A comedy worth staying up for
The newly-released Late Night reminds us that its been far too long since we’ve had a comedy that’s about actual comedy. Don’t get me wrong, the movie is about a great many topics, all of which are relevant to the society we live in today. But one of the underrated joys of Late Night is the way it occasionally takes time to appreciate the art of comedy, from the actual construction of a joke, to the power it contains on commenting on the state of the times, to the way it manages to enrich and inspire. The fact that the element of comedy is explored through the perspectives of the film’s two protagonists (both at opposite ends of the spectrum in relation to their art) makes the movie all the more provocative to behold. If the aspect of what makes comedy potent and valuable gets lost in the movie’s plot shuffle however, it’s totally fine since this a film which has a great deal to say.
Late Night opens on Katherine Newbury (Emma Thompson), a legendary and revered comedienne whose success has led to her own long-running eponymous late night talk show. However when a new executive (Amy Ryan) declares that Katherine’s current season will be her last due to declining ratings and the host’s refusal to adhere to what’s hip and trendy. Desperate to do whatever she needs to in order to save her show, Katherine instructs her producer Brad (Dennis O’Hare) to shake up her writing staff by hiring a woman in order to combat the white male dominated team. In comes Molly Patel (Mindy Kaling), an optimistic power plant worker/amateur stand-up comic, who gets hired on a whim, quickly becoming Katherine’s last hope.
In the midst of the laughter (and the subtle analysis of laughter in general), is a very real script talking about very real issues. There’s no doubt that Kaling must’ve drawn inspiration from her stint as the lone female writer on the staff of The Office in crafting Molly’s tale. While Kaling has gone on record to say her experience on that show was great, despite being the odd one out, she takes great pains to point out how the lack of female representation, (especially women of color) is a very real issue which threatens to remain a constant. Late Night brilliantly decides to look at the different vantage points of the sides facing the issue, including that of the main “straight white males” of the office (Reid Scott and Hugh Dancy) feeling threatened and taken, respectively, by the new addition to the team. Scott’s character Tom, especially has a hard time accepting Molly whom he sees as nothing more than a quick diversity hire who has not put in the years and work he has on the climb to becoming Katherine’s head writer. Molly herself likewise questions, to an extent, what she’s doing there once the euphoria dies down and she realizes she’s the only woman of color in a room full of seasoned writers with a collective social experience that is worlds away from her own in many respects. The growing pains felt by both sides make for some interesting and cathartic moments on screen, from seating arrangements, to bathroom etiquette as the movie has everyone wondering exactly where it is they each fit in this new workplace climate.
As if all of the above wasn’t enough to provide enough topical territory for Late Night to venture into, the script takes the time to looks at the different aspects of the female experience in such a world. In the scenes between Katharine and Ryan’s Caroline we see glimpses of the “girls not liking other girls” mentality as both ladies waste no time in calling each other out for their flaws with the former believing the latter to be a sell-out only interested in the vapidness of today’s world and the later taking the latter to task for dismissing her or virtually any voice which isn’t her own. Late Night adds its two cents into the “women can be funny” point (a topic that’s bewilderingly still being debated), but succeeds more when it focuses on how the industry treats women of a certain age throught Katharine’s predicament. She is by far the character in the film with the most pressure; grappling with how to reconcile sticking to her instincts and beliefs while trying to hold on to the legacy she’s created in a quick-moving world. It’s in the addition of Molly into Katharine’s life where Late Night gets its most refreshing element, namely the beauty of seeing women supporting each other, believing in each other, and the power that can come from it.
While the pairing of Kaling and Thompson may not seem like it makes a lot of sense, you could hardly imagine a more winning on-screen teaming than these two extremely different actresses. Thompson finally gets to be deadpan and bawdy in a way which no other role has let her be before while Kaling gives herself a well-deserved chance to be the glowing protagonist she proves so natural at. Watching Thompson and Kaling together is sheer joy due to their very different styles of acting and the instant rhythm that results from some of the best chemistry to come along in some time. Kaling makes sure to not stiff the supporting players on their respective moments, with Ryan, Scott, O’Hare and Dancy all scoring with their roles. However it’s John Lithgow who scores best as Thompson’s Parkinson-stricken husband. Their scenes together are truly the loveliest within Late Night and prove a more than pleasant break from the laughter.
At the risk of repeating myself, I feel like I should reiterate that there is laughter, quite a bit of it in fact, that flows throughout the course of Late Night, carrying it along as it talks thoughtfully about many of today’s very real issues. The movie takes its place alongside the other beloved titles of the workplace comedy sub-genre while the showbiz background of late night talk shows means the one-liners are constantly flying, with almost each one hitting home. Still, Late Night has a lot to unpack; and makes an admirable effort to do so. Sadly, this seems to be to the detriment of Molly’s character, who at times doesn’t feel as fleshed out as she should be given the fact that she’s one of the movie’s central figures. Still, with a balance of both charm and social awareness, Late Night succeeds as one of the year’s most important and entertaining titles.