---
title: "Late Night with the Devil"
year: 2024
kind: "film"
canonical: "https://film.one/film/late-night-with-the-devil"
fi1m_id: "late-night-with-the-devil"
imdb_id: "tt14966898"
tmdb_id: 938614
wikidata_id: "Q119718080"
fi1m_score: 74
critics_score: 79
critics_reviews: 11
published: "2026-09-09"
updated: "2026-09-18T08:37:59.274808+00:00"
region: "HU"
licence: "© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL."
---

# Late Night with the Devil (2024)

Directed by Cameron Cairnes, Colin Cairnes · 1h 33m · Horror

## Identity

Late Night with the Devil

- **Canonical:** https://film.one/film/late-night-with-the-devil
- **Type:** Film
- **Fi1m ID:** late-night-with-the-devil
- **IMDb ID:** tt14966898
- **TMDB ID:** 938614
- **Wikidata ID:** Q119718080
- **Same entity:** https://www.imdb.com/title/tt14966898/, https://www.themoviedb.org/movie/938614, https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q119718080

**Fi1m score: 74** · Critics 79 from 11 reviews

*In a sentence:* Ninety minutes of brown suits, wide lapels and a girl who will not stop looking at the camera

> The Cairnes brothers rebuild a 1977 chat show down to the last flared lapel and let a demon loose on it, and for an hour it is the sharpest horror film we have seen in a while. Then it stops trusting its own format.

## Synopsis

It is Halloween night, 1977, and Jack Delroy (David Dastmalchian) hosts a late-night chat show that is losing viewers and needs a big night. He books a medium, Christou (Fayssal Bazzi); a professional sceptic, Carmichael Haig (Ian Bliss); a parapsychologist, June Ross-Mitchell (Laura Gordon); and Lilly (Ingrid Torelli), the teenage girl June has been studying, who is said to have something living inside her. The film presents itself as the master tape of that broadcast, recovered afterwards, with the advertisement breaks filled by footage shot backstage. Cameron and Colin Cairnes write, direct and edit.

## Review

Jack Delroy (David Dastmalchian) hosts a late-night chat show that is losing to the competition, and on Halloween night 1977 he books a psychic, a sceptic, a parapsychologist and the possessed teenage girl she has written a book about. The film presents itself as the master tape of that broadcast, found after the fact, with the ad breaks filled by footage shot backstage. Cameron and Colin Cairnes, who wrote, directed and edited it, keep almost all of its 93 minutes on one set. For an hour it is the cleverest horror film we have seen in some time. Then it breaks its own rules, and we will come to that.

The set is the first thing that persuades you. Otello Stolfo builds the studio in orange, brown and mustard: a desk, a sofa, a curtain, a small band off to one side, potted ferns nobody has watered. Matthew Temple shoots the broadcast to look like videotape of the period, whites bleeding, reds smearing, the camera moving only when a studio camera would have moved. Between segments the film drops into grainy black and white handheld backstage. Steph Hooke gives Delroy a suit with lapels you could land a plane on and a tie the width of a scarf, and everyone else looks exactly as uncomfortable as television made people look in 1977. We believed in the studio inside two minutes and never stopped.

Dastmalchian has spent years as the odd man at the edge of other people’s films, and here he is the centre and holds it. Delroy is charming in the way hosts were: the smile arrives a beat before the eyes agree to it. He knows his ratings and he knows what a night like this might cost him. Dastmalchian plays the whole broadcast as a man deciding, one segment at a time, how far he is prepared to go, and the deciding is visible on his face. Rhys Auteri, as Gus McConnell, his sidekick, plays the one man in the building who would rather go home.

The guests are well chosen. Fayssal Bazzi’s Christou works the studio audience like a man who has done it in worse rooms. Carmichael Haig is the professional sceptic, all cufflinks and contempt, with a cheque in his pocket for anyone who can prove him wrong. Laura Gordon’s June Ross-Mitchell is careful, worried and out of her depth. And then there is Ingrid Torelli’s Lilly. Torelli has a habit of turning away from whoever is speaking and looking straight into the lens, at us, with a small polite smile, and holding it a second longer than is comfortable. It costs nothing and it is the most unsettling thing in the film. We shifted in our seats every time she did it, and were more frightened by that stare than by anything later with blood in it. Glenn Richards and Roscoe James Irwin give the house band a brassy theme that plays on every return from the break and sounds a little more like a funeral march each time.

Now the problem. The film’s rule is that we see only what the cameras saw. The backstage black and white already bends that rule, since nobody is holding that camera and nobody explains who is, and for an hour we forgave it because the material was good. Later on, in ways we will not describe, the Cairnes brothers stop keeping to the rule altogether, and a film that frightened us with a child’s stare reaches for tools we have seen in plenty of other horror films. A few critics have made the same complaint, and we think it is the right one.

The Cairneses are open about their debts. *Ghostwatch*, the BBC’s 1992 live-broadcast-goes-wrong drama, did this on actual television to an actual country, and no film made for cinemas can have that advantage. *Network* is in here too, in the way everyone on the studio floor treats a possible possession as a scheduling matter. What the brothers add is affection: they plainly love this kind of television, its terrible ferns and its worse ties, and the satire is warmer for it.

Watch it late, with the lights off, which is how it wants to be watched, and try not to read anything about the last act before you get there. When it arrives, remember the hour that came before. The hour is the film.

*Fi1m score 74, published 9 September 2026.*

## What the critics say

Most critics are won over, and they largely agree on why. The praise clusters on David Dastmalchian as the failing chat-show host, described again and again as the film’s anchor, and on the recreation of a 1977 late-night broadcast, from the sets and sound to the rhythm of a live studio. The found-footage conceit is widely judged fresh, with several reviews reaching for Ghostwatch and The Exorcist as reference points.

Reservations are consistent too. The final act, where the broadcast tips into chaos, is where enthusiasm cools, with Vulture finding it loses steam and Deadline judging the ending carries excess baggage. The Guardian is cooler than the rest, arguing the film captures the strained feel of studio television without ever becoming disturbing. Sight and Sound goes further, saying the concept is undermined when the film stops obeying its own formal rules. The spread is narrow: ten positive, one mixed, none hostile.

## Straight answers

**Is Late Night with the Devil worth watching?**

*Late Night with the Devil* is worth watching for anyone who likes horror built on a single set and a slow tightening of the screws, and we scored it 74. The first hour, a 1977 chat show rebuilt down to the ferns and lapels, is as clever as one-room horror gets; the last act abandons the found-footage rule that made it work. Go in for the hour.

**How long is Late Night with the Devil, and what is it rated?**

*Late Night with the Devil* runs 1h 33m. It is a horror film.

**Where can I watch Late Night with the Devil in Hungary?**

*Late Night with the Devil* is streaming on Netflix in Hungary. Availability is checked daily; the links above go straight to each service.

**How violent or frightening is Late Night with the Devil, and is it suitable for children?**

*Late Night with the Devil* is a 15 in the UK and R in the US, and it is not for children. Most of its fear comes from Ingrid Torelli's possessed teenager turning to stare politely into the camera, which unsettled us more than anything explicit; the blood is saved for the last act. Older teenagers who can take a slow build should manage it.

**How does Late Night with the Devil compare to Network?**

*Late Night with the Devil* borrows [*Network*](https://film.one/film/network)'s idea that television will air anything that rates, and adds a demon. Sidney Lumet's film is the better made, more fiercely acted and still the sharper satire, though its speeches can crowd out its people; the Cairnes brothers' film is the warmer of the two, plainly fond of the terrible ties and ferns it mocks. Watch *Network* for the argument and *Late Night* for the fright.

**What should I watch after Late Night with the Devil?**

After *Late Night with the Devil*, try [*Network*](https://film.one/film/network) (1976, Fi1m 86): Television will put anything on air if it rates; the Cairneses clearly took notes. Then [*Videodrome*](https://film.one/film/videodrome) (1983, Fi1m 82): Cronenberg’s television signal that gets into your body; grubbier, stranger, and unforgettable.

### Reviews we read (20)

- **The AV Club**, Matthew Jackson (A): The high-concept horror film succeeds as a forbidden, immersive 1970s nightmare anchored by Dastmalchian’s magnetic performance. Jackson singles out the meticulous production design, sound design, and escalating tension as making it one of the year’s best horror films. [Read](https://www.avclub.com/late-night-with-the-devil-movie-review-1851349890)
- **Radio Times**, Alan Jones (4/5): A found-footage frightener that freshens demonic possession clichés with jet black humour and superb effects in a 1970s chat show setting, briskly entertaining and unnerving. [Read](https://www.radiotimes.com/movie-guide/b-l0vhqw/late-night-with-the-devil/)
- **Time Out**, Phil de Semlyen (4/5): Praises it as a diabolically brilliant found-footage horror, like Alan Partridge by way of The Exorcist, with clever ideas and creepy atmosphere. [Read](https://www.timeout.com/movies/late-night-with-the-devil-2024)
- **Total Film** (80/100, inferred): David Dastmalchian shines in this sophisticated horror movie that stands out for its clever premise and execution. [Read](https://www.gamesradar.com/late-night-with-the-devil-review/)
- **Vulture**, Bilge Ebiri (70/100, inferred): Dastmalchian delivers a star-making turn as a slick yet uncertain late-night host in this inventive horror film set during a single 1977 broadcast. Ebiri praises the actor’s layered performance and the film’s structural conceit but notes it loses steam in the final act. [Read](https://www.vulture.com/article/review-david-dastmalchian-carries-late-night-with-the-devil.html)
- **The Guardian** (3/5): The directors have fun sending up TV conventions as a failing host attempts to revive his career by communing with a demon supposedly possessing a teenage girl. The film capably bottles the strained ersatzness of studio television but does not cut through to anything genuinely disturbing. [Read](https://www.theguardian.com/film/2024/mar/18/late-night-with-the-devil-review-demonic-talkshow-channels-horror-of-1970s-tv)
- **Empire**, Helen O'Hara: The critic finds this found-footage horror a chilling success that blends Network and The Exorcist, focusing on the venality of fame-seeking in late-night TV. Praise goes to the tension-building and strong central performance by David Dastmalchian. [Read](https://www.empireonline.com/movies/reviews/late-night-with-the-devil/)
- **IndieWire**, David Ehrlich: The film is a clever found-footage satire in which a desperate 1970s talk-show host invites the supernatural onto live TV. Ehrlich praises David Dastmalchian’s leading performance while highlighting the film’s effective recreation of period television. [Read](https://www.indiewire.com/criticism/movies/late-night-with-the-devil-movie-review-1234965813/)
- **Los Angeles Times**, Amy Nicholson: The critic describes the film as a sly, aw-shucksy chiller that cleverly reminds viewers the entertainment business was built on hocus-pocus, centering on a talk show host whose desperate ratings grab unleashes supernatural chaos on Halloween 1977. She highlights the lead performance and period satire as strengths. [Read](https://www.latimes.com/entertainment-arts/movies/story/2024-03-21/review-late-night-with-the-devil-horror-david-dastmalchian)
- **Screen Daily**: Inventive and entertaining blend of found footage and possession in a 70s talk show format, with excellent performance by Dastmalchian; distinctive despite Ghostwatch comparisons. [Read](https://www.screendaily.com/reviews/late-night-with-the-devil-fantasia-review/5184211.article)
- **Sight and Sound**: The critic finds the ingenious concept of a demonic live TV broadcast undermined by failure to stick to its formal rules, resulting in an underwhelming film despite strong performances and production. [Read](https://www.bfi.org.uk/sight-and-sound/reviews/late-night-with-devil-underwhelming-horror-with-ingenious-concept)
- **Slant Magazine**, Ross McIndoe (####): The Cairnes brothers deliver a devilishly fun horror satire by transplanting occult tropes into a 1970s talk-show format. McIndoe highlights Dastmalchian’s charming yet shadowed lead performance and the film’s retro practical effects while noting some loss of tension midway. [Read](https://www.slantmagazine.com/film/late-night-with-the-devil-review/)
- **The New York Times**, Alissa Wilkinson: The critic finds the film a trimly effective horror pastiche that captures an occult-obsessed nation through its found-footage format of a late-night show gone wrong. She praises its nasty, delicious flair for menace and real-time structure that transforms viewers into 1977 audiences. [Read](https://www.nytimes.com/2024/03/21/movies/late-night-with-the-devil-review.html)
- **Variety**, Dennis Harvey: The critic calls the film a clever construct blending found-footage horror with 1970s TV satire, where a live broadcast devolves into supernatural chaos. He praises its fresh satiric gloss on Me Decade showbiz cheese and deft handling by the directors, though notes its impact is more ingenious than indelible. [Read](https://variety.com/2023/film/reviews/late-night-with-the-devil-review-1235562221/)
- **Digital Spy**, Ian Sandwell (90/100, inferred): The critic calls it the best horror movie of the year so far and one of the most inventive takes on found footage in years. They single out the original Ghostwatch-inspired approach, exceptional retro production design, and strong performances, particularly from newcomer Ingrid Torelli as Lilly. [Read](https://www.digitalspy.com/movies/a60254854/late-night-with-the-devil-review/)
- **Polygon**, Austen Goslin (85/100, inferred): The critic calls it the year’s most stylish horror movie thanks to its meticulous recreation of a 1970s late-night broadcast and its playful found-footage structure. They single out David Dastmalchian’s twitchy, transfixing lead performance for particular praise. [Read](https://www.polygon.com/reviews/24108737/late-night-with-devil-horror-movie-talk-show-style/)
- **Collider**, Chase Hutchinson (8/10): The review highlights Dastmalchian's commanding performance and the film's shift to fearsome fun when it embraces chaos, but notes the found footage framing can be restrictive. [Read](https://collider.com/late-night-with-the-devil-review/)
- **Deadline**, Damon Wise (75/100, inferred): The critic finds the film an experiential, intelligent fusion of Network and Rosemary's Baby that delivers well on the organic goose-bump level of a well-told urban myth. He singles out the richly detailed recreation of 1970s late-night TV rituals and Dastmalchian's performance as the chat-show host for particular praise, while noting the ending adds some excess baggage. [Read](https://deadline.com/2023/03/late-night-with-the-devil-review-colin-and-cameron-cairnes-1235283828/)
- **Film Stories**, Maria Lattila (75/100, inferred): The critic praises the film's authentic 1970s late-night TV setting and especially David Dastmalchian's charismatic yet desperate lead performance as host Jack Delroy. They note strong direction and nightmarish imagery but wish there were more scares and question some aspects of the mockumentary structure. [Read](https://filmstories.co.uk/reviews/late-night-with-the-devil-review-david-dastmalchians-finest-hour/)
- **Paste**, Jacob Oller (7.4): The critic praises the film's commitment to the 1970s talk show format and David Dastmalchian's lead performance, calling it a winning midnight staple. They note it finds substance in its satirical script but occasionally loses control in the chaos. [Read](https://www.pastemagazine.com/movies/shudder/late-night-with-the-devil-review)

## Details

- **Director:** Cameron Cairnes, Colin Cairnes
- **Director:** Cameron Cairnes, Colin Cairnes
- **Writer:** Colin Cairnes, Cameron Cairnes
- **Cinematography:** Matthew Temple
- **Editor:** Cameron Cairnes, Colin Cairnes
- **Music:** Glenn Richards, Roscoe James Irwin
- **Production design:** Otello Stolfo
- **Costume design:** Steph Hooke
- **Producer:** Adam White, Derek Dauchy, Steven Schneider
- **Cast:** David Dastmalchian as Jack Delroy; Laura Gordon as June Ross-Mitchell; Ian Bliss as Carmichael Haig; Fayssal Bazzi as Christou; Ingrid Torelli as Lilly D'Abo; Rhys Auteri as Gus McConnell; Georgina Haig as Madeleine Piper; Josh Quong Tart as Leo Fiske
- **Runtime:** 1h 33m
- **First release (the US):** 10 March 2023
- **Genres:** Horror
- **Box office:** $17 million
- **Trailer:** https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YeKYfneOH3o

## Where to watch in Hungary

- Netflix: streaming

*Checked 2026-09-10.*

Also available in: AE, AR, AT, AU, BE, BG, BR, CA, CH, CL, CO, CZ, DE, DK, EC, FI, FR, GB, HR, HU, IS, IT, KR, MX, NL, NO, NZ, PA, PE, PL, RO, RS, SE, SI, SK, US. Add `?region=XX` to this URL for another country.

## Awards

- Sitges Film Festival Best Screenplay award 2023: Sitges Film Festival Best Screenplay award (won)

## If you liked this

- *Ghostwatch* (1992): The BBC did the live broadcast from hell first, and did it on a Saturday night.
- *Network* (1976), Fi1m 86: Television will put anything on air if it rates; the Cairneses clearly took notes. — [Fi1m page](https://film.one/film/network.md)
- *Videodrome* (1983), Fi1m 82: Cronenberg’s television signal that gets into your body; grubbier, stranger, and unforgettable. — [Fi1m page](https://film.one/film/videodrome.md)
- *Lake Mungo* (2008): Australian mock-documentary horror that keeps its rules and is quietly devastating.
- *Noroi: The Curse* (2005): Japanese found footage that builds its dread slowly and never once shouts.

---
© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL. Canonical: https://film.one/film/late-night-with-the-devil