MPAA Rating: R/Genre: Found Footage Horror/Stars: David Dastmalchian, Laura Gordon, Ian Bliss, Fayssal Bazzi, Ingrid Torelli, Rhys Auteri, Georgina Haig, Josh Quong Tart/Runtime: 93 minutes

While it is by no means a secret at this point, and if it is then this must be your first time reading one of my reviews, that I happen to possess a long-cultivated fondness for the horror genre of movie magic I think the time is now right to share that there are times where an asterisk can be placed on that fondness. An asterisk that the writing along with it states that there are certain subsects of horror cinema that often work better in certain situations than others. One of those subsects incidentally is one that manages to deal primarily with horror films that are trying to bring to mind a certain feeling in the mind let alone every fiber of the person watching it. Yet while I have encountered this distinct feeling in such films as The Last Exorcism, Cannibal Holocaust, Sinister, Paranormal Activity (the first 4 or so anyway), The Blair Witch Project, and even the first Cloverfield from 2008 among other examples I must confess I cannot provide this particular feeling with a name. All I can really do is describe the feeling and in that regard it is a feeling that not only am I watching something that actually took place, but that this is also something that perhaps I as a viewer was never intended to lay eyes on for one reason or another. Of course, for as immersive and genuinely terrifying as it can be for a slice of horror cinema to be able to pull this off, there is one thing that it must do first. That being it must actually pull it off at the very least fairly successfully. Now you might be thinking to yourself “well duh” and rightfully so, but the truth is dear reader that it really isn’t all that easy for a slice of horror cinema to pull this off as you might be thinking it to be. Indeed it takes a variety of factors from how the movie is shot, set design, costumes, and even the cast themselves among other examples to really sell to an audience that this is not a piece of fiction and instead is very much footage from an actual event that occurred to some poor unfortunate people out there in the world at one time. As a result, this just makes it that much more enjoyable and applause-worthy when a horror film is able to immerse you in the world it takes place in and then utilize that to its advantage when it comes to scaring the absolute heck out of you. The reason I bring all of this up to you incidentally is because the slice of cinema I am reviewing for you today, 2023’s (but finally being released here in the States) Late Night with the Devil, is one film that absolutely fits this criterion to a t. To be sure, there are a few hiccups here and there, but overall this is one movie that, with the aid of riveting work on both sides of the camera, is one that I promise will leave you feeling like you just walked into an inescapable nightmare in the most wonderfully terrifying way possible.

The plot is as follows: Operating as a reputed “recently uncovered master tape” of a late-night talk/ variety show from that iconic decade known as the 70s called Night Owls with Jack Delroy, Late Night with the Devil gets its spine-tingling story underway by first giving us some background on Mr. Jack Delroy. A guy who, among other attributes worth knowing about him, was able to take the level of success that he had been having as a DJ in the Windy City and then managed to transform that success into the opportunity to host a late-night talk show on the national level. Yet even though his program, the aforementioned “Night Owls”, is definitely amusing and the personality behind it one that the audience who tunes having a fair bit of fondness for, it still isn’t enough to keep our intrepid hero from being no more than second best to another late-night talk show host in the form of a little-known individual by the name of Johnny Carson. At any rate, we soon see that, in a bid to distinguish his program from that of his main rival’s, Delroy makes the choice to change up his show’s subject matter and place a significant amount of concentration on topics that might seem to most to belong to a category of material best described as “fodder best left to the tabloids”. As far off the beaten path as the show has gone however, that’s not even close to describing the level of off that it feels for the episode that is the focus of this story and which, according to the film, occurred on Halloween Night in 1977 and saw, among the guest line-up, a rather sketchy psychic by the name of Christou, a paranormal debunker named Carmichael Haig, and a parapsychologist who has written a book dealing with a demonic possession who also has brought along the subject of her book, a 12-year old girl named Lily, with her to the taping of the show. Indeed with such a delightful line-up of guests and such intriguing topics being discussed I guess the only question to ask, though I shouldn’t, is what could possibly go wrong? Suffice it to say that by the end of the movie not only will you know the answer to that question, but perhaps even a few others as well. Not just in regards to why Carson never tried (to the best of my knowledge) to have an episode of HIS show focus on this particular subject material, but also in regards to one possible price that a person might be willing to pay to be the best in their respective field. As for what that entails for our journalist friend here to say nothing of his guests, his crew, and even the live studio audience in attendance that I shall let you see for yourself…

Now right off, it should be said that the work done by the various departments behind the camera on this spooktacular cinematic outing are truly phenomenal. This starts with the work done at the helm by siblings Cameron and Colin Cairnes (or as I’m calling them the Super Cairnes Bros.) and honestly it is nothing short of remarkable. Not just in regards to making this feel like a throwback to horror films of the 70s, but also the talk shows of that very same era as well. I mean I don’t know if this pair just have eidetic memories or they somehow invented time travel, but from the gloriously cliché sets to the signs that blare just before a commercial break this pair have managed to faithfully recreate for us the vibe and appearance of a 70s talk show in a way that I have seen few other directors pull off even remotely as successfully. We also see that the pair do a wonderful job of really making this a slow burn-type tale and focus for the vast majority of the film on the bonds between not only the guests, but also that of Delory and his loyal producer who knows what’s going on and prods him to keep pushing the envelope due in no small part to the ever-climbing ratings that the show is receiving. As a result, we see that this ever-switching transition between what the audience sees and what occurs during the commercial breaks really aids in the ever-rising level of unease and degree of realisticness on display. With that said, when it does come time for all hell (for lack of a better phrase) to just cut loose, we see that the Super Cairnes Bros. do a masterful job of deploying everything from unwieldy movement of the camera, accelerated changes in focus, and even unpredictable sound work in order to do a grand job of laying into us as movie goers in such a way that we are just as askew and off balanced as the audience of the show itself. We also see that aiding the Super Cairnes Bros. in their mission to immerse us as fully as possible into the nightmarish world of the film is a trio of brilliant components consisting of incredibly and intricately comprehensive production design work from Otello Stolfo, impeccably spot-on costume design work from Stephanie Hooke, and a brilliantly composed musical accompaniment from Glenn Richards. I mean all three of these components really do a fantastic job of helping to make the world of the film that much more seemingly realistic for us as an audience (and by extension that much more terrifying as a result). Indeed if there is an issue to be found with anything done behind the camera here, it would have to be the fact that it does tend to run a bit longer than it should have (even at 93 minutes including credits). This is because, due to the choice to having the story unfurl in what feels like real time, the team behind the camera must devote itself 100% to the particular talk show style it is playing with here. Yet for all of the positives that come with that, the main area where this turns into a wee bit of an issue is that we are treated to sequences that, rather than elevating the suspense and tension on screen, instead have the opposite effect and nearly transform that suspense into slumber. Even with that particular ailment in mind however, there is no denying that the work done behind the camera here does an impeccable job at not only making you feel like you are watching a genuine TV show from the era in question, but also at leaving you on the edge of your seat due to the nightmare that unfurls during it as well.

Of course, the other element that helps this nightmare succeed in sending the shivers down your spine that it is ultimately able to would have to be the work done by the remarkably talented cast of players in front of the camera. Without a doubt in my mind, this starts with the work done by David Dastmalchian in the lead role and honestly this is easily one of the finest performances of his career. Indeed you might not know this guy by name, but there is no doubt that you might be aware of him from some of his support turns in some insanely good movies as of late. Indeed be it as Kurt in the first two Ant Man movies, a creepy potential suspect in the kidnapping at the heart of 2013’s Prisoners, the lecherous Piter De Vries from Denis Villeneuve’s first Dune installment in 2021, or even as the damaged yet delightful Polka-Dot Man in James Gunn’s 2021 take on The Suicide Squad among others, this guy has definitely showcased for audiences that he is easily one of the most intriguing character actors working in the industry of movie magic today. Even with those performances on his resume however, there is no denying that his work here is definitely one of the top 10 performances of his career so far. I say that because, in the role of Jack Delroy, Dastmalchian does an absolutely outstanding job with his portrayal of a talk show host who has had brief flirtations with success and is definitely someone who is fairly skilled at what he has chosen to do with his life and yet, for a variety of reasons, has never come as close as he would perhaps like to being what he perceives as “the best of the best”. As a result, we see that this has put him in a position where he is willing to do almost anything to achieve it (did I say almost?) and in the process really makes him a wonderful character to take the audience by the hand and guide them down this nightmarish path. Along with that, we see that whereas a lot of talk show hosts have and do what they can to make sure the audience both at home and in the studio are comfortable and secure Dastmalchian does a phenomenal job at conveying such a degree of desperation and anxiety-stricken hope that what unfurls here is the real McCoy so to speak that we are very much stricken with as much terror-infused anxiety ourselves as to what could possibly occur from here as he is albeit for different reasons. Working alongside Dastmalchian is a top-tier support cast that might not be as known as the lead performer, but rest assured that each and every one of them from Ian Bliss to Josh Quong Tart all do a magnificent job of both taking the material seriously, but also in showcasing for us a genuine degree of uncertainty that, as the film goes on, eventually evolves into a full-blown terror that is nothing short of palpable. With that being said though, the standout from the support cast without question has to be newcomer Ingrid Torelli in the role of Lily. Indeed this is a very difficult role to play since it requires an actress who can make the audience quite leery in regard to the question of whether or not her possession is something that is terrifyingly authentic or just the product of an way too active imagination before eventually giving them a spine chilling answer to that question. Even with that in mind however, there is no denying that Torelli is able to walk that very thin line in a manner that is nothing short of terrifyingly impressive and hopefully the beginnings of a truly exemplary career.

All in all and at the end of the day is Late Night with the Devil a perfect slice of sinister cinema? Sadly no though most assuredly not for lack of effort on the part of either cast or crew. With that in mind however, is this the worst found footage horror film since a group of explorers found Hell in the catacombs of Paris in 2014’s As Above, So Below, a group of friends found themselves being haunted by the ghost of their dead friend over that magical form of modern-day communication known as social media in the (also from 2014) Unfriended, or a group of high school vandals ran afoul of a ghost with a penchant for hanging people in their school in 2015’s The Gallows? Thankfully, I can say that is most assuredly not the case either. To be sure, the fact that this slice of cinema is very much a slow burn kind of horror film means that it is not going to be everyone’s particular blend of cinematic coffee. On top of that, there are moments where this slice of cinema’s distinct narrative does stretch itself a bit too thin for its own good. With that said though, there is also no denying that this is easily one of the most intriguing slices of horror cinema that I have had the immense pleasure of seeing in quite some time. Indeed between the top-tier work behind the camera at really recreating and bringing you into the distinct time and place that this slice of cinema takes place in and the phenomenal work in front of the camera by a truly game cast of talent all operating at the pinnacle of their respective abilities there is no denying that Late Night with the Devil is more than just exciting evidence that horror cinema can still be quite chilling and just plain fun if made with this much care and skill. Rather, it is also validation of the old concept that “the devil is in the details” to say nothing of a wonderful instruction manual for all present day talk show hosts (I’m looking at you Jimmy Kimmel and Jimmy Fallon as I write this) on what NOT to do in an attempt to get more viewers than Stephen Colbert. Make of that what thou will dear reader. On a scale of 1-5 I give Late Night with the Devil a solid 4 out of 5.