"The writers are stoned. The set is on fire. The sound system is f***ed," are just some of the phrases used on the poster for Saturday Night, Jason Reitman's raucous new comedy that fictionalizes the debut broadcast of long-running sketch show SNL back in 1975. It's hardly surprising, then, that the movie is wall-to-wall chaos as Gabriel LaBelle's producer Lorne Michaels navigates numerous disasters in the 90 minutes before they go live. If it starts badly, NBC'll pull the plug and fill the gap with a re-run of The Tonight Show with Johnny Carson…
There's no question that all the things going wrong on set are potentially career-ruining; a schedule that runs almost twice the length of their allocated time on-air, network executives nagging temperamental actors to sign contracts, lights crashing down in the middle of a dress rehearsal. But thanks to a plethora of great gags and charismatic performances from the likes of J. K. Simmons, Cory Michael Smith (a real standout as charming but jerkish Chevy Chase), and Rachel Sennott, it all feels surprisingly low-stakes. I mean, after all, we know everything's going to turn out alright. The movie is, in part, a celebration of Saturday Night Live's 50th anniversary. In spite of all that, though, it genuinely made me feel stressed and, admittedly, my palms a bit sweaty. Its balance of tones is perfect, fondly reminding me of Shiva Baby, Fawlty Towers, and other movies and TV shows that play with what it means to be "funny".
