“Late Night with the Devil” turns a live TV broadcast into a haunted house. The Cairnes brothers direct and write a horror film built around a 1977 late-night talk show, and they lean hard into the idea that the screen itself is the threat. David Dastmalchian plays Jack Delroy, the host, and Laura Gordon plays June Ross-Mitchell, the skeptical doctor brought in to test a possessed girl named Lilly. The setup is simple: a failing show invites a possessed child on air to raise its numbers, and the broadcast becomes the trap.
Trailer, via Independent Film Company.
The Setup
Jack Delroy is a man running out of options. His wife Madeleine has died of cancer, and the show he hosts, Night Owls, is losing viewers fast. He reaches for a story that will bring people back. That means inviting a possessed girl onto the air, a psychic who claims to see spirits, and a skeptic willing to pay big money if anyone can prove the supernatural exists. The audience is meant to watch along with the show’s own audience, trapped in their living rooms as the broadcast descends.
What Works
The film earns its tension through its own rules. The Cairnes brothers build the story as a documentary framing device, treating the broadcast as evidence of something far beyond ordinary. That framing keeps the horror grounded even as the show spirals out of control. The performances hold up the chaos. Dastmalchian sells the desperation of a man willing to risk everything for one more viewer, and Gordon brings a sharp, steady skepticism that grounds the story’s weirder turns.
Where It Falls Short
The film’s middle stretch drags. Some scenes feel padded, and the pacing slows in ways the script doesn’t quite justify. The story also relies heavily on the audience’s willingness to accept the premise, and some viewers may lose patience with the show’s refusal to resolve its own mysteries. The film is at its best when it stays close to the broadcast, and it loses focus when it wanders into flashback territory.
The Cast
The supporting cast fills out the broadcast’s roster. Fayssal Bazzi plays Christou, the psychic whose headache sets the story in motion. Ian Bliss plays Carmichael Haig, the skeptic who offers the big payoff. Ingrid Torelli plays Lilly, the possessed girl at the center of the broadcast. Georgina Haig plays Madeleine Piper, and Josh Quong Tart plays Leo Fiske. Each gets a moment to land, though the film doesn’t give them room to breathe.
The Numbers
| Date | Event |
|---|---|
| 10 March 2023 | World premiere at SXSW |
| 22 March 2024 | US theatrical release via IFC Films |
| 11 April | Australian release |
The film grossed $16 million, which is modest for a horror release, and it earned a 7.2/10 from critics. That number matches the published score for the film, and it reflects a film that’s clever in theory and inconsistent in practice.
Final Word
“Late Night with the Devil” is a smart, nervy horror film that occasionally loses its nerve. Its strongest moments come when it commits fully to its own premise, trapping the audience inside a broadcast that’s falling apart. The weakest moments come when the story wanders from that central trap, losing focus and momentum. As a whole, it’s a film worth seeing for its ambition, even when that ambition doesn’t fully pay off.
Get the Notebook.
The day's best stories and every fresh verdict, in plain English, in your inbox by seven. One email a day, no more.
