Late Night

All the while, Molly doesn't grow much at all. Her dream job simply falls in her lap, forgoing the possibly compelling journey that it would take to get it in the real world.

Like the romcoms it's modeled after, Late Night offers an escape into a world with softer edges, brighter colors, and simpler solutions

I liked it, but I wanted to love it... It's almost like it pulls its punches here and there -- I wanted more bite from it.

Mindy Kaling wrote the screenplay with Emma Thompson in mind and you can see the character was crafted for exactly her talents.

Kaling and Thompson are going after something different, and while it's acerbically funny at times it also feels quite real and of the moment.

I'm willing to accept this as an accurate picture of how comedians can be -- which is not to say that the accuracy makes Late Night any funnier.

Here is a comedy from Mindy Kaling that has some bite, but a surprising lack of sharp teeth that plays it all too timidly.

It does not succeed on merit.

It's best to think of it less as a straightforward comedy and more of a social dramedy for our times.

The screenwriter (Kaling herself) and director Nisha Ganatra's hand is noticeable. [Full review in Spanish]