Saturday Night

 

Score:  A

Directed by Jason Reitman

Starring Gabriel LaBelle, Rachel Sennott, Corey Michael Smith, Matt Wood, Lamorne Morris, et al

Running time: 109 minutes

Rated R

Long Story Short:  Saturday Night is a well-conceived origin story for the storied NBC comedy show, putting audiences right in the thick of the chaos of the first episode.  The cast of mostly unknowns does great work - it's the characters themselves that we all know, and everyone from leader Lorne Michaels to volcanic Belushi to an overwhelmed aide are compelling to watch.  Combine this with a great script, direction, music, and more, and you have both an entertaining and Oscar-worthy trip to the theater.  Highly recommended.

October 11, 1975: it's 10:00 PM in New York City, and Lorne Michaels (LaBelle) has just arrived at 30 Rockefeller Plaza to launch a strange new late-night comedy show.  The problem is, well, everything.  Michaels finds out that NBC affiliates from around the country have come to see the show's debut in person, led by legendary NBC executive David Tebet (Dafoe).  The show's cast is mostly in place, although Belushi (Wood) still refuses to sign his contract, some wonder what the hell is going on, and others fret that their sketches will be cut.  Plenty more obstacles must be overcome in order to launch their live show at 11:30 PM, mostly having to do with the unique, not quite definable nature of the show.  But there is a lot of talent and willpower on set as well, and the various forces collide all the way up to the last minute.

Saturday Night is a wildly entertaining, very well-made, and highly appropriate origin story movie for the legendary SNL (now celebrating its 50th season!).  The structure is its main strength: it all takes place in the 90 minutes leading up to the first broadcast (mirroring the show's is 90 minutes run time).  This gives the movie urgency and, yes, a feeling of being live and in the moment.  We get just enough backstory/exposition to understand what's going on but the movie is mostly about the nuts-and-bolts chaos of actually putting this crazy thing on air.  The events portrayed are also a very nice mix: the movie mostly follows Lorne Michaels, who created SNL, though it focuses on others, too.  The primary lens shows Michaels dealing with his cast members and crew both on stage and behind the scenes.  We get just enough of the "bigwigs" to portray the stakes involved: how slim SNL's chances were of success and how ready the execs were to pull the plug.  There's also a perfect amount of re-enactment of SNL sketches being rehearsed, sprinkled throughout the movie: they are brilliantly and hilariously shot, from Weekend Update to Billy Preston to the construction workers sketch and more.

The cast and the vibe of the film are perfectly suited as well, drawing audience in closely to the events.  LaBelle is great as Michaels; he's certainly nowhere near as charismatic as the cast, rather he is a combination of audience surrogate as well as a distinct character with sheer grit and determination as well as the kind of cool under pressure leader the show required.  The actors playing cast members are fantastic, from Belushi to Chase to Akroyd to Radner, Curtin and Morris.  They all show both comedic chops on stage but also are believable as "real" people off stage.  There are plenty of great non-cast member roles, too: Sennott as Shuster, Michaels's wife (in a rocky time) and a writer/co-leader of show who appears just as visionary as him; a put-upon Dick Ebersol; fiercely funny and passionate head writer Michael O'Donoghue, Dafoe, Simmons, etc. etc.  It's amazing that the movie could fit in all these characters so well (plus a few intriguing "cameos").  The script is excellent, both for comedy (few direct jokes - mostly just natural humor) and for the inner workings of a TV production.  The overriding vibes of the movie are fun and excitement; it's easy to root for Michaels and Co. to succeed, and feel drama even when knowing the final outcome.

***

Saturday Night is the first drama of the season I've seen, and it was a great way to start!  I've been a fan of SNL for years, which perhaps biases my opinion.  But I feel the movie really captured the essence of the show well.  Does SNL always work and is hilarious? No - it's often just OK, or even bombs at times.  But there's a constant feeling of upbeat, fun, positive energy from the show, and it keep me hooked - and that comes through in the movie Saturday Night, too.  Now, beware that, just like the show, the movie gets a bit raunchy at times - and there's a fair bit of cursing.  This is just a really fun ride, though, with all the elements clicking together so well.  It might be too late to see it in a theater, but catch it on streaming if you can!

* By Columbia Pictures - https://x.com/DiscussingFilm/status/1821568411362795671, Fair use, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?curid=77575339