Late Night (2019)

Information

Siskoid
I think a lot of people want Late Night to be edgier and eschew formula altogether, take fiercer aim at discrimination in the work place, etc., but I don't think that's Mindy Kaling's persona, either on or off screen. What she's produced here with the help of many other talented people, including director Nisha Ganatra, Emma Thompson and John Lithgow, is light, funny and heartfelt, and it aims for happy endings where Kaling's sincere charms win the day. They don't all have to be savage critiques of our culture to make their points, and Late Night is winsome in part because it's utopian. It still makes its points about "diversity hires", ageism (both ways), racism and misogyny; it just isn't particularly angry in its stance. Really, if you took away the "one year later" epilogue, it would leave things in a place that's a little more ambiguous and truthful. Timid in approach or not, how great is it to have a female-led comedy that isn't blatantly a romcom, or at least applies that set-up to mentor/pupil rather than lovers? (There's still romance, but it's very much in the subplot column.) 4 years 10 months ago
Cynicus Rex
Don't judge this film by its cover; it earns its privilege of your time as well. 3 years 10 months ago
Axel Fritzler
The only reason this movie was made was so Mindy Kaling could get back at all the white cis men that treated her poorly when working as a comedy writer.
And I think that's awesome. 3 years 9 months ago