bencaandrew

Late night is closer in structure to a Character driven romantic comedy than it is to anything else. Romance however is substituted for a platonic and strained relationship between talk show host/comedian (Emma Thompson) and aspiring writer (Mindy Kaling).

Overall the film presents a heartwarming story and provides a few laughs along the way, though this isn't the all out comedy some would expect.

Let me start by saying I'm not familiar with the book, or indeed any other adaptations.

I imagine this is a blessing, from reading other reviews I'm sure this take on David Copperfield neglects many plot points that are crucial to underlying the themes of the novel, whilst at the same time exaggerating certain characters which some may see as diluting the storytelling.

Nonetheless, being blissfully ignorant of what I should have expected, I found this to be a delightful film full on fun and interesting characters, beautiful sets in bright colours, and still with some serious contemplation on the theme of class struggle.

Dev Patel carried this film superbly, with notably sharp performances from Tilda Swindon, Hugh Laurie, Peter Capaldi, Benedict Wong, and Daisy May-Cooper, among others. The film features a very diverse cast, which I'm sure for some dilutes the Charles Dickens period aspect, however in the world Iannucci creates this couldn't be less problematic. Every character being defined by his or her individuality is a key premise of the story as told in the film, and this is the only thing that is reflected in the casting. There is still an attempt to truly reflect the livelihoods and cultures that existed in Britain at the time, Iannucci only seems to try to remove ethnic origins from the equation in the world he creates, allowing the film to focus on class as the only significant cultural divide.

The majority of the screenplay is told from the perspective of David Copperfield through his own recollection, often from childhood. As such it exists in a realm of super realism, and Iannucci uses this incredibly well to create a fantastic world and bring a sense of escapism, set free by the power of imagination. Awareness of this is key however, to avoid confusion in scene transitions and exaggerated storytelling.

Overall, those who are willing to enjoy this adaptation with an open mind will find themselves immersed in a beautiful, heartwarming and incredibly funny world for the duration of 2 hours.

A film based on a surreal yet true story set in a context that reflects many of the issues of today.

Whilst the plot can be complicated and surprisingly fast paced at times which can make it difficult to keep up, the overall storytelling and thematic evolution provides more than enough to keep you on the edge of your seat.

Touching upon racial tension, police brutality, political activism, and abuse of power, the film is furthermore stimulating and contemporary, yet remains accessible, comedic at times and crowd pleasing.