A late-night talk-show host suspects that she may soon lose her long-running show.
Mindy Kaling has found great success in television and has been a great voice for the underrepresented in Hollywood. Around this time, we get a few comedies sprinkled in between the huge blockbusters we are inundated with throughout the summer. Going into this film, I had no expectations and didn’t see any promotional material for it. I love Emma Thompson as an actress and have been a fan of some television appearances of Kaling (who also wrote the film) but unfortunately, the two could only carry this film so far.
Emma Thompson plays Katherine Newbury, a late-night talk-show host of almost three decades, who is facing her show getting canceled after being stale for years. In an attempt to liven up the show, Newbury is forced to hire Molly Patel (Mindy Kaling) as a writer who has been a fan of Newbury’s for years. I genuinely feel as if “Late Night” did not live up to its potential. For one, the film wants to be a satire on diversity in the television industry and the overall #MeToo movement. Unfortunately, the attempt at this falls flat for me and doesn’t feel genuine. For example, Newbury has a reputation for not working well with female writers. Newbury is forced to hire Patel to fill that quota, who is wildly underqualified for the job, into an all-white male writer’s room. Being that Patel has no experience in the field, the divide between the writers and Patel doesn’t hit home because the men have a genuine reason to feel that way. The story itself, as a redemption piece, is done well and you feel the overall arc of Newbury and her show. With that, Patel doesn’t fit into that story and feels forced in. I will say Emma Thomson is amazing in the film and steals the show every time she’s on screen. John Lithgow has a small role as Newbury’s husband. He is used as a device for a small subplot that could have completely been taken out. In between all the forced subplots and unrealistic narrative, there is an easily digestible story that isn’t terrible. Nisha Ganatra directs the film and doesn’t bring anything special to the story. The technical elements are the same and honestly, nothing audiences will remember. Maybe with a gritty attempt at this story, like “The Devil Wears Prada,” could have benefited this from immensely.
All in all, “Late Night” is nothing to write home about but will satisfy audiences who are looking for a simple comedy in the summertime. Thompson brings a great performance that could only take the movie so far and Kaling is just as impressive as the screenplay she writes. If you can wait to rent this, I would hold on for the few months.
In theaters Friday, June 7th
