The Films of Betty Thomas

Only You

My Breast

The Brady Bunch Movie

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The Late Shift (January 9/16)

Based on Bill Carter's book, The Late Shift details the struggle for The Tonight Show that ensues after Johnny Carson (Rich Little) announces his retirement - with the fight between Jay Leno (Daniel Roebuck) and David Letterman (John Michael Higgins) quickly reaching vitriolic proportions. (It doesn't help, certainly, that Jay's mercurial producer, Kathy Bates' Helen Kushnick, takes an exceedingly aggressive tack that alienates both her and her client from the various executives in the picture.) Filmmaker Betty Thomas takes a decidedly inside-baseball approach to the subject matter, as The Late Shift explores the minutia of the famed battle to a degree that certain viewers may find oppressive. Carter and George Armitage's screenplay places a very heavy emphasis on the many players involved in the situation, with the movie introducing new characters virtually every few minutes (or so it seems). It is, as such, perhaps not surprising to note that the film is unable to make an emotional connection with the viewer, as there seems to be a concerted effort to forsake the more human elements of the story in favor of the nitty-gritty, business-oriented aspects. There's little doubt, then, that The Late Shift benefits substantially from its raft of above-average performances, with Roebuck, Higgins, and Bates' stellar work complemented by a strong supporting case that includes Bob Balaban, Ed Begley Jr, and Treat Williams. (The latter, cast as super-agent Michael Ovitz, steals each and every scene he's in.) Those with an inherent interest in the ongoing late night wars will certainly find plenty to embrace within The Late Shift, with the remainder of potential viewers well advised to keep their distance.

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Private Parts

Doctor Dolittle

28 Days

I Spy

John Tucker Must Die

Alvin and the Chipmunks: The Squeakquel