The Late Shift

I read the book written by Bill Carter on which this movie is based many years ago. The book is certainly stronger than the movie. It provides more detail than a movie can possibly provide, the end result being that I thought the movie seemed a wee bit sketchy on a handful of items. All things considered, though, and given the limitations of the medium, the movie provides a wholly entertaining and informative account of the battle between Jay Leno and David Letterman in the early 90's to host "The Tonight Show" after the retirement of Johnny Carson.

The highlight is clearly the performances. I can think of no more difficult performance for an actor than to play a character who is still alive and well-known and on TV on a regular basis. John Michael Higgins nailed the part of Letterman perfectly. Watching him really was like watching Letterman. Daniel Roebuck tried valiantly to be Jay Leno, but somehow didn't pull it off as effectively. His whole "look" seemed fake, and he just didn't seem natural in the role. In a less central role, Rich Little not surprisingly nailed the voice of Carson, although the look was a bit off. In the book, the most interesting of the central figures was probably Leno's agent, Helen Kushnick. In the movie, Kathy Bates was perfect in the role, although not quite as out of control as Carter's portrayal of the woman in writing.

In the end, this is light and entertaining viewing. The subject matter isn't especially important in the overall scheme of things, but it's a fun behind the scenes look at a memorable time in the entertainment industry. 7/10

While The Late Shift is in no way as good as the original book that describes in detail what happened to David Letterman, Jay Leno, Johnny Carson, Helen Kushnik and the rest of the late night cast of Characters, it is quite enjoyable, a good ride, and a fun time. Both Leno and Letterman are played well, if not a wee bit over-acted. It's worth renting.

THE LATE SHIFT was an interesting made for HBO movie that took a detailed look at the power struggle that ensued between David Letterman and Jay Leno when Johnny Carson announced his retirement and both wanted to replace him. This struggle is now part of Hollywood folklore, but for those who don't know the story and are aware of where Letterman is now, it might be interesting to learn that David Letterman wanted to replace Johnny Carson as host of THE TONIGHT SHOW more than anything in the world, but Letterman found his dreams being derailed as frequent guest host Leno had one of Hollywood's most powerful agents, Helen Kushnick, in his corner and working tirelessly to get her client the job. It's not often that we get to see behind the scenes Hollywood machinations recreated for entertainment value, but for fans of these two late night superstars, this movie provided a fascinating look at a very turbulent period in late night television. According to this movie, Letterman was practically promised the job by Carson himself while NBC had promised the job to Leno and that's where Helen Kushnick came in. The movie presents Leno as sort of a milquetoast who allowed his career to be manipulated by Kushnick and feigned ignorance to some of Helen's strong-willed manipulations of some of NBC's biggest power players and it presents Letterman as this smart and savvy businessman who, despite having Carson's support, was railroaded by NBC and Kushnick. John Michael Higgins and Daniel Roebuck credibly recreate Letterman and Leno, respectively, but it is the razor-sharp performance of Oscar winner Kathy Bates as Helen Kushnick that keeps this movie bubbling. Bates commands the screen in one of her best, if not so well-known performances as the venomous Hollywood agent who eats television studio executives for breakfast. There is also a wonderful turn by impressionist Rich Little as Johnny Carson, but it is primarily a fascinating story and the powerhouse performance by Bates that make this one worth checking out.

It is 1991 and rumors abound that Johnny Carson will soon retire from hosting The Tonight Show. It is clear to the NBC executives and decision makers that there are only two men in the running to replace him: David Letterman and Jay Leno. Both men want the job, and have their winning qualities: Letterman is Carson's personal favorite, considered a more adventurous comic talent and something of the heir apparent. Leno, on the other hand, skews to a wider audience and is easier for the executives to manipulate. A bitter business battle erupts over who will take over the show, full of seedy behind the scenes machinations and corporate backstabbing; presented for your viewing pleasure in Betty Thomas' 'The Late Shift.'

Based on Bill Carter's non-fiction book of the same name, 'The Late Shift' is a fascinating, informative and entertaining peek behind the show-business curtain at a very turbulent time in television history. The narrative is tense and thrilling, exposing the cutthroat world of T. V in a satirical way which recalls Sidney Lumet's 'Network,' while still adhering to the facts. The film also features well-rounded versions of many real-world figures, from Letterman and Leno to Warren Littlefield and Michael Ovitz.

The film's versions of Letterman and Leno are particularly interesting and multi-faceted. The screenplay takes a stab at explaining their reasons behind wanting The Tonight Show, and tries to show us the 'real people' behind the entertainers. Ed McMahon used to joke that whenever he was approached by fans, the first question he was asked was always "what's Johnny Carson really like?" While the film can't and doesn't show us what Letterman and Leno are really like- or Carson, for that matter- their cinematic caricatures as written seem to be close enough to the real thing as to be memorable and impressive.

On the other hand, the dialogue often drifts into the expository, and some moments feel melodramatic; particularly those of a confrontational nature. Mac Ahlberg's cinematography is nothing to write home about either, appearing flat and dull. While it is a T. V movie- and therefore one's expectations should be lowered when it comes to visuals- there's no excusing generic work. On this point, the prosthetic make-up used for Leno is distractingly amateur in appearance, making the character look quite ridiculous and cartoonish.

Daniel Roebuck's performance as Leno is less ridiculous, but still rather cartoonish. Setting aside the awful make-up, Roebuck hasn't got Leno's voice right, and sounds like a bad impressionist on the Howard Stern show. He says his lines with conviction but without Leno's speech patterns or timing. Additionally, he plays the man as if he were a little slow; which seems a bit of a strange choice. As time goes by, you settle into the performance somewhat, and Roebuck isn't terrible; he just doesn't deliver a notable or accurate interpretation of Leno.

With John Michael Higgins, it's a different story. He is pitch-perfect as Letterman; he's got the voice, the look and the mannerisms down flawlessly. It is arguably one of the finest, most accurate portrayals of a real person ever in film. He plays Letterman as a work-obsessed, slightly neurotic hypochondriac- but one with charm and wit a-plenty. The film may be slightly biased towards Letterman, and chances are you will be too after watching it; due in large part to Higgins' commanding performance.

Of the supporting cast, Kathy Bates and Treat Williams must be mentioned. Bates plays Leno's manager, Helen Kushnick, a manipulative, vicious businesswoman with no morals and a mouth like a sailor. She is terrific, giving a wild performance that justly won her a Golden Globe that year for Best Supporting Actress. Williams plays Michael Ovitz- a sleek agent who takes Letterman on as his client- and is brilliant; smooth and calculated like a coiled, corporate cobra ready to strike. Of note to some may be Rich Little, who does a cameo as Johnny Carson, which is thankfully brief, as it is embarrassingly, jarringly inaccurate.

'The Late Shift' is an interesting, informative made-for-T. V-movie concisely recounting the infamous Late-Night Wars of the early 90's. Featuring fine performances from the likes of John Michael Higgins and Kathy Bates, the film rockets along at a brisk pace, providing entertainment all the way. While Daniel Roebuck's performance as Leno and the cinematography leaves a bit to be desired, the film is still wildly entertaining; showing us the dog-eat-dog world of showbusiness in a clever, frank way. In short, 'The Late Shift' is a made for T. V gift.

I think this movie actually has a lot of nice things to say about a lot of people (Johnny Carson, Ted Koppel), and it shows that Letterman and Leno actually liked and respected each other a lot. Treat Williams as the half-Kung Fu Master, half-Godfather-like Mike Ovitz is terrific.