The Best Movies That Take Place in Real Time

Ranker Film
Updated June 23, 2023 2.5K votes 486 voters
Over 400 Ranker voters have come together to rank this list of The Best Movies That Take Place in Real Time
Voting Rules
Only films that take place in real time.

Movies that take place in real time tend to be character-driven and in many cases have become cult classics among cinephiles. Early examples of the technique from Hollywood's Golden Age include Rope and The Set-Up. Among more modern films to use it are '90s German drama Run Lola Run and 2015's Victoria - notable for being shot in only one uninterrupted 138-minute take. 

Real-time movies employ a method of storytelling in which the events in the film match the audience experience. Another way to think of it is that if the real-time movie plot takes place over 90 minutes, then that's the same run time as the film. In order to maximize screen time, handy tricks like split screens may be used to demonstrate plots taking place simultaneously, along with time-measurement devices like clocks or stopwatch-style timers, which serve to reinforce the real-time film narrative to viewers. 

Ranked by
  • Clue
    1

    Clue

    Eileen Brennan, Martin Mull, Lesley Ann Warren
    178 votes
    • Released: 1985
    • Directed by: Jonathan Lynn
    In the comedic mystery film Clue, six eccentric guests, each given pseudonyms - Miss Scarlet (Lesley Ann Warren), Professor Plum (Christopher Lloyd), Mrs. White (Madeline Kahn), Mr. Green (Michael McKean), Mrs. Peacock (Eileen Brennan), and Colonel Mustard (Martin Mull) - are invited to a secluded mansion. Along with the butler, Wadsworth (Tim Curry), and maid, Yvette (Colleen Camp), they navigate a night of murder and mayhem. Based on the popular board game, the plot swerves through suspenseful twists and turns as they attempt to identify who among them is the killer. The film offers multiple endings, adding a unique touch of unpredictability.

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  • 12 Angry Men
    2

    12 Angry Men

    Henry Fonda, Lee J. Cobb, Ed Begley
    131 votes
    • Released: 1957
    • Directed by: Sidney Lumet
    Following the closing arguments in a murder trial, the 12 members of the jury must deliberate, with a guilty verdict meaning death for the accused, an inner-city teen. As the dozen men try to reach a unanimous decision while sequestered in a room, one juror (Henry Fonda) casts considerable doubt on elements of the case. Personal issues soon rise to the surface, and conflict threatens to derail the delicate process that will decide one boy's fate.

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  • Phone Booth
    3

    Phone Booth

    Colin Farrell, Kiefer Sutherland, Forest Whitaker
    116 votes
    • Released: 2002
    • Directed by: Joel Schumacher
    A phone call can change your life, but for one man it can also end it. Set entirely within and around the confines of a New York City phone booth. "Phone Booth" follows a slick media consultant (Colin Farrell) who is trapped after being told by a caller -- a serial killer with a sniper rifle -- that he'll be shot dead if he hangs up.

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  • 1917
    4

    1917

    George MacKay, Dean-Charles Chapman, Mark Strong
    56 votes
    • Released: 2019
    • Directed by: Sam Mendes
    In the heart-pounding war film 1917, two young British soldiers, Lance Corporal Schofield (George MacKay) and Lance Corporal Blake (Dean-Charles Chapman), embark on a seemingly impossible mission during World War I. Tasked with delivering a message deep in enemy territory, they must traverse treacherous landscapes and evade deadly traps to prevent their comrades, including Blake's brother, from walking into a fatal ambush. Directed by Sam Mendes, this thrilling epic won multiple awards including three Oscars for its technical prowess. A blend of drama, action and history, 1917 offers a gripping depiction of courage and determination amidst the horrors of war.

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  • Run Lola Run
    5

    Run Lola Run

    Franka Potente, Armin Rohde, Moritz Bleibtreu
    110 votes
    • Released: 1998
    • Directed by: Tom Tykwer
    Run Lola Run is a 1998 German thriller film written and directed by Tom Tykwer and starring Franka Potente as Lola and Moritz Bleibtreu as Manni. The story follows a woman who needs to obtain 100,000 Deutsche Mark in twenty minutes to save her boyfriend's life. The film's three scenarios are reminiscent of the 1981 Krzysztof Kieślowski film Blind Chance.
  • Dog Day Afternoon
    6

    Dog Day Afternoon

    Al Pacino, John Cazale, Charles Durning
    88 votes
    • Released: 1975
    • Directed by: Sidney Lumet
    Dog Day Afternoon is a gripping drama film that unravels the tense reality of a botched bank robbery. Sonny Wortzik (Al Pacino), an inexperienced criminal, leads the desperate heist alongside his partner Sal (John Cazale). The duo finds themselves trapped in an escalating situation, surrounded by police and media frenzy. As the day wears on, secrets are revealed, including Sonny's unexpected motivation for the robbery. Directed by Sidney Lumet, this critically acclaimed movie won an Academy Award for Best Original Screenplay and offered Pacino a memorable role that cemented his place in Hollywood.

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