Review of The Late Shift (1996) by Richard V — 07 Jun 2015
An interesting but ultimately not perfect behind the scenes story of the first NBC late night disaster. Kathy Bates is excellent as Jay Leno's manager, who plucked the comic out of obscurity and made him Johnny Carson's permanent guest host.
Over time, her abrasiveness ensures that Leno - and not David Letterman, who hosted the 12:30am show after Carson for a decade - would succeed Carson. She's the villain, but could have ultimately been an even more sinister and obsessive character that she was.
Even more, Leno - played by Daniel Roebuck - could have been more of a wuss than he was displayed on the screen. John Michael Higgins - who currently stars in Pitch Perfect and many other comedies - is incredible as Letterman, who is portrayed as a man constantly unsure of himself, but deserving of Carson's seat.
I wish there was more of that as well. That's the big problem of the film, that it could have pushed their characterizations further. I would honestly like if HBO made "The War For Late Night", the sequel based on the 2010 Tonight Show disaster that left Conan O'Brien without a job.
This review of The Late Shift (1996) was written by Richard V on 07 Jun 2015.
The Late Shift has generally received mixed reviews.
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