Late Night with the Devil is a found footage horror movie based around late night television and possession. Jack Delroy (David Dastmalchian, The Suicide Squad) seemed to be the next king of late night television. Not only did this never happen, his wife became fatally ill and died. In an attempt to remain relevant, Jack used increasingly sensationalistic tactics. On October 31, 1977, he aired a Halloween special that unleashed evil into every home in America.
Sometimes, it seems like there is only so much that can be done in found footage. A person gathers some friends and goes out to hunt an urban legend or some sort of mystery. There is lots of shaky cam and running and screaming. These can be a lot of fun, but this is usually in spite of the tropes of the genre and not because of them.
Then, there are the ones that are willing to be a little more creative. They tend to involve an episode of a show that was never aired or a found VHS tape. Last Night With the Devil falls into this category. But it also dispenses with almost everything associated with found footage.
The end result is a rarity in these types of films. An emphasis is placed on characters and story instead of chaos and jump scares. Playing out like an episode of a late night talk show complete with behind the scenes footage, Late Night with the Devil is an engaging watch. Things escalate over the course of the show and it soon becomes obvious that something is very wrong.
The script does a great job of interjecting mystery. Offhand comments added with some background information will keep audiences wondering who is truly at fault. Dastmalchian is great as Delroy – he has all the mannerisms and timing of a late night host. What makes him more impressive is his depth. Delroy is a multi-layered person who can go from charming and caring to cold and obsessed. Likable characters are rarely seen in found footage, and seeing a nuanced one is a refreshing change.
Though her character is more straightforward, the standout performance in Late Night with the Devil belongs to Ingrid Torelli as Lilly, the young survivor of a traumatic incident. Once Lilly is introduced, the film reaches a new level. A mix of dark humor and old fashioned scares, she makes an already tense situation frightening. She dominates the screen whenever she is on.
Most people describe found footage movies as a guilty pleasure. They tend to be very formulaic and have little substance. Late Night with the Devil does have some of the characteristics associated with the sub-genre, but it mostly does its own thing. The end result is a scary watch that is compelling television and a great movie.
Late Night withe Devil releases in theaters March 22
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