or a job (“editor”, “stunt”).

Facts

December 10, 1983 · 2 h 7 min · NR

Released
December 10, 1983
Runtime
2 h 7 min
Age rating
NR
Content
Violence, Disturbing Imagery
Genres
Science Fiction, Drama, TV Movie
Original language
English
Made in
United States
Available in
19 countries

Tropes

War Comes Home, Anyone Can Die, Principles Zealot +9

  • War Comes Home
  • Anyone Can Die
  • Principles Zealot
  • Bystander Syndrome
  • Riddle for the Ages
  • Next Sunday A.D.
  • 20 Minutes into the Future
  • The Radio Dies First
  • Continuity Snarl
  • Cruel and Unusual Death
  • Apocalypse Anarchy
  • During the War

12 of 80 tropes. From TV Tropes.

Q&A

5 questions, like "Where can I stream The Day After?"

Questions about The Day After

Quick answers from GoodWatch data.

Where can I stream The Day After?

It streams in 6 other countries, but not in the United States.

Is The Day After worth watching?

77
GreatGoodWatch score

Mostly, it's well received, with a GoodWatch score of 77 (IMDb 7, Letterboxd 3.4 out of 5, and Rotten Tomatoes 86%). Critics rate it higher (86 out of 100) than audiences (69).

Will I feel good after watching The Day After?

BleakHopeful

Probably not: the title analysis rates it 9 of 10 for bleakness and 8 for melancholy, against 2 for hopefulness.

Will The Day After scare me?

Not scaryTerrifying

At times: scares are rated 7 of 10.

What tropes does The Day After use?

War Comes HomeAnyone Can DiePrinciples ZealotBystander SyndromeRiddle for the AgesNext Sunday A.D.20 Minutes into the FutureThe Radio Dies FirstContinuity SnarlCruel and Unusual DeathApocalypse AnarchyDuring the Warand 68 more

TV Tropes lists 80 tropes for it, including War Comes Home, Anyone Can Die, and Principles Zealot.