Late Night is a dreadfully derivative and perfectly pleasant experience, a film that may be composed of commonplace fluff with a few good ideas scattered here and there for good measure, but one that doesn’t necessarily leave much of an imprint, other than through being just a diversion from more serious matters. However, what Late Night also manages to be is an entertaining and thoughtful comedy about a number of issues that may not see the film takes a revolutionary approach to any of them, but makes them known enough to insert them into the conversation in a way that makes an impact, even if the way these ideas are delivered are sometimes heavy-handed. Yet, for every flaw that we can find in the film, its impossible to not find it to be a delightfully charming story about representation, individuality and the importance of finding your way in a world that seems hopeless or too overwhelming, as well as following your ambitions. Perhaps just an endearing comedy that takes on some more serious issues in a way that never feels too intense, Late Night is a lot of fun, even when it tries not to be.

Katherine Newbury (Dame Emma Thompson) has been the host of her own highly-successful network talk show for nearly thirty years – however, she’s started to lose popularity, and while she still harbours the same passion she’s always had, viewers are starting to turn against her style, which represents the old guard, rather than the new revolutionary directions that her contemporaries are starting to deviate towards. In an effort to improve her output, she hires Molly Patel (Mindy Kaling), a neophyte comedian and writer who has always dreamed of working for Katherine in some capacity. Entering into a workplace that is both hypermasculine and ethnically monotonous, Molly finds herself instantly an outsider, the new girl to a room full of experienced veterans, and a boss that is as callous as she is dismissive of everyone’s efforts, unless its the rare case where they strike on something brilliant. However, Molly turns out to be the perfect remedy for Katherine’s show, as she brings a new set of insights into a beloved but taut entertainment institution, and points out that what is making the show so unexciting is its tendency to ignore the host’s own perspective, and chase after something they can’t ever achieve, a demographic raised on viral moments and short distractions. The two come to be an unbeatable duo, and despite the initial hesitation from both sides to surrender themselves fully to this idea, they both turn out to benefit each other exceptionally well.

Late Night is a comedy about comedy, which is always something worth watching. These kinds of films may not always be original, but they do benefit from having the creative genetics of people who are passionate about the industry embedded within it. Very few understand the comedy industry more than Mindy Kaling, who has been working as a dynamic force of comic energy for over a decade now, proving herself to be one of the most exciting voices in the field. Here, in her capacity as screenwriter, Kaling delivers an endearing film about two women trying to hold their own in an industry that doesn’t necessarily care for them in the same way they dedicate themselves to those who watch it. It may not be entirely original on its own terms, with criticisms that it may be too derivative being relevant and worth discussing. However, its also a film that takes the opportunity to venture into exploring more difficult themes, with some heavy subject matter being assimilated into the storyline at various times. The film quite masterfully balances all these ideas in a way that doesn’t force it to feel overwhelmed by making use of various genres and its conventions, but rather allows the film to deviate into different areas through introducing more complex ideas into a sometimes innocuous, over-safe structure. Late Night is just an entertaining film that exists purely to just spread positivity, but that doesn’t mean it lacks substance in any way, which is rare for a film that doesn’t feel compelled to be revolutionary in any way, or at least not openly so.

The core of Late Night depends solely on the work of Kaling and Thompson, who not only prove to be one of the most unexpectedly great comedic duos of the past few years, but also two performers who manage to bring out the absolute best in the other. Kaling has been overdue for an assimilation into the film industry, as her infectious joy and charismatic congeniality makes her the perfect candidate to be a part of this new wave of comedies that focus on ordinary people going about their lives. She’s wonderful in the film, and considering this film was mostly conceived by her, we need to marvel at her ability to write a role for herself that is free from any hubris or vanity, and rather serves to be just a comforting performance from an actress who is only starting her dominance over the industry. Contrasting with the relative newcomer is Emma Thompson, who is also having a career re-analysis, where her work is starting to develop a bigger following, and her talents, whether as a lead or secondary character, is always acknowledged through the kinds of roles she is perpetually given. Late Night offers her the chance to take the central part in a major comedy that relies almost entirely on her acidic wit and broad compassion as a performer. Thompson and Kaling work exceptionally well together, and while we can comment on some of the secondary performances (such as John Lithgow, who is at his most sentimental here), the film thrives on the dynamic between the two protagonists, even when it seems as if the story is pitting them against each other.

Ultimately, the area in which Late Night works the most is that beneath its lighter subject matter, and its tendency towards infusing it with more serious themes, the main idea that the audience takes away from this film is how it is essentially just a statement about how much representation matters, which extends further than just being about external appearance, but also experience, which is an aspect that is rarely ever explored when looking at diversity. The two main characters in the film are both women trying to navigate the notoriously masculine world of comedy. They both also don’t fit into the heteronormative confines that govern the industry – despite chasing after the key American demographics, neither one of them is traditionally aligned with the people they’re forced to pander to – Katherine is a middle-aged Englishwoman commanding a job designed for young American men. Molly is a first-generation American forced to make a life for herself on her own, with only the moral support of her immigrant parents to propel her. There is an unconventional kinship that is formed between these two women, because despite being at opposite ends of the spectra of fame and professional experience, they are essentially outsiders doing their best to make it in a world not initially made with them in mind – yet despite not quite fitting in, they infiltrate the industry and make it their own, which is where the film means the most. Their friendship is not unlike the traditional trope of “adversaries become friends through mutual understanding”, and the film may take some liberties in asserting similarities on these characters, but it does tend to work.

The ideologies embedded within Late Night work the most when we see the reality of representation reflected back at us – it isn’t ever an issue that can just be condensed into a few key ideas, but rather needs to be presented as a full tapestry, where everyone has their own experiences that can’t simply be compartmentalized into one category or the other. Like the character of Katherine realizes, she is at her best when speaking from the heart – and Late Night, for all its flaws, makes the most sense when it says something. It isn’t the definitive film that shows why representation matters, but its a perfect platform given to those who genuinely believe, whereby they can start a conversation through a story that may be pleasant, but has some deeper intention pulsating through it. The film knows its limitations and never tries too hard, but still manages to be profoundly endearing, even at its most outrageous. It is by no means a perfect film and serves to really only be the perfect diverting comedy that doesn’t say much other than leaving the audience entertained, with the byproduct of a few interesting discussions being incited only adding to the experience. It may be light and predictable, but its not all that forgettable, and whether it allows Emma Thompson to command the screen, or a great example of why Mindy Kaling is an essential voice on both sides of the camera in this film that serves as her breakthrough as both an actress and screenwriter, or the genial charms underpinning this film that make it so endearing, there’s something for everyone in Late Night, an enthralling comedy that quietly (and quite successfully) tries to start an important conversation that further works should hopefully build upon.