"Live from New York, it's Saturday Night!"
Improbably, America has heard that phrase nearly every week for almost 50 years. The once-daring sketch comedy show has become an institution, and while it certainly has great moments every now and again, it hasn't been hip or edgy for quite some time. The closest it gets to controversy these days is when Weekend Update hosts Michael Che and Colin Jost tell a particularly tasteless joke.
But in 1975 - to say nothing of 1980, 1986 or 2014 - there was no guarantee SNL would last, let alone provide a platform for some of North America's funniest people to hone their craft. Back then, Lorne Michaels (Gabriel LaBelle) was a young producer with a band of dyspeptic writers and drug-addicted performers trying to get something on the air live at 11:30pm. Saturday Night begins 90 minutes before the first show, with all manner of chaos for Michaels to wade through before showtime. An overbooked program, a dangerous set, an obstinate crew, a self-righteous censor, a gaggle of lecherous affiliates. All of it add to Michaels's stress. But the sharp editing and excellent score (from co-star Jon Batiste) keep things humming along.
When things slow down for a meaningful conversation, they can be wonderful. Rachel Sennott (as Rosie Shuster) and LaBelle have electric chemistry as the married writers/producers who are much more successful at running the show than building a successful marriage. Their moments backstage provide the proper emotional beats. The ones that don't work are when the film tries to underline how important SNL is and will be. It may have changed comedy and television forever, but the film treats Michaels as if he's Albert Einstein. Reitman and co-writer Gil Kenan (the last two Ghostbusters movies) are similarly out of their depth when it comes to addressing issues like racism and sexism among the show's almost entirely white male cast and staff.
But the performances are pretty excellent across the board. LaBelle continues to bring the self-determination he showed in The Fabelmans and Snack Shack. Cooper Hoffman channels his famous father once again as NBC exec Dick Ebersol. And the actors who make up the Not Ready for Prime Time Players acquit themselves solidly. (Although theater actor Matt Wood's mercurial take on John Belushi didn't work for me.) Even the cameos from award-winning actors are deliciously nasty.
Yet even with plenty of Easter eggs and TV Production for Dummies exposition, you're unlikely to learn much about the show itself. For that you're much better off reading the classic oral history Live from New York. But if you want an entertaining, high energy dramedy, Saturday Night is ready for showtime.
