So much can be said about late night talk shows: they can be a very cutthroat business with competing shows trying to do anything to get the edge. With “Late Night” from Nisha Genatra that was written and stars Mindy Kaling, this is looked at in a different way.
This film centers around Katherine (Thompson), the host of a late night talk show she for over twenty years whose ratings are starting to fall because she is not moving with the times. Her network is contemplating having her replaced, so Katherine hires a new staff writer named Molly (Kaling) after being told she has no females on the writing staff. Molly has great ideas but is on a razor thin wire when it comes to expressing those ideas because of a lack of respect amongst her new peers and a boss that does not want to stretch into unfamiliar territory.
“Late Night” makes the point that it takes place in New York, but it did not overdo it. The cinematography style is fine and complimented the film well, as did the acting. There will always be great performances by stars like Thompson and Lithgow (who plays her husband), but this film will never make the highlight reel of their career. The comedy “attempts” were good, but nothing to recommend
The script, however, falls flat and is VERY predictable. The mix of the comedy with an “attempt” of serious issues did not mix well as I felt it was trying to make a very subliminal political message about gender equality. My expectations where not high here, thinking it would be a fun little film to see, but it did not even reach that. There are other “nice and fun” films out there to see before this one. I will barley recommend this film as seeing it on TV with the cricket chirp sound effect.