Tensions run high as producer Lorne Michaels and a ferocious troupe of young comedians and writers prepare for the first broadcast of "Saturday Night Live" on Oct. 11, 1975.
Director: Jason Reitman
Cast: Gabriel LaBelle, Rachel Sennott, Cory Michael Smith, Ella Hunt, Dylan O'Brien, Emily Fairn, Matt Wood, Lamorne Morris, Kim Matula, Finn Wolfhard, Nicholas Braun, Cooper Hoffman, Andrew Barth Feldman, Kaia Gerber, Tommy Dewey, Willem Dafoe, Matthew Rhys, J. K. Simmons
Release Date: October 11, 2024
Genre: Biography, Comedy, Drama, History
Rated R for language throughout, sexual references, some drug use and brief graphic nudity.
Runtime: 1h 49m
Review:
Jason Reitman's manic Saturday Night captures the frenetic vibe that must have permeated that first show told in a manner that feels more like mythmaking than actual reality. Reitman manages to create a pulsating energy from the start as we get a sense of how much of a highwire act the entire process of putting on a live show especially doing it for the first time. Sure the story weaves together a rather convenient series of events and encounters that may or may have not happened as presented but for the film it works to recreate the feel of that faithful night. The ensemble cast lead by Gabriel LaBelle's anxiety ridden, endlessly stressed out Lorne Michaels is a joy to watch from start to finish. LaBelle's performance is the film's beating heart as he rushes from one crisis to another with a dogged determination that's easy to root for. He's surrounded by a collection of strong supporting performances that do an impressive job of emulating their real life counterparts. Cory Michael Smith gets the biggest spotlight as a young Chevy Chase and he delivers a fascinating performance that captures his comedic timing and brimming sense of ego and self importance. Smith is always the most interesting performer onscreen particularly when J. K. Simmons' Milton Berle dresses him down in a particularly effective scene. Ella Hunt gets less screentime but she does the most with her time as she gives Gilda Radner a soulful, live in the moment appreciation that feels like a tribute to the late comedian. Lamorne Morris isn't quite as lucky with Garrett Morris who's underserved by the script which has him questioning why he was cast while never delving into the possible reasons with any seriousness. Matt Wood, Emily Fairn, Dylan O'Brien, Kim Matula all get small spots to deliver spot on turns as John Belushi, Laraine Newman, Dan Aykroyd and Jane Curtin. They are small but impactful moments with O'Brien's Aykroyd screaming for more screentime just like Matthew Rhys all to brief appearance as George Carlin. Nicholas Braun pulls double duty as Andy Kaufman and Jim Henson but much like his costars the movie doesn't give them enough time to really settle in as little more than glorified caricatures. Rachel Sennott's Rosie Shuster, Michael's ex wife, also begs for a bit more fleshing out but the film moves at a frenetic pace that you get the sense large chucks were excised like many a skit from the show's master wall. That doesn't lessen Saturday Night's impressive cinematic energy that's sure to please long time fans of the show.
B+
