Late Night

Author(s): Connor Campbell
Location: Texas

“Late Night"

Written & Directed by Paul Haggis

Principal Cast:

Jim Carrey- Colin Doherty
Edward Norton- Devin Hall
Julie Bowen- Sarah Doherty
Jennifer Aniston- Melinda Forrester
Zooey Deschanel- Kelly Forrester
Terrence Howard- Michael Wayne
Lauren Graham- Holly George
Jared Leto- Ryan Westin
Ron Livingston- Steven Morgan
Neve Campbell- Marie Morgan
Regina King- Andrea Parks
Sook Yin Lee- Lana Kim
Mena Suvari- Mama Bunny

Featuring

Billy Crudup- John
Anna Faris- Rianna

Tagline: "The Laughter, the Murder"

Synopsis: Colin Doherty was a well known late night talk show host. His wife Sarah was 6 months pregnant and he had just been told he was moving to a better timeslot of 11:35/10:35c. On his talk show “Late Laughs with Colin Doherty”, he had a particularly good line up that night. Acclaimed director Michael Wayne, eccentric television actress Holly George and talented guitarist Ryan Westin would be the last guests he would ever have.

After the show, Colin returned to his mansion which was next door to acclaimed actresses and sisters, Melinda and Kelly Forrester. He thought they were probably out at L.A.’s fabulous club scene being stalked by the paparazzi, but they were really in their living room watching their favorite TV show Grey’s Anatomy on Tivo. Steven and Marie Morgan were returning from dinner to their home when they stopped at a stop sign where they saw Andrea Parks walking her dog. Meanwhile, Lana Parks, a prostitute was talking with her Madam, Momma Bunny about her biggest regular client, Colin Doherty and where to fit him in her schedule.

He entered the gates to his home and walked to the door. As he opened the door, he was shot point blank in the back of the head, dying instantly. The last thing he saw was Sarah’s lifeless body sprawled out on the floor.

Devin Hall was put on the case of “The Jubilee Rd. Killings” as the media had labeled it. The case was so puzzling, it had consumed his whole life, causing him to neglect his life partner John, who was secretly Colin Doherty’s drug dealer to feel neglected and seek companionship in Rianna, who just happened to be in the audience of the last episode of “Late Laughs”.

At the wake, Melinda comforted Kelly, who was having her first experience with death while Andrea Parks remembered the chilling conversation she had with Sarah the day she died talking about a prostitute named Lana who had performed with Colin and how she was going to meet with Mama Bunny. Michael Wayne, Holly George & Ryan Westin who were all friends with the victims reminisced about old times while the Morgan’s were being questioned by Devin.

Rianna snuck into the wake, moving around quietly, following Devin with her eyes, furious. Rianna was a schizophrenic, and wanted Devin dead.

While the whole world found out about Colin’s drug abuse and sexual appetite, Devin and John broke up and John was arrested. Andrea had told Devin while being questioned about her encounter with Mama Bunny and traveled to question her and Lana, closely fallowed by Rianna.

Mama Bunny and Lana were burning their bloody clothes and discarding of their weapons to erase any evidence that they were ever at the Doherty residence that fateful night. Colin had not been paying them and they were getting mad. When Sarah met with them asking them to assist in Colin’s murder, they were quick to agree, but when they got to Doherty’s residence, Sarah didn’t want to go through with it, so they killed her and her unborn child and waited for Colin to return home. They had taken every precaution to ensure that they would never be caught.

When Devin found Mama Bunny and Lana at Mama’s small apartment, they ran to the stairs where Rianna was waiting with a loaded gun in her hands. She shot at them, not realizing who they were. She felt horrible that she had killed “innocent” people, but that would not stop her from killing Devin and turning the gun on herself.

The only people who knew what happened were dead. The case would remain unsolved and the whole world would be left to wonder who committed Hollywood’s most notorious murder, and biggest mystery.

What the press would say:

Paul Haggis’s new ensemble drama “Late Night” works on so many different levels, without trying too hard to copy “Crash”. The story of a popular late night talk show host (Carrey) who is murdered along with his wife and unborn child (Bowen). Jim Carrey plays the troubled talk show host. Although the majority of his appearances are in flashbacks, his scenes with his talk show, particularly with his final guests, Terrence Howard, Lauren Graham who accents on her true “Gilmore” talent and Jared Leto are what amazes me, not only his performance, but the guests and they way the interact. Thanks to Paul Haggis’s genius direction, you feel as though you’re suddenly watching Conan or Leno. Julie Bowen, a relatively under the radar actress from “Boston Legal” performs beautifully as Sarah, the suspecting wife who ends up paying the ultimate price. Jennifer Aniston and Zooey Deschanel work together perfectly as famous sister actresses in the way of the Hilton sisters but mature, and without that cartoonish feel. Jennifer Aniston gives an amazing performance, though limited that puts her one step further from “Rachel”, and Zooey Deschanel is amazing as one of the best developed characters in the film, close behind Colin, Devin (Norton & Rianna (Faris). This film could put her on the level that has so eluded her. Edward Norton is great as Devin Hall, the detective put on the case. I love the way how Haggis worked in his homosexuality in such a casual way that doesn’t make it a “gay” film, but not to where it makes no sense for him to be homosexual in the first place. He gives his best performance since “American History X” and could realistically see his 2nd Academy Award ® nomination. Ron Livingston and Neve Campbell work greatly together as we saw in the unsuccessful “Relative Strangers” but here, they are brilliant and remind me of Terrence Howard and Thandie Newton in Crash, but not as prevalent. Regina King gives a great performance as Sarah’s best friend who ends up becoming the key to solving the murder. Although limited, her performance stays with you long after the credits stop and you can’t help but applaud her. Sook Yin Lee and Mena Suvari work beautifully together as a prostitute and her Madam. Sook Yin Lee does beautiful work and Mena Suvari could not be better, giving her best performance since “American Beauty”. Anna Faris is remarkable as the schizophrenic Rianna who sets out to kill Devin in a bout of jealousy since she became romantically involved with his drug dealer boyfriend John (Crudup) and results in his arrest. Crudup also gives a good performance, but it is so limited, I doubt it will do anything. Paul Haggis has made yet another masterpiece with his ingenious writing and directing. Overall, “Late Night” is the best film of the year so far. ****

FYC

FYC

Best Picture
Best Director- Paul Haggis
Best Actor- Jim Carrey
Best Actor- Edward Norton
Best Actress- Julie Bowen
Best Supporting Actor- Terrence Howard
Best Supporting Actor- Jared Leto
Best Supporting Actor- Ron Livingston
Best Supporting Actor- Billy Crudup
Best Supporting Actress- Jennifer Aniston
Best Supporting Actress- Zooey Deschanel
Best Supporting Actress- Lauren Graham
Best Supporting Actress- Neve Campbell
Best Supporting Actress- Sook Yin Lee
Best Supporting Actress- Mena Suvari
Best Supporting Actress- Anna Faris
Best Original Screenplay- Paul Haggis
Best Editing- Tariq Anwar
Best Cinematography- Emmanuel Lubezki
Best Original Score- Thomas Newman