The Mosley Review: Late Night with the Devil
The easiest and sometimes over saturated genre of horror is the supernatural. Specifically, dealings in the occult, religious themes and the occasional demonic possession arc of a story can be fun, if its with a fresh take. Honestly, I believe every year there is at least 4 different possession films alone and they all are sourced back to the church one way or another. Every once in a while, you get a possession story that has a unique twist on the genre. This film takes not only the psychological road, but also the skepticism and illusionary work and I loved every second of it. The documentary / found footage element truly works in its favor in keeping you immersed in the story and the characters in a way that was refreshing and exciting. Its a small and contained story that felt more like a stage play at times than an episode of a late night talk show which also is a major plus.
David Dastmalchian is one of the most underappreciated character actors working in Hollywood and as Jack Delroy, the host of Night Owls with Jack Delroy, he shows that he can most definitely hold your attention as a leading man. The emotional depths he takes Jack on in some of the most subtle ways in his eyes was magical. Jack was definitely the classic portrayal of ambition and selfishness that overtakes his care for those he calls friends. I was absolutely enthralled with his performance and I can't stress enough how amazing he is. Rhys Auteri was fantastic and heartwarming as his sidekick, Gus McConnell. The two of them are your classic duo of host and comedic relief, but you get a deeper look into their friendship and I loved how he was the voice of reason in many scenes. Gus gets a moment that was visually grotesque and awesome in practicality. Josh Quong Tart was perfect as their greedy and intense producer Leo Fiske. Fayssal Bazzi was great and fun as a the first psychic guest Christou. I liked that through him, we see the level of skepticism in motion and the first taste of the paranormal that may or may not have happened. Ian Bliss was truly one of the biggest standouts and a great antagonist as the magician turned skeptic, Carmichael the Conjurer. Even though he was such a condescending and sometimes obnoxious guest, he had truly great arguments. He had the juiciest dialogue in the film as well. Laura Gordon was excellent as the parapsychologist and author, Dr. June Ross-Mitchell. Her connection to her patient was never understated and it was tense with every warning she gave about how unstable things could get. Ingrid Torelli was outstanding as her patient Lilly D'Abo. There are so many layers to her performance and the many visual tricks that are displayed on and around her. Once she becomes possessed, she gives a great physical performance even if its a bit brief. The amount of time used in her demonic state was well utilized and I liked that even when she wasn't under control of the other being, there was a sense of something clawing at the surface of her mind.
The score by Glenn Richards and Roscoe James Irwin was excellent and I loved the theme of the talk show and how much of an earworm it became for me. The use of silence is well used to punctuate the level of terror and eerie visuals. There are so many subtle touches visually happening at all times and one of my favorites happens once Lilly arrives. The cinematography was outstanding and I loved that the aspect ratio was correct for the time period and how the backstage footage was captured in black and white. It was a great breathing point for the narrative and the characters. The cgi effects that happen in the last bit of film sort of ruined the magic a bit and I wished that was more subtle in execution. With a genre that is overly saturated with the same type of story, this film truly takes a trip down an untapped avenue of the supernatural horror spectrum and it was a welcomed one. This was something truly special. Let me know what you thought of the film or my review in the comments below. Thanks for reading!
