Often when we label something as a feel-good movie, we mean that it doesn't really matter in terms of art but manages to be calmly entertaining. Late Night is a true feel-good movie though, one that retains its artistic integrity while wearing its warm heart of gold on its sleeve. Its infectious good sense of purpose and humor works well with its surprisingly subversive social commentary, making the film critically important but in a pleasant sort of way. If every comedy were this earnest, I'd watch a lot more.
Emma Thompson stars as Katherine Newbury, the late night talk show queen. Right off the bat, the movie takes a swing at the male-dominated primetime lineup with her presence, and it just gets richer from here. Her show, we learn, is suffering in ratings and the network is planning to replace her. Desperate for help, she allows the hire of one Molly Patel (Mindy Kaling) who has almost no experience but is a rare Indian-American woman in a career of almost exclusively white men. Though her jokes themselves don't always work, her presence and perspective changes the environment and revamps the show.
It's not terribly complex as a narrative, nor is it terribly insightful. Instead, it streamlines itself and simplifies its story in an effort to -- I think successfully -- advocate for much-needed change of personnel in certain workplaces. Especially entertainment. While this movie seems to be coming on the decline of intense scrutiny on the ethnic and gender makeup of the AMPAS and other major entertainment clubs, it certainly showcases the incredible power of affirmative action in very real ways. In one particularly awesome scene, Molly tries to shame Katherine for employing her as a "diversity hire"; Katherine immediately confirms this. Of course she is a diversity hire. And now it's her time to shine in a realm she would otherwise have no access to.
And shine she does in several scenes with lazy, irritable, and egotistical white men she now can call coworkers. There's the head monologue writer who is a "legacy hire", the pretty but sleazy guy, the jealous and probably closeted gay guy, the overweight joke machine guy, and their disillusioned but wise and wisecracking boss Denis O'Hare. Their banter back and forth is a lot of fun, but nowhere near the wit and charm of the two leading ladies together. Thompson's dragon lady isn't as intense as Meryl Streep's Devil Wears Prada big bad, but she is firmly grounded and showcases her range in a series of detailed, poignant scenes that challenge our expectations of her brand.
Kaling is an unsung hero here, in a relatively thankless role meant to catalyze the story. But she brings a delightful wide-eyes naivety to the proceedings that works well with her character. Molly, a quality control specialist in a chemical plant, has no idea what she's getting into in the backstabbing world of late night entertainment. She brings cupcakes to work on her first day and recites Yeats poems as her mantra. Unlike other movies of its ilk, Late Night does not allow its lead character to be crushed before she is rebuilt; she maintains a course of growth and even some disillusionment, but she does not bow to the bullies around her and does not suffer unduly while in her out-of-place position. And thanks to screenwriter Kaling herself for that, who does not see a villain in this story. Instead, she empowers even the bullies (who are not really bullies, but rather products of a history of limited perspective) to become better people along with her protagonist. We could all use some of this infectious positivity.
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