6 Best Night Shift and Graveyard Shift Movies

By Vlad Zakh · April 4, 2026

The strange, isolating hours of the night shift have inspired both dark comedies and tense thrillers about the people who work while the world sleeps. In Taxi Driver (1976): A disturbed, insomniac New York cab driver descends into vigilante violence against the city’s corruption. Don’t overlook Nightcrawler (2014): An ambitious, amoral freelance cameraman films gruesome crime scenes to sell to local news.

Nightcrawler (2014)

IMDb ★ 7.8 RT 95% Metacritic 76

An ambitious, amoral freelance cameraman films gruesome crime scenes to sell to local news.

Directed by Dan Gilroy · 1h 58m · Rated R

Nominated for 1 Oscar46 wins & 126 nominations

Where to watch

Stream: Netflix, Sundance Now, Netflix Standard with Ads, Shout! Factory Amazon Channel · Rent: Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, YouTube, Fandango At Home · Buy: Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home

▶ Trailer Letterboxd

Collateral (2004)

TMDB ★ 7.5

A cab driver is taken hostage by a contract killer for one long, deadly night across Los Angeles.

Directed by Michael Mann · 2h 00m · Rated R

Where to watch

Stream: Amazon Prime Video, fuboTV, MGM+ Amazon Channel, Paramount Plus Premium, Paramount Plus Essential, Peacock Premium · Rent: JustWatch TV, Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home · Buy: Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home

▶ Trailer Letterboxd

End of Watch (2012)

TMDB ★ 7.6

Two LAPD officers on patrol together uncover a dangerous cartel operation in South Central Los Angeles.

Directed by David Ayer · 1h 49m · Rated R

Where to watch

Stream: fuboTV, AMC Plus Apple TV channel, AMC+, Sundance Now, Shout! Factory Amazon Channel · Rent or buy: Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home

▶ Trailer Letterboxd

Clerks (1994)

IMDb ★ 7.7 RT 90% Metacritic 70

A convenience store clerk endures an endless parade of eccentric customers on his day off.

Directed by Kevin Smith · 1h 32m · Rated R

7 wins & 10 nominations

Where to watch

Stream: Paramount Plus Essential · Rent: JustWatch TV, Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home · Buy: Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home

▶ Trailer Letterboxd

Night Shift (1982)

TMDB ★ 6.5

A timid morgue attendant is talked into running a prostitution ring out of the city morgue at night.

Directed by Ron Howard · 1h 46m · Rated R

Where to watch

Stream: Howdy Amazon Channel · Rent or buy: Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home

▶ Trailer Letterboxd

Taxi Driver (1976)

IMDb ★ 8.2 RT 89% Metacritic 94

A disturbed, insomniac New York cab driver descends into vigilante violence against the city's corruption.

Directed by Martin Scorsese · 1h 54m · Rated R

Nominated for 4 Oscars22 wins & 21 nominations

Where to watch

Stream: Apple TV, Apple TV Amazon Channel, Sony Pictures Core Amazon Channel · Rent: Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home, FlixFling · Buy: Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home

▶ Trailer Letterboxd

Streaming availability data from JustWatch, via TMDB. Availability changes often, so check the service before you plan a movie night.

Vlad Zakh

Founder, Movieix

Founder of Movieix, built to fix a specific annoyance: most recommendation sites are just algorithm-driven noise. Our lists are researched and organized by who's in a film, where it's from, and the mood you're actually in tonight.

6 Best Night Shift and Graveyard Shift Movies

Nightcrawler (2014)

Collateral (2004)

End of Watch (2012)

Clerks (1994)

Night Shift (1982)

Taxi Driver (1976)

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