The nostalgia factor is on full display in Jason Reitman’s feature film that shows how Lorne Michael, John Belushi, Chevy Chase, Gilda Radner, Dan Aykroyd, Jane Curtin and so many others laid the foundation for the success of Saturday Nightfuture SNL.
In 90 minutes, this October 11, 1975, Saturday Night will air on NBC. This is the first time that a show of this type – especially in the evening – has been presented live and features young comedians that almost no one knows.
On October 9, director Jason Reitman with actors Gabriel LaBelle and Lamorne Morris at a screening in New York.
Getty Images via AFP
What doesn’t help matters is that this rising generation, the boomers, has a caustic and irreverent sense of humor that those who hold the reins of programming – the silent generation – disapprove of.
Jason Reitman (who gave us the excellent Juno et High in the air) skillfully and effectively captures the chaos that reigns in the studios, the frenzy that inhabits each of the comedians and the crisis management that Lorne Michael (Gabriel LaBelle) must constantly engage in.
The idea of inviting moviegoers to witness what really happened in the NBC studios that evening is excellent, SNL being an iconic event, through which several generations of recognized actors have passed. To find John Belushi (Matt Wood), perpetually anxious, Chevy Chase (Cory Michael Smith) and his detestable confidence, and Dan Aykroyd (Dylan O’Brien) or Jane Curtin (Kim Matula) is a pleasure that we do not shy away from.
The actors are good, but their enthusiasm fails to make us forget the “real” protagonists. The division of the feature film is ideal, Jason Reitman managing to instill effective suspense – will the show go on air or not? – despite the known outcome.
Yes, during the 109 minutes of Saturday eveningwe indeed have the impression of being the invisible but privileged witness to a great moment in television history. But wouldn’t that deserve a documentary instead? And this question continues to run through our heads after viewing.
Rating: 3 out of 5
Saturday evening delights movie buffs who love SNL from October 11.
