'Saturday Night' TIFF review: An electrifying take on the birth of SNL
Courtesy of Sony/TIFF
Told in real time with a ferocious energy that feels like a ticking time bomb, Jason Reitman’s ode to "Saturday Night Live" and, more importantly, its creator Lorne Michaels is on full display in the fun but slight "Saturday Night." Chronicling the 90-minute sprint to get "Saturday Night Live" ready for its 1975 debut show, "Saturday Night" never slows down. It offers various caricatures of famous faces, from up-and-coming comedic talent like Billy Crystal to an irate George Carlin, making it easy to forget there’s minimal driving force behind it. You’re not going to walk away learning anything new (who knew producing the first live sketch show of its kind would be chaotic?), but Reitman and co-writer Gil Kenan find the sweet spot between fan service and homage.
It’s also a great puff piece for Michaels, played in the film by Gabriel LaBelle ("The Fabelmans") as an overworked, optimistic, and nervous producer struggling to define what the show is supposed to be, all while trying to corral the talent. This includes convincing a coked-up John Belushi (Matt Wood) to sign his contract and finding a way to cut the show’s runtime from 3.5 hours to 90 minutes.
Amid all the madness, Lorne has to deal with executives Dick Ebersol (Cooper Hoffman) and David Tebet (Willem Dafoe) breathing down his neck because they fear the show isn’t ready for primetime. They even have a Johnny Carson rerun on standby just in case (ironic, given that SNL was greenlit due to a contract dispute Carson had with the network at the time).
But Michaels has the confidence of a quarterback leading his team on a game-winning drive and isn’t about to compromise his vision. The plot barrels forward like a freight train, making it hard to keep up with the relentless pace the filmmakers establish from the start. Despite this, the film’s infectious likability makes it easy to roll with the punches.
Among the standout performances, Cory Michael Smith (Chevy Chase) and Dylan O’Brien (Dan Aykroyd) shine. Both actors, especially Smith, capture the essence and comedic wit of their characters. Rachel Sonnet is terrific as Rosie Shuster, while Matthew Rhys is almost unrecognizable as Carlin, who suffers lockjaw from too much cocaine just minutes before taking the stage as the host.
Because these characters appear so infrequently, we don’t get to know them beyond their familiar mannerisms, which, for the most part, everyone nails. This can create a distance with the material. Additionally, there’s a sense of conflicting accounts of the events, forcing Reitman to stitch together a coherent narrative from various crazy stories (he’s noted that everyone he spoke to had a different recollection of that monumental night).
In any case, "Saturday Night" is a rowdy good time for SNL enthusiasts, reinforcing why this show has endured for 50 years. It’s not the deep dive some might be craving, but for 109 minutes, Reitman and this massive ensemble are fully engaged. Sit back and enjoy the ride. Live from New York!
Grade: B
"Saturday Night" played at the Toronto International Film Festival. Sony will give it a wide theatrical release on Friday, October 11th.
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