Saturday Night
#TIFF24: “SATURDAY NIGHT” REVIEW
By Amanda Gilmore
Director Jason Reitman pays joyful homage to Lorne Michaels and his troupe of young comedians who changed television forever with the smash-hit Saturday Night Live.
SATURDAY NIGHT depicts what happened behind the scenes in the 90 minutes leading up to the first taping on October 11, 1975. Reitman and his Co-Writer Gil Kenan capture the frenetic energy and stress at 50 Rockefeller on the 17th floor the night that made history. This hectic atmosphere is elevated by the outstanding score by Jon Batiste who developed it after working and witnessing what happened on set each day. He captures the anxiety, joy and playfulness those comedians felt and managed to fit it all into his Score.
The Script is fast-paced, which brings us right into the madness of putting on a live program, and is loaded with witty jokes, each of which are delivered by the ensemble cast with impeccable timing. Reitman has cast each of these beloved people to perfection. His idea to focus on a collective ensemble rather than any one individual is genius. It parallels the collective unit of the cast members working on SNL both past and present.
If there was a primary character Reitman focuses on it would be Michaels, for obvious reasons. This beloved Canadian changed television forever. He swung big and he didn’t know if he was going to stick the landing. Gabriel LaBelle’s performance allows for the anxiety and stress to be brimming just below the surface of the restrained and calm demeanour Michaels is known for. Other notable performances come from Cory Micheal Smith as Chevy Chase, Dylan O’Brien as Dan Aykroyd and Matt Wood as John Belushi. Each get their own moment to shine and show just how charismatic they and those they portray are. And finally there’s Rachel Sennott as Writer Rosie Shuster. She’s got a magnetic energy on the screen and the intimate moments she shares with Labelle are strong.
Overall, SATURDAY NIGHT is a hilarious, fun, entertaining Film that captures the moment a dreamer took a huge chance and won.
SATURDAY NIGHT screens at TIFF ’24:
Tue, Sept 10 at 5 PM at Royal Alexandra Theatre
Wed, Sept 11 at 3 PM at VISA Screening Room at the Princess of Wales Theatre
Fri, Sept 13 at 3 PM at VISA Screening Room at the Princess of Wales Theatre
Sat, Sept 14 at 9 AM at Scotiabank Theatre
#TIFF24: DAY SIX SIGHTINGS – ZOE SALDANA, KARLA SOFIA GASCON, ROBBIE WILLIAMS, RACHEL SENNOTT, DYLAN O’BRIEN, WILLEM DAFOE, J.K. SIMMONS AND MORE
Even at the half-way point, the star power still is electric at the Festival! Our Day Six sightings include:
•Zoe Saldana and Karla Sofia Gascon for EMILIA PEREZ
•Robbie Williams at TIFF ’24 for BETTER MAN
•Jason Reitman, Willem Dafoe, J.K. Simmons, Rachel Sennott, Gabriel LaBelle, Dylan O’Brien, Nicholas Braun, Ella Hunt, Kim Matula, Billy Bryk, Cory Michael Smith and more at TIFF ’24 for SATURDAY NIGHT
Highlights below:
(Photo/video credit: Mr. Will Wong)
#FIRSTLOOK: NEW TRAILER FOR “SATURDAY NIGHT” FROM JASON REITMAN
SATURDAY NIGHT, a film about Saturday Night Live’s origins from Jason Reitman, plays exclusively In Movie Theaters October 11, 2024 – from Sony Pictures Canada.
Synopsis:
At 11:30pm on October 11, 1975, a ferocious troupe of young comedians and writers changed television – and culture – forever. Directed by Jason Reitman and written by Gil Kenan & Reitman, Saturday Night is based on the true story of what happened behind the scenes in the 90 minutes leading up to the first broadcast of Saturday Night Live. Full of humor, chaos, and the magic of a revolution that almost wasn’t, we count down the minutes in real time until we hear those famous words…
Directed by:
Jason Reitman
Written by:
Gil Kenan & Jason Reitman
Produced by:
Jason Blumenfeld
Peter Rice
Jason Reitman
Gil Kenan
Executive Producers:
Erica Mills
JoAnn Perritano
Cast (in order of appearance):
Gabriel LaBelle
Rachel Sennott
Cory Michael Smith
Ella Hunt
Dylan O’Brien
Emily Fairn
Matt Wood
Lamorne Morris
Kim Matula
Finn Wolfhard
Nicholas Braun
Cooper Hoffman
Andrew Barth Feldman
Kaia Gerber
Tommy Dewey
Willem Dafoe
Matthew Rhys
J.K. Simmons
Also rounding out the ensemble cast are Jon Batiste and Naomi McPherson.
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