SATURDAY NIGHT (2024)
At 11:30pm on 11 October 1975, a ferocious troupe of young comedians and writers changed US television forever.

At 11:30pm on 11 October 1975, a ferocious troupe of young comedians and writers changed US television forever.
For half a century, Saturday Night Live (SNL) has redefined comedy television with its audacious sketches and launched the careers of various prolific comedians. While debates about the show’s supposed decline have circulated for decades, its moments of brilliance remain indisputable. Without this comedic behemoth, the entertainment landscape would lack iconic creations such as The Blues Brothers (1980), Wayne’s World (1992), Coneheads (1993), and Happy Gilmore (1996).
When the show premiered on 11 October 1975, it shattered the conventions of traditional variety programming by infusing late-night television with an exhilarating spontaneity that has since transformed the medium. Writer-director Jason Reitman (Juno) and co-writer Gil Kenan (Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire) attempt to recapture the electrifying unpredictability surrounding the inaugural broadcast. Immersing viewers in the tumultuous environment of the infamous Studio 8H, Saturday Night meticulously chronicles the monumental 90 minutes leading up to a broadcast that would forever alter the trajectory of US television.
Set against a cold October evening in New York City, an air of anxiety emanates from the Rockefeller Centre. As Johnny Carson (Jeff Witzke) battles with NBC executives to allow reruns of his television show at the weekends, Lorne Michaels (Gabriel LaBelle) prepares for the very first recording of Saturday Night Live. His unproven variety show includes a collection of sketches performed by relatively unknown comedians, a guest appearance from Jim Henson (Nicholas Braun) and The Muppets, and first guest host George Carlin (Matthew Rhys). However, what should be a night of great anticipation is overshadowed by an avalanche of logistical nightmares. The soundstage is incomplete, the schedule is overstuffed, and the dysfunctional cast of young comedians is causing chaos amid a haze of alcohol and drugs. As the growing mountain of issues increases the unlikelihood of the show being a success, programming executive David Tebet (Willem Dafoe) eagerly awaits to play a rerun of The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson if needed. With the odds stacked against him, it’s up to Michaels to bring his misfit troupe of performers together and deliver his audacious vision.
The sprawling ensemble demonstrates a deep commitment to capturing the essence of the iconic figures they portray without ever devolving into caricature. While some of the actors may not bear an exact physical resemblance to their real-life counterparts, practically everyone embodies the energy and complexities of these legendary personalities. After making an indelible impression as the young Steven Spielberg surrogate in The Fabelmans (2022), Gabriel LaBelle plays an effective anchor as Lorne Michaels. Representing the vivacious fervour of a young showrunner desperate to impress America, the young actor captures the producer’s determination and quiet frustration as he navigates the mounting challenges of orchestrating a live sketch comedy show. Throughout the 110-minute runtime, he conveys a visionary walking a tightrope, balancing his bold ambition with the unpredictable whirlwind of egos and expectations surrounding him from the outset.
A new generation of actors joins LaBelle in breathlessly recreating this historical television moment. Ella Hunt (Anna and the Apocalypse) shines through the cigarette smoke and backstage commotion as Gilda Radner. Her performance brims with warmth and humour, flawlessly mimicking Radner’s idiosyncratic speech patterns. Meanwhile, Matt Wood enjoys a breakthrough turn delving into the darker recesses of John Belushi’s personality, as the newcomer balances the image of a misunderstood comedic genius with glimpses of the demons that haunted him offstage. Cory Michael Smith (May December) stands out, providing an uncanny portrayal of Chevy Chase. He not only has the correct intonation and understanding of Chase’s controversial sense of humour but also provides an unexpected emotional depth. His portrayal humanises an egotistical comedian whose impending success seems both a blessing and a burden. Similarly, Dylan O’Brien (The Maze Runner) brings charm and magnetism to his depiction of Dan Aykroyd. The young actor possesses the mischievous yet grounded persona of a man navigating both camaraderie and backstage chaos with effortless charisma.
The history of SNL has been meticulously chronicled in definitive works including Tom Shales and James Andrew Miller’s Live From New York and Doug Hill and Jeff Weingrad’s Saturday Night: A Backstage History of Saturday Night Live. Yet, despite the wealth of well-documented material, director Jason Reitman exhaustively interviewed dozens of individuals who had been involved in the events of that evening. After those oral histories, he discovered that many firsthand accounts were riddled with contradictions and personal biases. Regardless, Reitman drew upon these fragmented narratives and blended them with his childhood memories of wandering the halls of Studio 8H alongside his father, the late Ivan Reitman (Ghostbusters). Working with his longtime collaborator Gil Kenan, the pair condense SNL’s infamous chaotic milieu into a taut 109-minute dramatisation. While their somewhat fantastical depiction embraces certain dramatic liberties to heighten the tension and urgency, Saturday Night evokes the tumultuous atmosphere leading up to the inaugural broadcast.
The result is a conceit that initially threatens to overwhelm the audience, but after surrendering to the pandemonium it becomes an exhilarating experience. Reitman crafts enough infectious energy to power Manhattan as Michaels faces a litany of catastrophes including numerous technical failures, temperamental egos unexpectedly abandoning the set, and an unaccompanied llama wandering the studio. From the opening moments until seconds before showtime, Saturday Night moves with a relentless sense of urgency reminiscent of Martin Scorsese’s After Hours (1985) and Alejandro Iñárritu’s Birdman (2014). Cinematographer Eric Steelman (Ghostbusters: Afterlife) manoeuvres the camera with a dexterity bordering on voyeurism, navigating the hallways of 30 Rockefeller Plaza as though documenting this groundbreaking episode of television. Uninterrupted scenes in confined dressing rooms seamlessly transition to elaborate tracking sequences that move from one subplot to another as the occasional title card marks the countdown to airtime. The stakes are high, the lights are bright, and every minute counts.
There’s enough tension to keep audiences anxiously engaged, but Saturday Night is at its best when the cacophony of snappy dialogue exchanged between multiple personalities takes centre stage. Whether it’s Michaels’ team of eccentric writers hilariously attempting to persuade the evangelical Standards and Practices censor (Catherine Curtin) that a “golden shower” is nothing more than a yoga reference, or Milton Berle (J.K Simmons) hurling hostile insults at Chase after an ill-advised flirtation with Chase’s fiancée, Jacqueline Carlin (Kaia Gerber), the film thrives during the fleeting moments that capture the hilarity and chaos of creative minds clashing. The comparisons to Aaron Sorkin’s Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip (2006-7) are inevitable as Reitman borrows his penchant for rapid-fire repartee and sprawling casts of sardonic characters. However, where Sorkin’s penmanship often buckled under the weight of its sanctimony, Saturday Night never confuses satire with superiority. Reitman and Kenan understand these characters are comedians and revel in their irreverent humour.
Unfortunately, Saturday Night lacks the precision and tightness of its influences and feels somewhat inconsequential. The project as a whole appears like a self-congratulatory pat on the back rather than something truly revealing and introspective. The heightened tension becomes palpable as Lorne attempts to assemble his team of eccentric comedians and appease the apprehensive network executives before the inaugural broadcast. However, this dramatic momentum is rendered hollow by the absence of genuine stakes. The audience is painfully aware that SNL not only premiered successfully but eventually became a towering cultural institution. Yet, there’s little insight into what made the show revolutionary or how the original cast redefined the comedic landscape during the 1970s. For all the magic the characters discuss creating, there’s very little evidence of it on display. Instead, Reitman leans on a perfunctory “Will they pull it off?” narrative that seems both forced and shallow. Once the credits begin to roll, viewers will be left pondering whether anything has been truly illuminated beyond the fact that the show’s debut was a lucky break and Aykroyd was a walking HR headache.
The most glaring flaw of Saturday Night is its inability to transcend its niche appeal to a broader audience. Reitman has crafted an unapologetic love letter to SNL and offers a nostalgic feast for those intimately familiar with the show’s illustrious past. Longtime fans and comedy aficionados will collectively revel as iconic events from the show’s past are recreated. However, these anachronistic moments of fan service and reliance on inside humour ultimately leave those unfamiliar with the show’s beginnings somewhat alienated. Key figures including Michael O’Donoghue (Tommy Dewey), Tom Davis (Mcabe Gregg), and Al Franken (Taylor Gray) are introduced without any explanation of their significance. Whereas reoccurring gags such as Andy Kaufman’s (Nicholas Braun) infamous Mighty Mouse routine or the repeated mistreatment of Jim Henson (Nicholas Braun again) are all but meaningless without a prior context of the iconic sketches that inspired them. It’s abundantly clear that Reitman harbours a profound admiration for the legacy of SNL and the creative ideals it represented during its heyday. However, he fails to acknowledge that casual audiences may not share the same encyclopaedic familiarity to appreciate this homage.
Overall, Saturday Night offers a handful of engaging moments, and a certain pleasure can be found basking in the anarchic momentum and frenetic dialogue. However, its eagerness to cover Saturday Night Live’s legacy ultimately hinders its ability to resonate with those unfamiliar with its history. Reitman and Kenan seem more preoccupied with reducing the show’s influential figures to references and caricatures instead of treating them with the esteem they deserve. Rather than illuminating the rich history and artistry behind the show, it provides a rose-tinted glimpse into a seismic revolution of television history.
USA | 2024 | 109 MINUTES | 1:85:1 | COLOUR | ENGLISH
director: Jason Reitman.
writer: Gil Kenan & Jason Reitman.
starring: Gabriel LaBelle, Rachel Sennott, Cory Michael Smith, Ella Hunt, Dylan O’Brien, Matt Wood, Lamorne Morris, Emily Fairn, Matt Wood, Kim Matula, Nicholas Braun & Finn Wolfhard.