BY: AMELIA KRIGELSKI / STAFF WRITER
Jason Reitman’s Saturday Night was officially released in theaters on Oct. 11, coinciding with the 49th anniversary of the iconic sketch comedy show premiering on air. Select theaters began showing the film in late September, coming after a stacked cast was teased and anticipation peaked with the first trailer dropping in early August.
The unique biographical comedy-drama captures the intense 90 minutes leading up to the first episode of Saturday Night Live (SNL), providing audiences with a hilarious and engaging portrayal of the chaos behind the scenes.
Set in 1975, the story follows young SNL creator and producer Lorne Michaels (portrayed by Gabriel LaBelle) as he works through last-minute decisions in a high-stakes environment that would shape the show’s forever future. Iconic cast members such as Chevy Chase (Cory Michael Smith), John Belushi (Matt Wood), and Gilda Radner (Ella Hunt) join Michaels in all playing a role in the vigorous and urgent countdown that lead up to airing live for the very first time.
LaBelle’s ability to accurately represent Michaels’ rebellious and carefree attitude is a highlight of the film, working to add to the chaos that ensues. As the film unfolds, it leaves the audience curious, although it is obvious how the fate of the show will pan out. However, with this, viewers still feel the tension of each decision, and they feel the suspense that LaBelle uses to keep the intensity alive.
Reitman immerses the audience right into the bustling, high-stakes environment of early SNL, recounting and bringing to life the events that define the show’s history. Danger ensues with lighting rigs crashing down, sketches that are incomplete, scripts still in the editing process, and dress rehearsal goes awry.
The film follows Michaels through every moment as it unfolds and pressures heighten. On top of it all, the head of talent for NBC (played by Willem Dafoe) has yet to get behind Michaels in support of the production. Tension exists not only with the production but also with top executives taxed with the role of deciding the show’s next moves.
Working alongside Reitman, cinematographer Eric Steelberg effectively emphasized the frantic nature as it ensued behind the scenes in 1975. Shaky whip-pans partnered with dark and period-correct lighting create a cozy setting that brings viewers into what the experience felt like in that era.
Collaboration with the music coordinator adds another layer, with the score’s tempo mirroring the mounting pressure and urgency, bringing audiences into the tense atmosphere.
Critics of the film were quick to point out fallacies involving the historical accuracy of a few events portrayed surrounding early SNL. However, it is important to note that the production of the film was not meant to be an entire reenactment of the entire hour and a half that would become the show’s history.
Sure, scenes may be unrealistic and partially inaccurate while leaning into creative exaggeration, but the essence of what made SNL what it is today flurry through the film. Depicting a production as legendary as SNL is no easy task, but Reitman did it justice with the 90 minutes he was given.
While some say the film focuses and emphasizes too much on the “time-crunch” aspect over character development, others believe Reitman accurately and nostalgically expresses his intentions of sharing the love and admiration for SNL that fans can bond over.
His approach captures the frantic energy and shows what initially drew in longtime viewers. As for fans that are not familiar with the original cast on SNL, it may be less of a draw, as much of its charm lies in its nods to SNL’s iconic legacy.
Overall, Saturday Night is an inviting and entertaining period-piece that offers an inside glimpse of what happened in the final moments leading up to what would become historic and iconic television. Through a mix of humor, nostalgia, and high-stakes drama, Reitman pays tribute to the creative spirit that turned SNL into a cultural phenomenon to last decades later.
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