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'Saturday Night Live' is one of the great comedy institutions. For 50 years, some of the greatest comedy stars have walked through Studio 8H. From Bill Murray to Eddie Murphy, Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Robert Downey Jr, Ben Stiller, Adam Sandler, Will Ferrell, Jimmy Fallon, Tina Fey, Amy Poehler, Maya Rudolph, Kristen Wiig, Pete Davidson and Bowen Yang. That list of names isn't even the tip of the 'SNL' iceberg - but 50 years ago, the show we know today almost didn't happen. 'Saturday Night' documents the 90 minutes in the lead-up to the very first episode.
In 1975, 'The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson' was one of the most-watched shows on TV. Carson wanted reruns of his show to be aired on weekends so he didn't have to tape so many episodes. NBC was looking for something to fill that Saturday night gap - then enters Lorne Michaels (Gabriel LaBelle, 'The Fabelmans', 'The Predator'). He created the concept for a comedy sketch show with musical performances, an encapsulation of New York on a Saturday night. Armed with upcoming comedians and performers like John Belushi (Matt Wood, TV's 'Law & Order'), Jim Henson (Nicholas Braun, 'The Perks of Being a Wallflower', 'Sky High'), Chevy Chase (Cory Michael Smith, 'Carol', 'May December'), Gilda Radner (Ella Hunt, 'Horizon: An American Saga'), Dan Aykroyd (Dylan O'Brien, 'Maze Runner' franchise, 'Not Okay'), Laraine Newman (Emily Fairn, Netflix's 'Black Mirror'), Garrett Morris (Lamorne Morris, 'Bloodshot', 'Yesterday') and Jane Curtin (Kim Matula, 'Fighting with My Family'), they set out to make television history. NBC executives think the show is going to fail and have lined up an episode of 'The Tonight Show' to go to air when the show fails. The writers are high, the set is on fire, the sound system is broken, the show is running three hours long... there is no chance they will pull this off!
Setting this film in those chaotic 90 minutes to the first episode of 'Saturday Night Live' gives this film such kinetic energy. It also doesn't give the film time to waffle; this is a tight, fun ride that celebrates everyone's hard work that went into this historic moment in television. The film feels like you are there in that studio, its energy is so electric. I was absolutely encapsulated by the film.
This is a must-watch, especially for 'SNL's' 50th anniversary. But for those not as passionate, it's a perfectly crafted recount of one of television's most historic moments.
The performances, which easily could have fallen into impressions, are all so perfectly cast both on looks and authenticity. They feel like they have a real connection, a true, weirdly-assembled team like the real cast.
I can't talk highly enough about 'Saturday Night'. As a fan of 'SNL' it's a must-watch, especially to celebrate its 50th anniversary. But for those not as passionate, it's a perfectly crafted recount of one of television's most historic moments.
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