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Comedy drama

Late Night (2019): Cast, Ratings, Box Office & Ending

Late Night (2019) movie poster

Late Night is a 2019 comedy drama directed by Nisha Ganatra, starring Mindy Kaling as Molly Patel, Emma Thompson and Amy Ryan. It runs 1 hour 42 minutes and earned $22.4 million worldwide on a $4 million budget. It earned 2 award nominations, including Studio or Independent – Comedy at the Artios Awards 2020. Critics gave it 97% on Rotten Tomatoes and 70 on Metacritic, and IMDb users rate it 6.5/10.

IMDb rating
6.5/10
Rotten Tomatoes
97%
worldwide gross
$22.4M
award nominations
2
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Late Night (2019) movie poster
Released
Runtime
1h 42m (102 min)
Director
Nisha Ganatra
Genres
Drama , Comedy
Original language
English
Budget
$4M
After the credits
No No extra scene
The story

What Is Late Night About?

The premise of Late Night without spoilers. The whole story and the ending explained are in the plot summary further down.

As talk show host Katherine Newberry's popularity declines, she makes a bold decision: hiring Molly Patel, a sharp and enthusiastic efficiency expert, as the show's first female writer in many years. Molly's arrival disrupts the established order, and the two women initially clash due to differing creative approaches. However, as Molly’s genuine perspective challenges Katherine's traditional methods, she begins to question her legacy and the future of her show.

Late Night Themes & Keywords

· 50 tags
  • feminism
  • f rated
  • television writer
  • fictional tv show
  • fictional late night tv show
  • ethnic diversity
  • racial diversity
  • husband wife relationship
  • adultery
  • factory
  • party
  • parkinson's disease
+38 more
  • title directed by female
  • reference to mike nichols
  • reference to diane sawyer
  • female talk show host
  • behind the scenes
  • television production
  • female tv network executive
  • writer
  • writers' conference
  • telling a joke
  • coworker coworker relationship
  • cheating wife
  • extramarital affair
  • unfaithfulness
  • infidelity
  • tv studio audience
  • power plant
  • workplace romance
  • friendship between women
  • triple f rated
  • female protagonist
  • fired from a job
  • losing a job
  • chemical plant
  • job interview
  • garbage can
  • reference to youtube
  • stand up comedian
  • kiss
  • playing piano
  • reference to twitter
  • reference to chrissy teigen
  • prejudice
  • joke
  • single woman
  • sitting on a trash can
  • telephone call
  • sickness
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Cast & crew

Late Night Cast & Characters

Mindy Kaling leads the cast as Molly Patel, with Emma Thompson as Katherine Newbury and Amy Ryan as Caroline Morton. Directed by Nisha Ganatra; 16 actors are credited in all.

Also Starring in Late Night

· 12 more
From the director

More from Nisha Ganatra

More films directed by Nisha Ganatra, best-rated first: Chutney Popcorn, The High Note, Freakier Friday and FUTURESTATES: Code Academy.

Full filmography
Ratings

Late Night Reviews & Ratings

Critics gave Late Night 97% on Rotten Tomatoes and 70 on Metacritic, and IMDb users rate it 6.5/10. Our Echo Score gives it 65/100, strongest in character & emotion (75) and weakest in rewatch factor (50).

65 /100

Late Night Echo Score Breakdown

Late Night delivers a moderately engaging workplace comedy marked by strong performances but constrained by a familiar narrative. The film’s consistent praise for Emma Thompson’s portrayal and the chemistry with Mindy Kaling underpins its appeal, even as critics note its reliance on established tropes and predictable pacing. Its visual and auditory presentation remains serviceable without commanding the big-screen experience. Overall, Late Night offers a pleasant viewing that earns its charms through character work more than narrative innovation.

Our own 0–100 rating, built from five aspects: art, character, story, the sensory experience and how well a film rewatches.

  • Art & Craft 60

    In terms of direction and cinematography, Late Night maintains a steady, television-inspired aesthetic without offering striking visual flourishes. Production design and editing keep scenes flowing smoothly but rarely draw attention to themselves. There are moments of polished framing and concise cuts, yet the overall look feels functional rather than ambitious. The film’s craft values clarity and consistency, resulting in a competent yet unremarkable art direction.

  • Character & Emotion 75

    When it comes to acting and emotional resonance, Late Night excels through its lead performances. Emma Thompson conveys a nuanced blend of vulnerability and authority, while Mindy Kaling brings earnest determination to her role. Their on-screen chemistry and well-drawn character arcs provide the film’s most compelling moments. Supporting cast members contribute solid fills, ensuring depth across the ensemble. Overall, the character work stands out as the film’s primary strength and driving force.

  • Story & Flow 55

    Regarding plot coherence and originality, the narrative adheres closely to familiar workplace comedy beats. Viewers encounter predictable developments and a straightforward moral arc, with limited surprises or structural risks. Pacing remains steady, offering occasional bursts of humor but lacking sustained engagement in its latter half. Themes of diversity and creative freedom emerge but are treated lightly. Consequently, the story functions effectively but does not transcend its formulaic foundation.

  • Sensory Experience 60

    In terms of sensory experience, the film presents a clean sound design and unobtrusive score that support tonal shifts without drawing focus. The visual palette is coherent and bright, reflecting the late-night studio setting, but it rarely ventures into distinctive style or bold composition. Audio cues and background details are clear but modest in ambition. Overall, the sensory elements are competent and serviceable, reinforcing mood without leaving a lasting impression.

  • Rewatch Factor 50

    For rewatch value, Late Night offers a pleasant atmosphere but limited novelty on subsequent viewings. Its humor and character interactions retain a degree of warmth, yet the predictable storyline diminishes repeat engagement. Viewers may appreciate specific performance nuances upon revisiting, but the overall experience remains similar to the first viewing. In sum, the film provides moderate enjoyment, though its memorability and depth fall short of inspiring frequent replays.

Plot

Late Night Plot Summary & Ending Explained

What happens in Late Night from start to finish, spoilers included, with a timeline of 14 key events and the ending explained. The opening is below; the full summary is a 3-minute read.

Spoilers ahead

Katherine Newbury, played by Emma Thompson, is a prominent talk show host renowned for her career in comedy. However, her show’s ratings have plummeted over the past decade, prompting the network’s president, Amy Ryan as Caroline Morton, to demand substantial improvements or face cancellation. In a strategic move to revitalize her show, Katherine brings on board Molly Patel, portrayed by Mindy Kaling, primarily due to her identity as an Indian American woman, amidst a predominantly white male writing team. Katherine has a notorious reputation for not retaining female staff, making this decision even more precarious.

Full summary

The whole story of Late Night, scene by scene, with the ending explained

Read the full summary
Box office

Late Night Box Office & Budget

Late Night grossed $22.4 million worldwide on a $4 million budget, 5.6 times what it cost. $15.5 million came from the US and Canada and $6.9 million (31%) from the rest of the world.

2019 box office

Worldwide gross

$22.4M

5.6× its budget

US & Canada
$15.5M
International
$6.9M
Budget
$4M
US & Canada 69% Rest of the world 31%
Awards

Late Night Awards & Nominations

Late Night earned 2 award nominations, including Studio or Independent – Comedy at the Artios Awards 2020. The 2 nominations come from 2 ceremonies.

2 nominations2 ceremonies

Videos

Late Night Trailers & Videos

14 videos: 3 trailers, 1 teaser, 5 clips and 5 featurettes.

All 14 videos
Official Trailer
  • Trailer Official Trailer #2
  • Trailer Final Trailer
  • Teaser Mindy Kaling Shares The Release Date
  • Clip Clip: Teachable Way
Quiz

How Well Do You Know Late Night?

10 questions about the story, each with a hint if you get stuck. Pick an answer to see whether you were right.

Question 1 of 10

  1. Question 1: not answered
  2. Question 2: not answered
  3. Question 3: not answered
  4. Question 4: not answered
  5. Question 5: not answered
  6. Question 6: not answered
  7. Question 7: not answered
  8. Question 8: not answered
  9. Question 9: not answered
  10. Question 10: not answered

Who plays the role of Katherine Newbury?

Cars

Cars in Late Night

15 cars on screen, including the 2016 Cadillac CT6 and the 2006 Ford Crown Victoria.

All 15 cars
  • 2016 Cadillac CT6 in Late Night 2016 Cadillac CT6 Minor role
  • 2006 Ford Crown Victoria in Late Night 2006 Ford Crown Victoria Minor role
  • 2014 BMW X5 F15 in Late Night 2014 BMW X5 F15 Background role
  • 2012 Fiat 500 in Late Night 2012 Fiat 500 Background role
Details

Late Night Also Known As

27 alternative titles, including “Късното шоу” and “Late Night - Zpátky na výsluní”.

Also known as
  • Късното шоу
  • Late Night - Zpátky na výsluní
  • Az éjszakai Show
  • Talk-Show: Reinventando a Comédia
  • Вечерното шоу
  • В прямом эфире
  • 레이트 나이트
  • Late Night - Die Show Ihres Lebens
  • Fin de soirée
  • לייט נייט
  • Gece Kuşu
  • 深夜秀
+15 more
  • E poi c'è Katherine
  • Вече са Кетрин
  • Talkshow
  • Ellas mandan
  • Vēlais vakars
  • Programa da Noite
  • Пізній вечір
  • Talk show de seară
  • レイトナイト 私の素敵なボス
  • Vėlyvas vakaras
  • Late Night – Die Show ihres Lebens
  • آخر الليل
  • लेट नाइट
  • 凱薩琳紐伯利今夜秀
  • ดึกนี้มีเฮ

Seen Late Night?

FAQ

Late Night FAQ: Cast, Box Office & Awards

Runtime, release date, director, cast, box office, ratings, awards and post-credit scenes of Late Night, each answered in a sentence.

How long is Late Night?

Late Night runs 1 hour 42 minutes (102 minutes).

When was Late Night released?

Late Night was released on June 7, 2019.

Who directed Late Night?

Late Night was directed by Nisha Ganatra.

More films by Nisha Ganatra

Who is in the cast of Late Night?

Late Night stars Mindy Kaling as Molly Patel, Emma Thompson as Katherine Newbury and Amy Ryan as Caroline Morton, among 16 credited actors.

How much did Late Night make at the box office?

Late Night grossed $22.4 million worldwide ($15.5 million domestic, $6.9 million international) on a budget of $4 million.

How is Late Night rated?

Late Night has 6.5/10 on IMDb, 97% on Rotten Tomatoes, 70 on Metacritic and 64% on TMDB.

Was Late Night nominated for any awards?

Late Night received 2 nominations across 2 ceremonies.

Does Late Night have a post-credit scene?

No. Late Night has no extra scene during or after the credits.

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