• Release year: 2024
• Director: Jason Reitman.
• Producers: Jason Blumenfeld, Gil Kenan, Jason Reitman and Peter Rice.
• Screenplay by: Gil Kenan and Jason Reitman.
• Cinematography by: Eric Steelberg.
• Music by: Jon Batiste.

Shotgun Commentary: dynamic, hilarious, strangely wholesome.

Review

Saturday Night is the type of film you want to watch after having a horrible day.  The type of film where everything goes so wrong it’s thrilling, but also so right it’s a shot of optimism. Reviving the naivety of the 70s, with its pros and cons, this sitcom/true-ish story is one you’ll want to write down for your next case of the blues.

The feature has a very dynamic structure. You follow Lorne as he half-puts out the fires that are thrown at him, or plainly ignores them if they are way too difficult, or way too silly. In between hectic travellings, you stop to catch your breath in different locations where something ridiculously 70s is happening. It might be drug use, sexual harassment, a room full of white men smoking cigars, or Jim Henson trying to get anyone’s attention and respect. You never know what’s next, and you can’t wait to find out.

The best of the best

Speaking of which, Jim Henson is played by the great Nicholas Braun, a man so believable as a human dishcloth that these roles fits him to perfection. Not only does he have the height, but also Henson’s calm demeanour and patience.

In addition to Henson, Braun also plays Andy Kaufman, a man so confusing it’s hard to tell whether he’s the most confused man on the planet or a genius. His awkwardness is arguably one of the funniest bits of the whole film, making him one of the best additions to the film, even if he is not on camera much. Both characters look out of place, but end up being the most wholesome, only second to Gilda Radner (Ella Hunt).

Last year, yours truly had the pleasure to interview the director of Gilda Radner’s documentary Love, Gilda (2018) during her appearance in Raindance for the screening of her latest work, Shari & Lamb Chop (2023). Thanks to this encounter, Gilda’s life was brought to my attention and her story was seared into my brain.

This wonderful experience feels like it has come full circle at the cinema, with this critic watching the fantastic Ella Hunt bring Gilda to life flawlessly. The voice, the mannerisms, the attitude… everything about her is spot-on and, while she may not have the spotlight for long, fans of the comedian will certainly appreciate this performance.

Gender roles

As mentioned previously, sexual harassment is also a big protagonist of the show. While well-intended, the behaviour of most male comedians towards their female counterparts is anything but professional. Sure, they seem to be indifferent to it and sometimes even join in whatever it is they are doing, but that doesn’t make it any more professional.

The highlight of this topic being the construction-site sketch. A scene in which Dan Aykroyd (Dylan O’Brien) plays the object of desire (and harassment) in a skit where women play the role of construction workers and he, the one of the victim of unwanted “compliments”. It is particularly fun to see how the man who does the most harassment becomes uncomfortable and annoyed when the roles are reversed, a moment that, like all good comedy, gives a lot to think about.

Prejudice and ignorance

Of course, there is also the opposite of this: Joan Carbunkle (Catherine Curtin). Mrs. Kaufman is the woman in charge of censoring whatever she feels is “immoral”. The genius about this character is that she becomes a parody of herself, inadvertently turning into the poster girl for reasons to never join any religion or “morality” association. Her ignorance is such that most terms go over her head, thus exposing the ugly truth about all those organizations: they feed on your ignorance and keep you dumb in order to manipulate you. As such, all the writers and actors are able to get whatever they want on the script as long as it is not said in plain terms.

Many other subjects, like the use of women and POC in comedy as mere clichés or background fillers, the lack of vision and faith of old people versus the hope of new recruits, and the beauty of being honest when it matters, fill this comedy with meaning, making it more than just a recounting of a moment in TV, but also of a moment in history: New York in the 70s. After all, isn’t that what the show was about at first?

All in all, Saturday Night is vibrant, excentric, a little big crazy, and a lot of fun. You guessed it, very much like SNL itself. The cast is fantastic, the performances spot-on, and the makeup and wardrobe departments absolutely nail it. Lastly, the combination of fact and fiction makes for an exciting narrative, full of twists and emotion, that might make you cry, but will certainly make you laugh.

Thanks to Sony Pictures for big-screen access! Saturday Night will be out in UK cinemas the 31st of January.

Advice to take from this movie:

• Don’t smoke random things off of random people.
• Don’t underestimate the power of planning.
• Don’t underestimate the power of spontaneous adaptation.

What’s your take? Have you watched Saturday Night? Don’t hesitate to let me know your thoughts in the comments section below, or leave a message in my contact page! For more reviews and cinema-related articles, check out the rest of my blog! 😀