Saturday Night, directed by Jason Reitman, takes us back to the chaotic, unpredictable hours leading up to the first-ever episode of Saturday Night Live. Reitman’s film suggests that those 90 minutes before the show’s debut were more frenzied, uncertain, and downright messy than anything that’s aired in the decades since. It paints a vivid picture of a young Lorne Michaels, played with wide-eyed determination by Gabriel LaBelle, as someone who was deeply in over his head, unprepared to helm what would become one of television’s most iconic and enduring shows.
Looking back, it’s almost impossible to reconcile this behind-the-scenes chaos with the cultural behemoth Saturday Night Live has become. Now celebrating its 50th season, the show has launched the careers of countless comedic legends and solidified its place as a cultural institution. As LaBelle’s Lorne puts it in one of the movie’s most poignant observations, it was “the first show made by a generation raised on television.” It’s a statement that not only captures the show’s ethos but also hints at the seismic shift in comedy and entertainment that SNL would help define.
In many ways, Saturday Night feels like a passing of the torch, both in its story and its casting. Just as the SNL originals—Cory Michael Smith’s Chevy Chase, Dylan O’Brien’s Dan Aykroyd, and Matt Wood’s John Belushi—became the defining stars of their generation, Reitman’s film may well showcase the actors who will define ours.
Gabriel LaBelle anchors the story with his preoccupied, quietly frazzled portrayal of Lorne Michaels, capturing the nerve-wracking genius of someone on the verge of creating something monumental. But the surrounding cast is where Saturday Night truly shines. Rachel Sennott, Cooper Hoffman, Nicholas Braun, Lamorne Morris, and Andrew Barth Feldman round out an ensemble that’s as fresh and compelling as the original cast of SNL must have felt in 1975. Even Finn Wolfhard pops up in a brief, cameo-like role as a hilariously unlucky NBC page, a sly nod to the type of bit role that could lead to stardom in the right hands.
This young, dynamic group feels like today’s version of what SNL was back then—a collection of promising talent with undeniable chemistry. It’s not just a movie about the origins of a cultural juggernaut; it’s a showcase for the actors who might go on to become juggernauts themselves.
Saturday Night operates as a high-stakes comedy of errors, where every loose screw feels like it’s about to send the entire machine collapsing. Cast members go missing, sets are in various stages of disrepair, and Willem Dafoe’s David Tebet, a studio executive barely holding it together, lurks in the background with the ultimate power move: canceling the show before it even starts. The sense of impending doom is palpable.
In the middle of it all, Lorne Michaels insists that the show must go live when the clock strikes 11:30 PM EST, despite the safety net of a pre-recorded dress rehearsal waiting in the wings. This stubborn determination creates a bubbling tension that the movie thrives on. Every misstep and mishap compounds into a chaotic snowball barreling toward an uncertain finish. Jason Reitman turns this ticking clock into the heartbeat of the film, making every moment crackle with nervous energy.
I’ll admit, Jason Reitman’s style hasn’t always resonated with me. His films can feel self-absorbed, sometimes dancing around their central themes instead of diving straight in. Nostalgia often seeps into his work—sometimes charming, sometimes overly saccharine—and his tendency to echo more daring filmmakers rather than charting his own bold path can make his output feel derivative.
That said, Saturday Night might just be the exception, and it’s largely because the material perfectly aligns with Reitman’s sensibilities. The zany, rapid-fire pacing of the story doesn’t give him the opportunity to indulge in his more sluggish habits. The nostalgia here is intrinsic to the subject matter rather than feeling artificially tacked on. The film’s manic energy keeps the narrative propulsive, leaving little room for the cornier, overly sentimental beats that can weigh down his other films. Instead, Saturday Night channels its throwback vibe into something dynamic, offering one of Reitman’s most cohesive and entertaining movies yet.
Saturday Night benefits from its refusal to take itself too seriously, a refreshing divergence that elevates it above much of Jason Reitman’s previous work. Unlike filmmakers such as Alejandro González Iñárritu, whose Birdman leaned so heavily on self-importance that it stumbled under the weight of its own ambition, Reitman keeps things breezy and entertaining here. The technical choices—whip pans and long single shots—are less self-aggrandizing and feel better integrated into the comedic chaos, thanks to the surrounding material’s energy and focus.
It’s not a groundbreaking reinvention of cinema, but it doesn’t need to be. Saturday Night may well serve as a pivot point for Reitman’s career, suggesting a path forward where he balances technical craftsmanship with stories that let his creative instincts flourish without overindulgence. The film feels tightly constructed, with a runtime that’s just long enough to keep the momentum going without dragging. The ensemble performances are unified in tone and energy, creating a cohesive experience.
The result? A movie that entertains thoroughly in the moment and leaves you satisfied, without nagging doubts about what it could’ve been. It’s an enjoyable ride, and it offers a glimmer of hope for the kind of stories Reitman might tackle in the future.
Score: 6/10
- Cast: Gabriel LaBelle, Rachel Sennott, Cory Michael Smith, Ella Hunt, Dylan O’Brien, Emily Fairn, Matt Wood, Lamorne Morris, Kim Matula, Tommy Dewey, Cooper Hoffman, Nicholas Braun, Andrew Barth Feldman, Finn Wolfhard, Willem Dafoe, J.K. Simmons, Matthew Rhys
- Director: Jason Reitman
- Genre: Comedy, Drama, History
- Runtime: 109 minutes
- Rated: R
- Release Date: October 11, 2024
- Read about Saturday Night (2024) on Wikipedia and IMDb
More Movies Starring Gabriel LaBelle
Gabriel LaBelle has starred in the following movies:
- The Fabelmans (2022)
- Snack Shack (2024)
- Saturday Night (2024)
More Movies Starring Rachel Sennott
Rachel Sennott has starred in the following movies:
- Shiva Baby (2020)
- Bodies Bodies Bodies (2022)
- Bottoms (2023)
- I Used to Be Funny (2024)
- Saturday Night (2024)
More Movies Directed by Jason Reitman
Jason Reitman has directed the following movies:
- Juno (2007)
- Up in the Air (2009)
- Tully (2018)
- Ghostbusters: Afterlife (2021)
- Saturday Night (2024)
