After Office Hours: A Strange Little Trip to a London Desk Job

Is it worth your time?

Honestly, only if you have a weird itch to see how people in London offices behaved ninety years ago. If you want fast pacing, look somewhere else. If you like low-stakes banter and people wearing very uncomfortable-looking hats, you'll probably dig it.

It’s not a masterpiece, and it definitely isn't trying to be. It’s just… there. 🏢

The Vibe

The whole movie feels like it’s filmed inside a shoebox. Everything is cramped. You can almost smell the stale cigarette smoke and the cheap paper. There’s a specific scene where someone is typing, and the sound is just so loud. It’s like they were using a hammer instead of a typewriter.

I found myself staring at the background extras more than the actual leads. There's this one guy in the back left of the office who spends about ten minutes pretending to look at a ledger. He’s clearly just waiting for his tea break.

Cinematic perspective: Exploring the visual vocabulary of After Office Hours (1932) through its definitive frames.

Random Thoughts

The dialogue is snappy in that old-school way where everyone sounds like they’ve practiced their lines in a mirror for three weeks. It’s charming, but also a bit exhausting. I kept thinking about how much more I liked the vibe of The Gay Lord Quex, which had a bit more fire in its belly.

There is a moment near the middle where the plot just sort of… stops. People just stand around talking about nothing in particular. It’s oddly relatable, though. We’ve all had those afternoons where the work is done and you’re just waiting for the clock to hit five.

• The lighting is very 'dim office basement.'
• The lead actress has this stare that could melt a kettle.
• Seriously, who wears a full three-piece suit to sit at a desk all day?

It reminded me a bit of the frantic, messy energy in Nursery Scandal, but with way less screaming and way more filing cabinets. It’s an uneven watch, for sure. Sometimes it’s dull, sometimes it’s weirdly sharp.

Don't go in expecting a life-changing experience. Just take it for what it is. A dusty, black-and-white look at people doing work they probably didn't even like that much. ☕