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Doorman: All night?
Narrative
At 11.30pm on October 11, 1975, a fierce band of young comedians and writers changed television forever. Find out what happened behind the scenes in the 90 minutes leading up to the first broadcast of Saturday Night Live (1975). Matt Wood stars as John Belushi on Saturday Night, see the rest of the cast and their real-life counterparts. Dan Aykroyd was the only SNL cast member to read the script. As the show aired, John Belushi entered a door 39 seconds late. In reality, it came immediately. Lorne Michaels: Look, my name is Lorne Michaels, I’m the producer of Saturday Night.
Lorne Michaels: [sarcastically] Yeah, all night
The movie opens with a quote from Lorne Michaels: “The show doesn’t go on because it’s ready, it goes on because it’s 11:30.” Featured in Eddie Murphy, le roi noir d'Hollywood (2023). Ixoo ‘Chickenweed’ ChawzWritten by Don Cento and Martin GarnerStarred by Don Cento and Martin Garner. As someone who grew up with Saturday Night Live (SNL) playing in the background most Saturday nights, thanks to my parents, it’s no surprise that I developed a deep affection for the show. Over the years, the format and the talent involved have continued to improve. Although I’m from the era with names like Seth Meyers, Jimmy Fallon and Tina Fey, I’ve always looked back on the classic episodes fondly. There are sketches from decades past that I still revisit because they are so iconic. Of course, all of this made me curious about the movie Saturday Night, now in theaters.
Most people see Saturday Night Live as lighthearted
And if you’re a fan of the show, especially those old enough to have experienced the original cast in the 1970s, here’s why you should check this one out. , easy watch, a way to laugh late at night. But what many don’t realize is how chaotic and stressful it was to get the show off the ground, especially in the early days. The film dives into the behind-the-scenes madness leading up to the premiere episode on October 11, 1975. Ninety minutes before it aired, the set was still unfinished, people were being fired, mistakes were being made left and right. It was a whirlwind of confusion and stress, and the movie puts you right in the middle of it. From the moment you’re thrown onto the set, there’s an undeniable energy as everyone scrambles to get things ready.
It’s a thrilling ride without a single dull moment
Directed by Jason Reitman, Saturday Night feels like his best work since 2009, it’s up in the air. His direction injects the film with a kinetic, almost frantic energy, perfectly capturing the chaos of a live production on the brink of collapse. The cast delivers outstanding performances, each of them embracing the high-octane tone that Reitman has clearly established. Dylan O’Brien portrays Dan Aykroyd, Cory Michael Smith captures the essence of Chevy Chase, and Nicholas Braun impressively balances two distinct characters throughout the film. However, the standout is Gabriel LaBelle as Lorne Michaels, the mastermind behind it all. LaBelle, who was solid in Spielberg’s The Fabelmans, really shines here, giving a standout performance that anchors the entire film. Michaels’ performance is captivating, he takes over the film almost entirely, with only a few scenes where he is not the focus.
, has one notable flaw: It stretches the credibility of how all of this could have unfolded in just 90 minutes
Now, while Saturday Night excels at capturing the essence of its characters and infusing humor to make the audience laugh. While the film isn’t meant to feature sketches from SNL per se, I couldn’t help but feel that the story ended a little abruptly. I was expecting the conclusion, but still, it felt like there could be a few more beats before the credits roll.
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