By Keith Walther | Rose Law Group Reporter
49 years ago, history was made, birthing one of the most successful and longest running TV series for NBC, and this film is a celebration of its achievement. “Saturday Night” is the biographical comedy of the chaotic 90 minutes leading up to its inaugural live show. Interesting, wildly entertaining, and hilarious best describes what is perhaps Jason Reitman’s finest film to date.
Lorne Michaels (Gabriel LaBelle) has 90 minutes before his sketch comedy show airs live on October 11, 1975, and there couldn’t be more obstacles stacked against him. From lights crashing onto the stage and catching fire to whittling sketches down by half to controlling a volatile cast of young comedians, Lorne seems to be in over his head. As if things couldn’t get any worse, his most prized comedic talent, John Belushi (Matt Wood), refuses to sign his contract and is hated by fellow cast member Chevy Chase (Cory Michael Smith).
Observing it all is Dave Tebet (Willem Dafoe), a powerful network executive with the ability to pull the plug on this disastrous endeavor. With his career on the line, Lorne refuses to give up, knowing the idea of a live sketch comedy variety show with a bunch of young comedians is the type of innovation American television needs. With the threat of NBC pushing the button to air a Johnny Carson rerun looming over the chaos, the pressure mounts for Lorne to pull it altogether in time.
Writer/director Jason Reitman is a four-time Oscar nominee for “Juno” and “Up in the Air,” yet this is possibly his finest work. His attention to detail is on point, capturing the iconic moment pristinely through the accuracy of set design, costumes, and hair. The cinematography is outstanding, using 16mm film, which is apropos of 1975, giving it that grainier texture. Reitman uses many continuous shots throughout the movie, an extremely difficult technique, especially with many things happening with many players in both the background and foreground. This heightens the sense of anarchy and commotion that builds the excitement and suspense. He avoids jump cuts as much as possible, even panning the camera from one speaking character to another, again to allow viewers to feel they’re actually there witnessing the behind-the-scenes tumult of this historical moment.
The number one question audiences likely have after watching this film is did this all really happen right before its inaugural broadcast? In large part, the answer is yes, Belushi did in fact go missing the day of airing and hadn’t signed his contract until that day, the host George Carlin (Matthew Rhys) was indeed so coke-addled that it was amazing he even made it onto the stage, and it’s true the show was clocking in at three hours all the way into dress rehearsal. Sure, Reitman embellishes certain events to heighten the chaos even further, like the on-set fire didn’t really happen, but this was done to great effect to enhance the entertainment value and hilarity.
“Saturday Night” is almost equally about Lorne Michaels as it is about the show’s first moments. Gabriel LaBelle not only looks exactly like a young Lorne, but he personifies the essence of the well-known producer. This is a highly capable young actor who first shined with his captivating performance in 2022’s “The Fabelmans.” Here, he displays the inner conflict of whether his character can be a member of the comedic team or if he has to be the bad guy producer to get the show off the ground. Gabriel subtly wears the stress and loss of confidence on his face while eventually finding clarity and inner strength that makes for a complete performance.
Having an ensemble cast accurately and believably portray these famous comedians is absolutely integral to the success of the movie, and the casting is perfect. Cory Michael Smith as Chevy Chase, Dylan O’Brien as Dan Akroyd, Matt Wood as John Belushi, and Ella Hunt as Gilda Radner all embody the look, the movements, and the speech of their real-life counterparts. Nicholas Braun (“Succession”) had a doubly difficult task of portraying both Andy Kaufman and Jim Henson, who were both very eccentric personalities in their own right, and he pulled it off in a wonderfully comical way. Oscar winner J.K. Simmons (“Whiplash”) has a couple of memorable scene-stealing moments in his role as Milton Berle that are jaw-dropping, while Tommy Dewey provides comedic sarcasm through deadpan line delivery as the head writer.
Whether you are a fan of the show or actively dislike it, you will thoroughly enjoy the comedic spectacle of “Saturday Night.” The anxiety inducing depiction of the chaos leading up to the historic first episode is a rollercoaster ride that you can’t wait to get back in line to experience all over again. The energy is frenetic, palpable, and contagious that make this film a must see.
This movie earns:
