Checking All The Boxes

These days, every Hollywood movie needs to comply with standards. Diversity must be served.   Genders must be addressed.   And the rights of women must be advanced.   The result of all of the above usually results in a dull-as-dish-water film.

Not so "Late Night," a surprisingly funny and wise movie directed by an Indian woman named Nisha Ganatra.  Heck, her involvement alone clicks a couple of those boxes required by the social police force.

So does the participation of Mindy Kaling, who wrote the script and is the co-star.  Truth be told, this is my first exposure to Kaling, although I know she's been around the show biz block for a while now.   Her screenplay is smart and funny without hitting you over the head with a preachy message.   Good for her.  Good for us.

Of course, nobody doesn't steal a movie when Emma Thompson is around and that's the case with "Late Night."  This is her film.  Thompson plays Katherine Newbury who has hosted a late night talk fest for thirty years.   The evil network president (aren't they all?) swoops down and makes plans to replace her with a younger stand-up comic (paging Johnny Carson).  Katherine doesn't want to go quietly so she ventures to become more relevant.  Oh, and finally meet the writing staff she never met for the last three decades.   Not wanting to be bothered with their names on their first meeting, she calls them by numbers from one to eight.

The cranky Katherine also realizes she needs to put a female voice in the all-male writing staff.   In comes Kaling as Molly Patel, who has some comedic ideas despite the fact that her only work experience is in a Pennsylvania power plant.   This sets up all the necessary tussles for comic conflicts and verbal exchanges.  Katherine vs. the writers.  Katherine vs. the network.  Molly vs. the rest of the writing staff.  Katherine vs. Molly.

The end result is a somewhat predictable but laugh-out-loud comedy.  But, just when you think you know how it is going to end, there are some plot twists that take you by surprise.   Trust me.  If a comedy can catch me unawares, you have done a good job.

Besides the lead performances, "Late Night" is bolstered by a strong supporting cast including John Lithgow as Katherine's Parkinson-afflicted husband and the always welcome Max Casella as one of the writers.

All of the pertinent issues of today's Hollywood are covered.  Diversity hiring.  Harassment.  Gender equality.  And, let's not forget #Metoo.   But the latter goes through a little bit of a welcome twist here.   Despite the need to check all of the necessary boxes, "Late Night" still made me laugh.   

And I can't say that about too many movies these days.

LEN'S RATING:  Three-and-a-half stars.

Dinner last night:  Leftover ravioli.