Saturday Night Live, the live sketch comedy variety show, has been on air for almost 50 years. The show is a staple in the comedy world, fostering some of the world’s biggest actors and stand-up comedians along with iconic jokes and bits. Starting in 1975, the show has seen it all over the decades: fights, drugs, violence, success, love, hope, and more. But now we, the audience, have gotten a dramatic look into the behind-the-scenes of it all in the new film Saturday Night.
Saturday Night is an absolute must see. It is fun, chaotic, and heartwarming, the perfect combination for a great movie. The movie follows Lorne Michaels and the original cast of Saturday Night (which would later be named Saturday Night Live) 90 minutes before the premiere of the show. With missing actors, a crew on strike, and NBC execs expecting him to fail, Lorne is determined to put his show on prove everyone wrong.
The movie has stellar cast playing the iconic SNL greats: Gabriel LaBelle as Lorne Michaels, Rachel Sennott as Rosie Shuster, Corey Michael Smith as Chevy Chase, Ella Hunt as Gilda Radner, Dylan O’Brien as Dan Aykroyd, Emily Fairn as Laraine Newman, Matt Wood as John Belushi, Lamorne Morris as Garrett Morris, Kim Matula as Jane Curtin, Finn Wolfhard as NBC page, Nicholas Braun as Andy Kaufman and Jim Henson, Cooper Hoffman as Dick Ebersol, Andrew Barth Feldman as Neil Levy, Kaia Gerber as Jacqueline Carlin, Tommy Dewey as Michael O’Donoghue, Willem Dafoe as David Tebet, Matthew Rhys as George Carlin, and J.K. Simmons as Milton Berle.
This stacked cast ensures the film is entertaining, even if you aren’t an avid SNL watcher.
Saturday Night Movie Review
Saturday Night begins with a quote from Lorne Michaels that says, “The show doesn’t go on because it’s ready, it goes on because it’s 11:30.” We are then taken to the night of October 11, 1975 where an NBC page (Wolfhard) is attempting to spread the word that there is a new show premiering live that night and trying to get passersby on the street to be in the live audience. Lorne Michaels (LaBelle) stands on the sidewalk near the page, anxiously waiting for someone to arrive. He then sees Andy Kaufman (Braun) exit a car on the street and ushers him into the NBC building, where they attempt to go to the set of Michaels’ show’s set, but are stopped by security, who don’t know who Michaels is. Dick Ebersol (Hoffman), Michaels’ boss, gets them into the building, and the three men enter the elevator, where Dick asks Michaels what the show he is putting on is even about. Michaels evades the question. Having revealed that the show starts at 11:30 pm, a clock with the time appears for a few seconds and then goes away, something that continues throughout the movie.
The score of the film instantly sets the vibe to come. It is fast-paced and constantly playing in the background, only stopping when there is a punch line or important point made. Once Michaels makes it to his set, nonstop chaos ensues until the end of the movie. Michaels’ show run time is three hours when he only has an hour and a half worth of screen time, he is way over budget, and NBC execs have come from all across the country to see the taping of Saturday Night. As it gets closer and closer to going on the air, anything that can go wrong, goes wrong. John Belushi (Wood), who is refusing to sign his contract, goes missing; Garrett Morris (Morris), an opera singer, struggles to understand what he is doing in a comedic sketch show; George Carlin (Rhys), the show’s first host, thinks this show is a waste of his time; Jim Henson (Braun) is being bullied by the writers; the writers are feuding with the script censor; the crew’s on strike; a fire breaks out; the assistant is high; and fist fights are happening left and right.
Saturday Night masters having an ensemble cast. Each character is explored in a way that lets the audience understand them, which is a difficult task with such a large cast. But the movie pulls it off, even though the majority of the story follows Michaels’ pride and struggle to make the television show he so desperately wants.
Gabriel LaBelle, Corey Michael Smith (Chevy Chase), Rachel Sennott (Rosie Shuster), Ella Hunt (Gilda Radner), and Lamorne Morris are definitely the stand-out stars in this film. LaBelle steals the show with his wonderful portrayal of Michaels and his ability to play anxious and slowly being driven insane perfectly. Smith does an amazing job emulating Chevy Chase, known for his crude humor and giant ego. His facial expressions and mannerisms mirror Chase perfectly. Rachel Sennott, who plays writer Rosie Shuster, does a wonderful job being the glue that holds the whole show together. While being able to connect with the cast, she is also the only one who really believes in Michaels’ vision for what Saturday Night can be, bringing a refreshing feeling to the otherwise negative NBC. Ella Hunt portrays legend Gilda Radner as both a free spirit and a compassionate friend to the other castmates, especially Belushi and Morris. And Emmy Award winner Lamorne Morris’s comedic timing and musical ability shine throughout.
Saturday Night is wild, crazy, and will have you enjoying yourself through the very end.
The cinematography in this film is amazing. The camera perfectly captures the chaos of the night and Lorne Michaels’ growing anxiety. The continuous shot in the beginning of the entire set and cast running around in last minute haste is both impressive and captivating and really sets the tone for the entire movie.
The entire movie is set to a ticking like music that is both playful but also makes the audience aware of the passing time before the show goes on air. The music only stops when an important line or the punchline of a joke is delivered. It mirrors Michaels’ increased awareness that they might not be able to put a show together in the time allotted.
This movie wouldn’t be what it is if it wasn’t for the amazing cast that was hired to portray this comedic legends. Gabriel LaBelle is such a talented actor and was able to play anxious incredibly well. Seeing his dream on the brink of destruction was incredibly entertaining and convincing. Lamorne Morris grounded the movie with his comedic talent and his portrayal of Garrett Morris, which was wholesome and was a voice of reason. But Corey Michael Smith was the absolute standout star of this movie. Having to portray someone as famous as Chevy Chase is such a hard task with a lot of weight on doing a perfect performance, but Smith was up for the challenge. His mannerisms and speech were impeccable and perfectly captured the essence of Chase.
While this movie is an almost perfect comedy, some may be turned off by the cheesy nature of several of the scenes. It takes the audience out of the story a little, feeling a bit misplaced and unnecessary. That said, they are enjoyable and if you are watching this movie with a suspension of disbelief then it is a welcomed addition to the heart and sweetness to this underdog story.
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