A fair-to-middling retelling of backroom showbusiness politics. Higgins and Roebuck fit their roles well (or at least, entertainingly), and Kathy Bates's Helen Kushnick is so compellingly unpleasant that the movie should flow together nicely. Unfortunately, the story just isn't that interesting, and it's weighted down by an unnecessarily stodgy script.

However factually accurate the film is, it's definitely a great insight into the backroom maneuvering that got Jay Leno the Tonight Show spot, and as of the writing of this, a definite look into how the same situation could be applied to Conan O'Brien's ouster from the Tonight Show. The performances, except for Kathy Bates' brilliant Helen Kushnick and of course Rich Little doing Carson, are mostly meh, but it's more for the history than anything else.

Decently entertaining dramatization that has become increasingly interesting in light of recent events. Higgins does a good job of capturing Letterman, but the guy playing Leno isn't nearly as good. Not that it matters too much, as Kathy Bates' Helen Kushnick is the real star here, and what an insufferable bitch she is. Leno is shown here to be innocently naive for the most part so it's tough to imagine Jay doing this sort of thing again without Helen. Maybe he wasn't so innocent after all.

I wanted to revisit this after I got all heated up over the recent Conan/NBC debacle, hoping to glean some extra insight into the previous Tonight Show feud. Unfortunately, Kathy Bates' Helen Kushnick is the only bright spot in this otherwise undramatic story. Leno is granted the Tonight Show about a third of the way into this, and Helen's arc is wrapped up soon after, dissipating all tension. Also, I can forgive the red hair on Letterman, but Leno's lispy voice was awful. Carson was spot-on.

While technically speaking it is merely put together with average competence there are some elements that really stand out. First is Kathy Bates, she is fantastic. If you've ever wanted to see a self-destructive super-bitch then this is it. Hands down. However Treat Williams is also superb as the supremely calm and confident superagent hired to help Letterman. This is especially interesting to watch now, after the whole Conan/Leno debacle. Man Leno is a jerk.

Not uninteresting, but dangerously close to caricature all the same.

Props to Kathy Bates for effectively playing the biggest bitch of all time.

Worst Late Night Talk Show impersonators...ever.

Exceptionally well-made and well-produced dramatisation of the Leno-Letterman war, with Higgins and Roebuck both startlingly convincing as Letterman and Leno respectively. Predates THE SOCIAL NETWORK in its ability to generate excitement and tension from basically one talking head after another; film also finds its anchor in a wonderful performance from Bates as firebrand Helen Kushnick. It is possible that you will enjoy this the more you know of the real-life events it depicts.

I enjoyed this film. I found that the behind the scene elements of the story to be entertaining. The story kept me interested the entire way.