Review: 'Late Night with the Devil'

Four out of Five Stars

By Abby Cowels
Staff Writer

“Late Night with The Devil” (2023) is a horror/comedy directed by Cameron and Colin Cairnes. It is currently available to stream on AMC+ and Shudder. It is also currently showing in select theaters.

The movie stars David Dastmalchien as a 1977 late-night talk show host who is having a Halloween special of his show, in hopes to build a broader audience after his ratings start to dwindle.

Jake Delroy (played by Dastmalchien) feels his talk show has been losing its quality since the death of his wife. In order to revive his show, “Night Owls with Jack Delroy,” he brings on a talented medium, a supernatural skeptic and a girl who can supposedly conjure demons, alongside her caregiver June, who assists the girl in her conjuring.

The film nailed the 1970s aesthetic perfectly. It switches between the cameras on air, to behind-the-scenes backstage footage, to more personal angles during the live demonstrations.

There is some controversy around the use of AI animation in the film, though I found it to be hardly an influence on the film itself. To clarify, the AI rendered images were primarily the spooky retro art used on the set.

The performances from the actors were outstanding. It is nice to see that Dastmalchien has finally gotten a major lead role. You may recognize him from “Dune” (2024) or “The Suicide Squad” (2021). When you imagine a charismatic late-night talk show host, there was no question of his performance; it was flawlessly executed.

It was definitely more horror than comedy, but the horror eased in and built a great deal of tension. There were moments, primarily as it entered the third act, that felt a little out of place. Some of the CGI seemed to not quite fit the retro feel of the film, I have few critiques besides that.

I think I have seen some amazing horror films in the last few years, and this one is in my top 10.