Year: 2019
Runtime: 102 min
Language: English
Director: Nisha Ganatra
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.
Warning: spoilers below!
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Read the complete plot breakdown of Late Night (2019), including all key story events, major twists, and the ending explained in detail. Discover what really happened—and what it all means.
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.
Molly, who previously worked in a chemical plant, seized the opportunity to connect with Katherine after impressing the parent company’s president in an essay contest. Unfortunately, her first day coincides with Katherine’s harsh decision to fire two employees, leading to immediate animosity among the remaining writers, especially as Molly candidly critiques the show in her inaugural meeting—a trait Katherine surprisingly admires.
As the pressure mounts, Molly, despite her lack of experience in comedy, begins to shine by providing Katherine with fresh content and innovative ideas to broaden their audience. For example, she realizes that Katherine has never even met many of her writers before the crisis meeting. Molly’s new cabin mate, Burditt, played by Max Casella, encourages her to submit her own material, which Katherine accepts for the next show, though she ultimately decides to omit a politically charged joke, revealing deep-seated beliefs.
A miscalculated attempt to attract current celebrities backfires when the YouTube sensation Mimi Mismatch storms off, feeling mocked rather than celebrated. Meanwhile, Tom Campbell, played by Reid Scott, grows increasingly apprehensive about Molly’s influence over Katherine.
Following this incident, Katherine employs a PR expert who suggests hosting a media party at her residence. At the event, Molly meets Katherine’s kind-hearted husband, John Lithgow as Walter, and deftly navigates a challenging media inquiry about Katherine’s treatment of writers.
Things come to a head at a charity event where Molly performs stand-up, despite Katherine’s objections. Intrigued by how Molly turns her personal setbacks into comedic material, Katherine decides to take a more personal and politically charged approach in her own humor. This pivot significantly boosts the show’s engagement and ultimately, its ratings—a feat that even Caroline’s family acknowledges.
However, Katherine soon learns of a new replacement opportunity for her in the form of the young, popular comedian Daniel Tennant, played by Ike Barinholtz, whose lewd comedy style clashes with Katherine’s principles. Defying the network’s expectations and with her writers’ support, Katherine makes a bold on-air decision to continue her career.
The situation escalates further when an email from Charlie, played by Hugh Dancy, is leaked, exposing an affair between them from when Walter was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease. Amid the chaos, Katherine retaliates by firing Molly after a confrontation regarding her poor behavior following the leak, leading to Molly’s suggestion to publicly address the affair.
In a heartfelt twist, Katherine reconciles with Walter and her writing team, ultimately confessing her infidelity to her audience. Her genuine remorse and commitment to her show sway Caroline to retain her position. After apologizing to Molly and reinstating her, the duo’s efforts manifest in a year’s time, marked by a diverse writing team and Molly’s promotion to co-lead monologue writer, alongside Katherine’s show, which stands stronger and more successful than ever.
Last Updated: November 03, 2024 at 23:19
Still wondering what the ending of Late Night (2019) really means? Here’s a spoiler-heavy breakdown of the final scene, major twists, and the deeper themes that shape the film’s conclusion.
Late Night with the Devil culminates in a chaos that blurs the lines between reality and hallucination, leaving the audience questioning what was real. As Jack Delroy’s past unravels through visions, it becomes clear that his desperate pursuit of success was fueled by a pact with dark forces connected to the sinister “Grove,” a secretive men’s club linked to satanic rituals. Jack’s involvement with this cult, and ultimately his sacrifice—possibly his wife’s life—was a price paid for fame and influence. The climax erupts when the demon inside Lilly, called “Mr. Wriggles,” fully manifests, revealing itself not as a monstrous horned creature but as a radiant being of light, breaking free from Lilly’s body after chaos and murder unfold on the set of Jack’s show. The demon’s full revelation and the carnage symbolize how Jack’s obsession with success summoned dark forces he could neither control nor fully understand.
The scene where Jack stabs Lilly is highly ambiguous. It appears he is ending her suffering, but the film increasingly suggests that Jack might actually be killing the demon’s vessel, signifying a moment of shocking truth: that the bloodshed is both literal and metaphorical. Perhaps Jack’s stabbing is an attempt to dismantle the illusion that his success came without sacrifice, exposing the high price he paid—his wife’s life, and countless others’ lives indirectly. The film leaves viewers questioning whether Jack is a man ruined by tragedy or a man complicit in dark deeds, embodying the blurred line between good and evil.
The ending’s ambiguity intensifies as reality continues to fracture. When Jack looks at the scene again, flashes of his wife—who never truly recovered from her mysterious illness—suggest his guilt. It hints that perhaps his entire life of striving and sacrifice was intertwined with these sinister forces from the beginning. Ultimately, Late Night with the Devil offers a haunting meditation on obsession, power, and the cost of success—where the horror lies not just in on-screen monsters but in the destructive bargains made in the shadows. The film’s finale leaves audiences with a chilling sense that the true horror was not just the demon’s presence, but the sacrifices and darkness lurking beneath the pursuit of fame, forever embedded in Jack’s haunted mind.
Last Updated: June 25, 2025 at 08:59
Don't stop at just watching — explore Late Night in full detail. From the complete plot summary and scene-by-scene timeline to character breakdowns, thematic analysis, and a deep dive into the ending — every page helps you truly understand what Late Night is all about. Plus, discover what's next after the movie.
Track the full timeline of Late Night with every major event arranged chronologically. Perfect for decoding non-linear storytelling, flashbacks, or parallel narratives with a clear scene-by-scene breakdown.
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