Now in it’s 50th year of being a staple of not just American television, but also bringing laughs to audiences all around the world, it’s crazy to think that on October 11, 1975, what we all now know and love as Saturday Night Live (but known as NBC’s Saturday Night back in ’75), was minutes away from never even happening.
In fact, based on all accounts in biographies, documentaries, interviews, and all the stories relayed to filmmaker Jason Reitman and his co-writer, Gil Kenan, the 90 minutes leading up to the first ever SNL sketch were every bit as chaotic, unhinged, and frantic as one could imagine the lead up to an irreverent, never-before-seen, revolutionary, live comedy skit show, could be.
And in the fast-paced and adrenaline pumping film Saturday Night, Reitman captures the feeling behind the scenes and on the set inside Studio 8H at Rockefeller Plaza like lightning in a bottle, then with reckless abandon, launching out of the screen in one of the most exciting, rollercoaster cinematic experiences of 2024.
Leading an all-star cast of up-and-comers (who very fittingly all play an all-star cast of up-and-comers) is Gabriel LaBelle as SNL mastermind, Lorne Michaels, who is under immense pressure from NBC head David Tebet (Willem Dafoe) and executives from around the country to make sure this brand-new show is ready to go to air. A feat that Tebet finds highly unlikely to happen and has contingency plan reruns of Johnny Carson ready to go at the push of a button.
But Michael’s real challenge isn’t coming from the pressure above, but rather keeping control of a set that’s not yet fully built, a host in George Carlin (Matthew Rhys) who thinks the entire show is a sham, an ever-growing cast who all are vying for their moment to shine (except for John Belushi), technical mishaps galore, a TV censor blacklining any form of smutty joke submitted to her, and the uncertainty of a future with his ex-wife, Rosie (Rachel Sennott).
And while Reitman’s brilliant crafted controlled chaos, utilising incredible character blocking and choreography to seamlessly have his 16mm camera move around the action, brings forth an incredible amount of excitement, the heart of the film lies in Michael’s undying desire to create something that has truly never been done before. Not just to say I told you so to those who doubted him (which is never denied as a factor), but because he truly believes comedy TV needs the vibrance and ideas of youth to live on, and that is something that Reitman and Kenan’s script relishes in, and LaBelle powerfully brings to life in his performance.
Saturday Night is every sense of the idea of a cinematic rollercoaster, as the more emotional driven moments (usually between Lorne Michaels and Rosie Schuster) are just as engaging as the sheer, wild fun that occurring all around them. The use of 16mm film and a banging 70s soundtrack completely immerse you into Studio 8H, and the electric performances of the vibrant cast keep the film absolutely buzzing from start to finish.
Whether it’s Chevy Chase’s smug cockiness that Cory Micheal Smith encapsulates, or the comedic genius of Dan Akroyd coming through an uncanny performance by Dylan O’Brien, or the pure joy of seeing Gilda Radner luminate out of Ella Hunt, or the hilarious duality of Nicholas Braun playing both Jim Henson and Andy Kaufman in fleeting, yet uproariously funny scenes, there is not a performance out of line. Even Cooper Hoffman as Michael’s friend and producer, Dick Ebersol, whose hand is forced by NBC to try and keep Michael’s in check, gives a performance that is so well-rounded. A true highlight in the supporting cast however is Tommy Dewey who plays SNL head writer (and the man who uttered the first words ever on the show), Michael O’Donoghue who consistently brings the laughs with his dry, biting repertoire often at odds with the prim and proper TV censor who is working overtime to make sure all the jokes performed are fine for broadcast, with a touch of holier-than-thou religious bias thrown in there too.
Saturday Night is just brimming with electric energy and excitement. It is undoubtedly one of the most enjoyable, fun, chaotic, and entertaining films of the year as this fantastic cast and Jason Reitman throw everything they can on to the screen to fully immerse audiences into a world where a brilliant cast of comedians created a true staple in television history on one fateful night 5 decades ago.
Saturday Night is in Australian cinemas October 31.
