Year of Release: 2019
Director: Nisha Ganatra
Starring: Emma Thompson, Mindy Kaling, John Lithgow, Denis O'Hare, Hugh Dancy, Reid Scott, Max Casella, Paul Walter Hauser, Amy Ryan, John Early, Ike Barinholtz, Marc Kudisch, Jia Patel, Luke Slattery
Genre: Comedy
Score out of ten (whole numbers only): 6
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Synopsis and Review:
Director Nisha Ganatra who made a name for herself with "Chutney Popcorn" 20 years ago, and who in the meantime, has directed a series of television shows (including "Transparent", "Better Things" and "The Last Man on Earth", to name but a few), has partnered with actress/writer Mindy Kaling to bring to life her first feature length screenplay to life. The film made its splashy debut on the Sundance Film Festival, where it was one of the priciest acquisitions of the Festival. The story focuses on Katherine Newbury, a late night comedian/TV show host, who after decades of headlining her own show, is at the verge of losing her place due to declining ratings, loss of relevance and her own icy facade. Her writing team, who barely know her, are tasked with turning the boat around, and that starts with hiring women to diversify the composition of the team itself, while also writing jokes that actually align with who the host is. Onto this scenario arrives Molly Patel, a former factory worker, who manages to get an interview and eventually a job, thanks to her candor and incisive insight. Molly's initial handlings of the team and the job land her on some awkward positions, but soon the team collectively starts gelling and creating material, segments for the show, that bring Katherine's perception up. That all hits a roadblock when a scandal threatens to overturn and topple all their hard work.
It's easy to understand what made "Late Night" such a hot purchase for Amazon Studios at the Sundance Film Festival. The film features a fantastic cast, and features a screenplay that is witty, recognizable, even if at points falters to the tropes and clichés of every romantic comedy ever done. Still, it's a film that reflects the actual state of society in general, and relationships in the workplace in particular. It tackles issues such as ageism, sexism, minority discrimination, all with humor, levity, never making it feel excessively didactic or an educational pamphlet. The film does lack a bit of a bite, and stops shy of actually showing the nastier side of all those topics, but it gives Emma Thompson one of the best roles she has had in quite some time, while also allowing John Lithgow, Denis O'Hare to shine as they usually do. It's a funny, though quickly forgettable film.
It's easy to understand what made "Late Night" such a hot purchase for Amazon Studios at the Sundance Film Festival. The film features a fantastic cast, and features a screenplay that is witty, recognizable, even if at points falters to the tropes and clichés of every romantic comedy ever done. Still, it's a film that reflects the actual state of society in general, and relationships in the workplace in particular. It tackles issues such as ageism, sexism, minority discrimination, all with humor, levity, never making it feel excessively didactic or an educational pamphlet. The film does lack a bit of a bite, and stops shy of actually showing the nastier side of all those topics, but it gives Emma Thompson one of the best roles she has had in quite some time, while also allowing John Lithgow, Denis O'Hare to shine as they usually do. It's a funny, though quickly forgettable film.
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