Rating: 3.5/5
Synopsis:
It’s 1975. A group of young comedians have the opportunity of their lives. They are scheduled to take over the 11:30 slot on NBC. But Lorne Michaels, the creator of Saturday Night Live, must command a chaotic series of events leading up to the show’s first episode. What happens afterwards will change television forever. “Saturday Night” gives audiences an in depth look at the building block of problems that happened prior to this monumental event.
Positives:
“Saturday Night” has a lot to admire. Director Jason Reitman understood the task of creating a film that mirrored the times of the show’s inception. The cast is committed to recreating the events that preceded the show. Gabriel LaBelle does a nice job countering the frantic energy that Michaels faced leading up to the premier. Cooper Hoffman also delivers an engaging portrayal of Dick Ebersol. Corey Michal Smith and Dylan O’Brien are surprisingly awesome as Chevy Chase and Dan Aykroyd. The rest of the cast is equally good. Reitman sure knew how to create a great ensemble to make this movie happen.
The costume design is also impressive. From the hairstyles to the set design, “Saturday Night” manages to transport audiences back to 1975 to give us the most authentic experience possible. I enjoyed how the stress and overwhelming nature of the premier was affecting everyone differently. All were stressed in some fashion, but each person in this scenario had a role to play and it was up to their talent to make sure the studio knew it could be a hit. I could feel the weight on Michaels’ shoulders as the minutes ticked down to showtime. Credit to the filmmakers for keeping things tense all the way through.
Negatives:
“Saturday Night” does a lot right. But unfortunately there are a handful of factors that hamper the film from reaching its true potential. Although the film isn’t overly long, there are a few sequences that drag on too long. They also felt inconsequential to the story at hand. My guess is that the writers had to make the film feel long enough to warrant a feature length film, so they added some scenes that didn’t move the plot forward well enough. There were so many excellent cast members who portrayed some of comedy’s brightest minds. Unfortunately most of the cast doesn’t get enough screen time to feel integral to the plot. This must have been a difficult task to include everyone that helped make Saturday Night Live a success, but unfortunately the film feels a bit unfocused since many of the characters feel sidelined.
Conclusion:
Jason Reitman makes a nice effort to tell the story of how Saturday Night Live became so successful. The cast does a nice job and the story keeps things exciting by showcasing the chaos on set. While some scenes meander and most characters don’t get enough screen time, the film accomplishes its goal. It may not make a huge impression on those unfamiliar with the show, but those who spent years watching America’s most famous comedy sketches will likely enjoy the ride.