Late Night
LATE NIGHT - © 2019 Entertainment One Film USA LLC.
Late Night, directed by Nisha Ganatra, is written by Mindy Kaling who also stars in the central figure in this story as motivated and strong-minded individual, Molly Patel. After a much-convoluted path to an interview for a writing position, Patel lands at the door of floundering Tonight Talk Show Host and comedienne Katherine Newbury (Emma Thompson), whose career has taken quite a downward spiral with poor ratings and a lacklustre connection to her audience. Resulting in the latest installed studio head (Amy Ryan) to can the show and leave Newbury out in the cold. With fire under her feet and a reputation on the cards, Newbury sends down the pipeline she needs a new writer, and in her interview with head assistant Brad (Denis O'Hare), Molly unexpectedly lands an opportunity of a lifetime and is hired on the spot. But as Molly and Katherine soon find out, everything comes with a price.
Ganatra's film is a delightfully sleek and precise drama that echoes vibrant sentimentality and on the wall humanity found in 1970s American Cinema. The edit by duo Eleanor Infante and David Rogers is slick and rather matter of fact. Never once overly lingering or depending on unneeded abstract/artistic style; the editing offers a basic but concise and solid conviction with a slow - albeit restrained - flow. It could be mistaken for an aesthetic found in television, although contextually it would still act as an appropriate and more overly immersive tongue in cheek vibe. It undoubtedly works. The edit acts as a wonderful gateway to these characters. We find them in their most open and reclusive states of pleasure and pain. As if we're more so a fly on the wall than a friendly spectator invited to the party. It walks a thin line of conveying an invasive attitude but with the resulting humanity that's bubbling away. The approach, thankfully, evokes more a documentarian manner rather than being simply voyeuristic in tone.
The cinematography by Matthew Clark, while slightly bland in terms of working with a distinctive color palette at the start, utilizing muted grading of dark greys, does much of what is similarly set out with the edit. However, it captures the stoic ambiance of New York exquisitely, and contextually elevates the film when it exercises a sense of warmth. This warmth, as it emotionally grows also begins to blossom into effect within the picture in each frame with a jocular mood; with that, it becomes its own vivid living, breathing character before Late Night is all said and done.
Late Night has a dazzling and effective provocation that surges in such a powerfully poignant manifestation of themes that surround acceptance. Not only through the acceptance of others around you, regardless of economic or racial varieties, but also that of yourself in the behaviour you emit. It all comes from the raw and powerful manifestation of a superb screenplay courtesy of Kaling. The writing is a socially conscious riot from start to finish. Never hiding away from either gritty or substantially controversial elements in abortion and politics intertwined into a story which mainly takes the central aim of women working in a man's environment. Granted, the film does run the risk of alienating a greater audience but Ganatra's film - regardless of your political beliefs - deserves a vigorous round of applause for creating talking points on brave and deeply heavy subjects.
How the film explores certain thematic threads is a vigorous and wonderfully enlightening factor. As stated above, yes, the subject matter at times can be heavy-handed and glib, but it's a factor of how many women sadly have to survive in their respective industries by abiding by rules governed to them by the opposite sex. The film doesn't shy away from such and we should be all the more thankful for it. It embodies and showcases a reflective nature of society today, in the inclusions of #MeToo, nepotism, and scandal, to name just a few. Said threads are intertwined with a beautiful coating of elegant comedic nature, once again courtesy of this fabulous screenplay from Kaling of which wraps itself around you in an intoxicating effect.
The performances are all equally as impressive. Kaling offers a substantial authentic and emotionally resonating character in Molly Patel, absorbed into a world she's being told she is not meant for. Battling a constant uphill fight, creating a bond of companionship between character and audience. You are automatically emotionally engaged with the character from the start. The audience instantly finds resonating ground with Kaling due to how authentic and simplistic she fashions Patel. It's never condescending or patronizing path written for the said character either. Each and every turn has a realistic voice behind it, and that sense of realism of genuine intent crafts layers.
Emma Thompson steals the show as Katherine Newbury. Within the first twenty minutes, you're left wondering how such a horrid character is going to have redemption and an authentic arc, where she obviously sees the light in her ways. The answer, and ultimately the final product, produces a stunning display of a character arc with deeply weighted sensibility. As the film crafts itself into a bigger morally secured picture and the more intimate moments creep in, it becomes clear why Thompson's character, Katherine Newbury, is set so strong in her ways. She's emotionally tormented with a traumatizing weight of both acceptance and expectation from her audience, who are falling rapidly and her husband Walter's (John Lithgow) health, which is slowly failing. Lithgow has little to do but when utilised he helps grow and attends the warmth that's trying to develop in the picture. He ultimately convicts his role with simplistic ease, if not slightly underused.
It is a charming and marvellous performance from actress Emma Thompson, who has often more so than not, disappointed rather than impressed in the last decade. Casual ventures and underwhelming heights of features such as The Children Act and Johnny English Strikes Again, just to name a few. Here we find Thompson really bonding with the material provided. The result is a fabulous evocative performance that pulls on your heartstrings with a deeply moving character, in which you feel every step forward and experience the painful consequence of every step backwards.
