It is strange that late night talk shows are so ingrained in American culture, with all the major channels having at least one, whilst any attempts to launch one in this country have failed. The best effort was probably After All with Danny Baker, but he is now unlikely to be given another go! Instead, there has been instances of US networks employing British presenters such as Craig Ferguson, and currently James Corden.
In Late Night, it is Emma Thompson who plays the part of Katherine Newbury, a veteran chat show presenter who is keen to maintain her integrity whilst other shows are dumbing-down. However, she seems oblivious to the quality of the show reducing along with its viewing figures. Her boss, Caroline Morton (Amy Ryan) tells her she is going to be replaced. Katherine, with the help of new writer Molly Patel (Mindy Kaling), has to find a way to save her show.
I found Late Night to be a bit of a gem. It manages to focus on some serious issues covering age discrimination, race, and how hard it is for women to achieve success in the comedy industry; without ever being preachy. It is consistently funny thanks to Kaling’s sharp script that is delivered by a great ensemble cast. Ryan is a little underused, but Thompson once again shows how she can carry a film. She is acerbic and cold but I never stopped rooting for her. She has nice chemistry with the delightful Kaling and some telling scenes with John Lithgow, who plays her ailing husband.
The best moments though are almost all in the writers room as Katherine tries to breathe life into her ailing show. The interaction in those scenes is very funny and feels totally real. It is hard to pull off a comedy that also deals with serious issues, but Late Night does it.
Rating: 8 out of 10