Saturday Night - Review

[@sakaki_chrono]

0:24 "Hello. I'm Dan Murrel and you're not." got a good laugh out of me I must admit. 😂

[@ericsilva-gomez2481]

That was a good one

[@Joe-de2oc]

It’s a reference to Chevy chase on weekend update

[@joezagorski1507]

the musical cue did that for me 🤣

[@sway6718]

Dan's attempts at humor, before the review, are such a treasure.

[@TheIndianaGeoff]

Dan you ignorant slut. Sorry, had to do it.

[@neonswitchblade]

and by treasure, you mean costume jewelry.

[@ZachBobBob]

Attempts. How dare you.

[@frankiedelic6647]

I don't know what to tell you brother. Me not being a SNL buff (I've barely watched any episodes at all), and being high as a kite, I fully understood was going on & got a lot of understanding of the people involved, what they were feeling at this time, and the stakes of it all. Now whether or not its an accurate depiction of those real life people is another question, but I'm here to watch a movie. That movie imo was phenomenal with a lot of heart. The chaos just adds to it. This cast for sure wasn't ready but they did it because in a way they all care. All of this done within an hour and 49 minutes of chaos is to be commended personally. I usually don't write comments on reviews because I get that its subjective but really the only lukewarm reviews I've seen is what people wanted the movie to be, rather then the integrity of the actual product, because I think what we got was special. I don't always feel compelled to watch a movie again in theaters but I'm going to watch this one again. Maybe even a third time! Who knows maybe I'll feel differently after a second watch, but there's something here that could be a cult classic later on in life.

[@karenweston2714]

I agree! There were some characters I didn't know who they were or anything about them but it made me want to look them up and watch again. It's nice to see movies that you actually want to watch again! It's What's Inside is another movie that's really fun to watch a second time!

[@lanajansen]

Well said.

[@TatendaZiyambi]

Love the "shrugging Dan" in his thumbnails, like he's basically saying "what am I supposed to feel?" 😂

[@800Ms-k6n]

I think it's the "It's okay, just go see it guys, whatever" 😂

[@Mojo_Jojo45]

Am I the only one who gets everything I need from those thumbnails and skip 95% of these reviews because of it?

[@TatendaZiyambi]

@@Mojo_Jojo45 Depends on the reviewer. Dan will sometimes throw a curve ball and the face in thumbnail might not necessary match the review tho

[@blackguyofthesouth2161]

Yes​@@Mojo_Jojo45

[@steve.santiago]

I would have loved it if Aaron Sorkin wrote this screenplay. Sounds like it would have been a match made in heaven.

[@jamesthesnake12]

Except I think he does “humor “ bad a la the sunset strip shoe

[@dimitar297]

I prefer Erin Dorkin.

[@JurassicTrek]

I am constantly surprised by Dylan O’Brien. I didn’t think much of him until I saw Love and Monsters and thought, ‘He would’ve been a great Peter Parker.’ THEN I find out he WAS cast as Peter Parker but lost it last minute to Tom Holland. Anyway, he is fantastic

[@blueray15]

He's still Stiles to me :). I can't help it.

[@ther3aper561]

​@@blueray15 Same

[@Qwazin]

As a non-SNL follower, this movie felt to me like someone saw Birdman and thought, "What if we took all of the characters and replaced them with memberberries from a show you don't know anything about?" I went in hoping to learn something about Saturday Night, but ended up feeling like it was just a montage of references to something I had no connection with.

[@kamccomb16]

Can confirm, not an SNL guy and so much went over my head, not that much laughter in my theater of 10ish people

[@kamssun]

Same!! I thought there were too many characters and I realized they are all based on an actual person but in the context of the movie it felt overstuffed and hollow

[@ZO6Buccaneer]

Agreed. As someone who is only slightly aware of the early SNL years, so much of this went over my head that eventually I got bored of all the inside jokes (at least they worked for the older couple seated a few seats over). So if I’m not in on the jokes, but I know in the end it all works out, what am I getting from the movie? Afterwards, I wish I had just watched the 1st ever SNL at home than having gone to this. Not saying that movies can’t benefit from the audience having external knowledge to supplement, but in this case the movie felt so reliant on the audience being fully aware of who all the characters were and the associated references.

[@djstarsign]

I’m a big SNL fanboy like Dan, so I was delighted to see so many characters like Alan Zweibel, Anne Beatts, Rosie Shuster, Franken & Davis, etc. it hit every fanboy button and was surprised it didn’t focus on the cast itself as much as the chaos surrounding the show. But I understand that for the average fan who doesn’t know the history and mythical lore of all the drugs, sexual relationships behind the scenes, rebellion compared to other shows at the time, it won’t resonate as much. My only real critique was the unnecessary John Belushi ice skating scene and there wasn’t enough drug use. It did conveniently smoosh all of these stories into one real time 90-minute film. Which was a little convenient but wasn’t too much of a dealbreaker. The other scene I felt was unnecessary was Rosie Shuster’s exposition scene about her relationship with Lorne Michaels. If you’re going to do a fast paced, tense and chaotic film about the taping of the first live show, it should have committed more and not have any character exposition. We’re thrown in the blender and forced to figure out what is happening. They did a good job of capturing the male performers personalities in the brief scenes they had, but didn’t really do the same for the female case except for Jane Curtain in that great scene where she’s smoking with Garrett Morris. And they also spent too much time on Morris’s asking why he was hired. The Live From New York oral history is a fascinating book that I strongly recommend as a compendium to the film. As a standalone movie, it will leave non-SNL fans scratching their heads. But as a big time SNL nerd, I loved it despite its flaws.

[@llclouse]

Thank you for acknowledging the sexism in both the show and the movie

[@TheJakescott1515]

Shoulda done it like Steve Jobs over the course of three events/shows. Or even like bird man where it actually takes place over a longer period but feels like leading up to the show

[@thehalcyonflight]

Should’ve been an Aaron Sorkin style mini series

[@sergeymeshkov]

Already have his Saturday Night Live:)

[@joshualebowitz]

Studio 60 could have been so strong.

[@thehalcyonflight]

@@joshualebowitz that’s what I thought of when I made the comment. It just would’ve shown the chaos of the night as well as been able to get deeper into characterization, I feel, if it were that style and made into maybe an 8 to 10 episode mini series and ending with them yelling “live from New York it’s Saturday night” ( cut to credits)

[@blabbermouth777]

He should have made a series called Studio 60 On The Sunset Strip

[@blabbermouth777]

Studio 60 was strong

[@Jogwheel]

Excellent review. Had no idea you were a huge SNL-head, but that totally tracks with your vibe and sense of humor 🙂 Having not even seen this yet, I already suspected the real-time format would be its undoing for exactly the reasons you mentioned: crowding the timeline. Frustrating to see good ideas get sidelines by gimmicks.

[@TVandManga]

This film would really confuse me as a British person who knows nothing about the SNL history and lore, lol.

[@GeekyMedia]

Exactly this. I’m a Brit, and I was under the impression I might be learning something about SNL and American TV culture - now I’m completely uninterested in this film, sadly.

[@suave-rider]

ditto in Australia, this film will only have a small release in Cinemas which will mostly be empty. No fucks given.

[@TVandManga]

@@BBBBBBBBBBBX Not in the UK. I can't confirm about anywhere else.

[@suave-rider]

@@BBBBBBBBBBBX why would it? lol

[@vanessa0111]

⁠@@suave-riderbecause aren’t a lot of American shows aired in other countries? I’m not a fan of snl but I’d assume other countries would have heard of it since it’s huge in the us

[@1neOfN0ne]

Watching movie reviews is what first got me into KZbin and I'm subscribed to quite a few but over time, Dan is one of just a few whose opinion actually matters to me because time and time again we see eye to eye on things much more than I do with most others.

[@aaronblum9555]

I saw it. I enjoyed it. The movie's runtime is listed at 109 Minutes - Take away the credits, it closes in around 90 Minutes I'm sure - The length of an SNL Episode-I'm sure what Reitman and his co-writer were going for. EW did an article- Much of what was portrayed was true or rooted in truth , but didn't all necessary happen that night (For instance Michaels met Zwibel not that night, but less than a year or about year before in a Comedy Club as portrayed). In the end, I was entertained.

[@arun279]

this should have been a mini series with the finale or penultimate episode being in real time before the first episode. with the context, interpersonal dynamics, major conflicts, stakes, established it would make the real time tension of putting on the first episode that much more interesting. it also gives enough space to flesh out all the characters

[@dimitar297]

Speaking of flesh who do you think on the cast had the longest pecker.

[@27Tulipa]

Loved the SNL style intro! Meshes well with your humour and the changes in edits

[@kimberlyrobinson1381]

Appreciate your review, I saw an early screening today and thought it was a great movie. The 90-minute gimmick was a bit of a lodestone around the film neck but the standout performances make this a special film. Dylan O’Brien and Corey Michael Smith were incredible!

[@teddennison344]

I lowkey love how they put Robert Wahl in this. He also had an important part in American Hot Wax, a 1971 flick that seems like the exact same movie as this, but set at a legendary Cleveland Rock&Roll show.

[@teddennison344]

Fun Fact: (SNL S1 alum) Lorraine Newman also had a part in American Hot Wax.

[@MichaelWutsch]

Lazy Sunday is still one of my favorite skits of all time

[@HariOmRadhaKrishna]

I am excited to see SNL the Movie. Life-stuff happened this week, now our family's schedule is all screwed up this month. Hope to get to Megalopolis before it's gone, & then Wild Robot after, then SNL, by then Wicked will be out.

[@TheNetflixNook]

You got some catch-up to take care of

[@javierdelgado2659]

Matthew Rhys as Carlin was perfection (even if he's in, like, three scenes)

[@dsbaehler]

He nailed it.

[@xscorpio1976]

Great critique. You are correct, this was a love letter to SNL nerds and won't win over anyone new. That being said, I LOVED the 90 minute format, and while gimmicky, making this into 2.5 hr Oppenheimer-esq wouldn't fit the context of what Reitman was going for. If a person wants the details, there are plenty of places to find them on YT. A long SNL movie would've missed the mark and pleased no one imo. This approach was fresh, unique and exactly right for this movie, which I loved! For me, it is one of this year's best.

[@800Ms-k6n]

I'm still very excited and curious to see the movie. I'm a fan of movies that's about the behind the scene making of a movie or in this case, a TV show just to get me some appriciation for the artist who worked on some of the most successful entertainment ever. I'm hoping that it will atleast entertained me for the whole runtime and i love most of the cast too (nice to see Dylan O'Brien in a movie again aswell as Ella Hunt, who i've been looking out for her since her musical movie "Anna and The Apocalypse")

[@Silentkittey]

Misogyny runs deep in SNL and it just always gets worse over the years. There was the power of women comedics pushing back the doubts which gave the early days their golden years but it gets exhausting doing so much work when you get nothing from it while others get it all. Really wish this movie could have done better but i knew it would fall flat. I'll watch it someday🤙

[@eriksvideos6022]

I"m a 56-year-old SNL nerd, so I enjoyed it just fine. But it's a forgettable movie that doesn't offer much for anyone who's unfamiliar with early SNL.

[@kellishere]

Hi! Frequent movie-watcher with little-to-no knowledge of the early days of SNL here! Coming to say I completely agree with your review Dan, the entire movie felt like a countdown to a product I have no emotional, or literal ties to, so the entire time I felt like I was watching a really long set up to a joke I never find out the punchline to. Love the cast, but since I don’t know much of all the OG players they were embodying, it felt like cameofest of “oh yes this actor is in the movie!” as opposed to any real context to who they were and what they had to contribute to the rich history that is of SNL. The constant problems and scenarios that kept popping up switched from a constant anxiety to boredom because at the end of the day, we all still know what SNL is. Overall, definitely came out of it feeling a little cold, but it was an interesting watch! And Nicholas Podany is a wonderful actor and person! He used to play Albus in the broadway production of Harry Potter and the Cursed Child, where I used to work, and I’m so happy for his success, and great work in the film!

[@laartwork]

Right when I heard "real-time" I knew what could go wrong. Magnolia would be an example of what could have been. Way more time to breathe and get into the stories of multiple characters but then an intense build up.

[@ElectricSwag]

The original cast of SNL and the show's first year deserve a 10 part documentary treatment not a 90 minute movie.

[@kirkhassett8726]

Directed by Ken Burns.

[@chrisdemetriou8593]

As a 20-something moviegoer from Greece I have only a passing knowledge of SNL and its early cast and history, so I also was almost constantly frustrated by the lack of context in this movie -especially because the actual directing of it failed to make it as exciting to me as something like, say, Danny Boyle's "Steve Jobs". This is a very difficult format and if you don't have an Aaron Sorkin-level script, or someone like Alejandro Gonzalez Innaritu behind the camera, it can get a little hectic. That being said, I felt the movie wrapped up brilliantly and very satisfyingly, making me re-evaluate a lot of the stuff i'd seen previously in the film -and leaving me curious to look up more about the show's early days. The audience I saw it with seemed to really enjoy it as well!

[@KhalidQuesada]

As only a casual fan of Saturday Night Live, this is my favorite movie of the year. If I was perhaps closer to the subject matter or knew absolutely nothing about it, it might not be. I'll never know. But it worked incredibly well for me. While I understand your points, I personally appreciated the structure and execution. To me it's a near perfect movie when I look at it as a movie and not a history lesson.

[@juanpabloundagarcia2865]

Love the intro. You keep getting better and better Dan

[@Bad_Wolf_Media]

I've never been a massive SNL fan, though I enjoy a lot of the work over the years. My connection to the show is that it's (almost exactly) 24 hours younger than me. I was born around 8:30p Eastern on Friday, the show debuted at 11:30p Saturday. Next year, my 50th birthday will be on Friday, and the SNL 50th Birthday will be that next Saturday night.

[@theitalianalien8477]

As an Italian man with no real knowledge of SNL aside from occasional glimpses of its modern iteration... you convinced me to skip this movie. Thanks Dan

[@CrappyCar]

I have some memories of the NRFPTP cast, and have caught the odd episode over the years. The only consistently quality segment recently is Weekend Update, never miss it. Thanks for the review Dan, Happy Friday!

[@goodfellabadguy257]

I liked it. It definitely felt like a love letter to the SNL fans. I think you'd double feature this with A Futile and Simple Gesture to get a feel for a lot of the cast mates

[@Dobbsy79]

Absolutely LOVED this movie and it is the rare modern movie that will garner repeat viewings for me. Incredible performances, wonderfully fun screenplay and Reitman directed the hell out of this movie - easily his best work so far as a filmmaker.

[@BMoneyrulz]

The intro itself deserves a Golden Globe.

[@buddahthebaptist5767]

This performances alone made this movie for me. I was just constantly impressed by both the comedic and dramatic chops on screen. Everyone was at 100% but they didn’t really step on each others feet throughout which really solidified how much I loved the movie. I am also an SNL nerd but much more for the late 90s/00s cast so I wasn’t too aware of the first cast. This movie made me leave with a further appreciation for that casts comedic defiance.

[@suave-rider]

As an Australian I have never seen SNL and I can tell you this film will barely get a small release in cinemas here as there is zero recognition or interest in the subject

[@BonJoviBeatlesLedZep]

Nicholas Braun playing Jim Henson in this frankly turned me off completely. I'm not saying the person playing Jim Henson has to be a boy scout, I'm saying he has to be someone who can actually embody playing Jim Henson.

[@ozkaz13]

Simmons is a standout in the movie,representing the older generations' misunderstanding of anything new.

[@Pokemonashgreen2]

Thursday evening packed for me, Saturday Night, Piece by Piece and Terrifier 3! Thank God for AMC A list!.

[@davidthieroff9452]

I thought it was great. I loved how chaotic and energetic it was. As someone who interned in that studio I even got a little emotional. Glad you pointed out the performances as they were all great, as was the incredible direction, editing, set design, etc. Not sure what else you wanted? I liked the Lorne Michaels subplot with his would-be wife although I might have missed what her credit ended up being. Ha. It was technically quite an achievement.

[@FlowerChildanddan]

Man, I'm a big SNL fan and I loved the film. I'm also a big history fan and understand poetic license takes liberties with timelines. In this instance, I was more than fine with it.

[@Yachirobi]

That's disappointing to hear. Gimmicks shouldn't interfere with storytelling, especially true stories.

[@CyGea]

Anyone out there wondering what Lorne sounds like…it’s Dr Evil.

[@Dee-x9f]

Saw it; loved it! Jason was the perfect person to make this film because of his legacy. So many Easter eggs for die-hard fans. I have a feeling this movie is gonna hit a little harder with those of us who were teens watching those first seasons live. It's even better if you read Bill Carter and Tom Shale's books and already recognize the stories-you know some didn't happen on the night of the first broadcast, but did (apparently) really happen. I wouldn't recommend this movie to someone who never watched the show much or started watching very recently. I think it would be too hard to follow for someone who has no context.

[@aaw06h]

I saw this at Fantastic Fest and Reitman explained that they interviewed every still-living person in the building that night including cameramen, crafts services, etc and the movie was a faithful retelling. Generally I would have given a lot of leeway to the movie leaning into legend rather than pure fact, but because he said that, I could not get the disbelief out of my head that this all felt a little too unlikely as a whole.

[@jasonraschen1109]

Thank you for this review Dan. I’m planning to see this next Saturday. Also planning to see a new 4K restoration of The Red Shoes. Never seen it before. Have you? Enjoy the weekend!

[@shawnhedman6561]

Dan is reviewing the movie he wanted to see and not the movie Reitman made. This film is fantasy and legend and not history. The ice skating scene especially tells us this is allegory,; a scene featuring two characters in an otherwise empty NYC discussing a future they would not see. It was well shot, well acted, very entertaining, and at times hilarious.

[@chrisjherman]

A lot of great performances, but the film's structure undercuts so much of it. Should have been a drama-comedy series.

[@viralbuthow000]

Should be a limited series instead of a film, no?

[@TwinRiver100]

thanks for the review. not going to see this due to schedule but i'll try to catch this on streaming if it's on any of the streaming services i have and if i remember...unfortunately a lot of movies i say this about end up on services i don't have or i put them on wishlist and never get around to watching them and forget about them. but once and a while some one posts clips of really good parts on youtube or instagram reels and i get a reminder of this kind of stuff

[@Wingcake84]

Honestly a Chevy chase biopic is the better choice, a method actor would salivate getting the role is essentially a Greek tragedy from the most popular comic actor to has been, the feud with bill murray snl his box office decline and ending with him leaving community most people remember him as well.

[@BoskoShabazz]

I would love a Chevy movie. Great idea

[@jonathanortega753]

LMAO great intro Dan 🤣

[@TranquilZoo]

This movie definitely delivered for me. Caught it last night with a small audience and they stuck till the credits ended.

[@shwink]

I agree with all your points it just doesn’t give enough time to get to know these performers and writers. The Alan Zweibel introduction was so rushed and completely goes over your head. I also was really knowledgeable myself so I could follow easier but there were times I had to listen closely of names being said since some of the cast didn’t look like who they were portraying or barely sounded like them. Friend I saw it with isn’t familiar with Snl’s history and he thought Garret Morris was Eddie Murphy, made me feel so old. Thought he should’ve done it as a movie covering the first 5 years of the show.

[@brynkasson8100]

Just watched Saturday Night and I have to disagree with a lot of your negatives. Of course they're going to condense weeks if not months of production into 90 minutes. That's the spirit of SNL and always has been. The frenetic chaos of putting on a weekly live show was captured beautify in this movie. Why stretch it out when you can condense everything you need to know to basically one location in 90 minutes? Studio 8H is all you need. The frantic camera work sweeping through the studio with dozens of people begging Lorne for input while never really knowing if the show will make it to air perfectly encapsulates what SNL was at the beginning. Something new, something fresh, something original, even if they didn't know what they had. Sure, we all know artistic liberties were taken but they're artistic liberties for a reason. You want to show an audience 50 years later what it felt like in that moment to break through and revolutionize what television was. I am blown away at the cast, the script, and the vibe that was near perfectly emulated in Saturday Night. The scene that really stood out to me was Gilda and John at the ice rink. Her short little monologue about being nostalgic for a moment you're currently experiencing made me shed a tear. That's SNL.

[@xscorpio1976]

Thank you. I think a lot of ppl didn't get the point. This is not an expose or study into the people but of the night itself. Just like SNL wasn't itself wasn't about anything but the comedic vibe of NY, as frenetic as that can be.

[@lordofthereels6790]

Belushi needs an HBO biopic miniseries. I know Wired exists but Belushi's rise and fall story is bigger than just one movie. Keep the Saturday Night young Akroyd/Belushi casting but give it more room to breathe?

[@micaelaiphys]

I think you might be a little too close. I definitely appreciate your perspective. I have enjoyed SNL, but usually through snips and clips, or highlights. I am no diehard fan, and I loved the hectic nature and pace of the minute to minute layout. I agree that Chevy got a lot of screen time and wished for more of the players, but a 2 hour film would have been FAR too long. I enjoyed this thoroughly and our entire theater was belly laughing again and again. Morris’ sound check was. Highlight for sure!! I will definitely be seeing again.

[@doktor_ghul]

If Michael O'Donoghue is well done, I'm there. Having Mr. Mike rise from the potato field to be the wonderful sick puppy he was, I'm in like six inch needles in both eyes.

[@tientrinh1577]

Hello I'm Dan Murrell and you're not! -- Brilliant joke!

[@thatderek]

I wonder how many people here will get that joke. You're showing your age, lol. 😂

[@SpectacFash]

Nice opening buddy

[@MiaBostic]

As a kid I was more of a Mad Tv fan! I think it felt more edgy to me being a kid in the 90s/2000s! I do think the origin of SNL is awesome and it was definitely better in the 80s/early 90s! Maybe this would be better as a TV series??

[@readylisetteg0]

OMFG Dan! I totally forgot you had a youtube. DAMN!!!!!! I saw this movie too! I LOVED IT!

[@yournamehere6002]

The first episode barely had the cast in it. There was also an Albert Brooks short film, Carlin's stand-up, Andy Kaufman, The Muppets....there was also an older stage actor George Coe, as part of the original cast. The construction worker bit didn't appear until the Lily Tomlin episode later on. Milton Berle never showed up on the first show, but was a host later on.

[@GCballer307]

For a movie about an iconic comedy show so many of the jokes fell flat for me and I kept thinking to myself “why are the characters laughing at this?” Very disappointed in this movie.

[@andreraymond6860]

i loved the Llama joke. Talk about an inside meta joke!

[@VitoGyattelon]

I’m a 17 year old and I know the icons like Chevy Chase and Dan Akoyord but I didn’t know much about about John Belushi and other but oh my god that movie was incredible I haven’t seen a movie in theaters that good in a while

[@lucaspadilla4815]

I don’t know a lot about snl, but thought it was great. Appreciated the tight structure instead of a long bloated mess like a lot of historical flicks can be

[@EdwardWinters-m4c]

I totally disagree with you. I thought for them to add the Jim Henson scene was very important. The Muppets were actually in the way on the show. I remember back when SNL first aired and seeing the Muppets on there and thinking.." They don't really fit in with this show.". I cannot wait to see this movie.

[@Sjrick]

I never knew the actor that portrayed Jim Hensen also did Andy Kauffman until i just learned it in this video, lol I wonder why they did that.

[@rickpontificates3406]

I agree. The real time format disappoints me because there's so much peripheral stuff that happened over the years.. cast fights, Belushi's death, people banned from SNL

[@lightsoutdso]

9:50 you are bro. You gotta step away from the micro- love for and be in what it actaully IS. Not what you want it too show you from your own fan-fare. Did you laugh? Did you cry? Did you enjoy your Saturday Night?!

[@wfchannel4673]

i'd agree it was made for a small audience but it's mostly people who know a little bit about the show, but not a lot, which is going to cover most critics and festival audiences though unlikely general audiences. like if you watch the premiere before going in and know who lorne michaels is, that covers probably at least 60% of people featured so if you can catch a name and know generally who that is you're fine, but if you don't know or know more specifics you may be disappointed.

[@emilyplunkett6034]

My first memories of television was of Dana Carvey as the Church Lady when, as a toddler, I'd wander to see my mom watching the episode of SNL she taped from the night before. I will be seeing this movie, no matter what. I do have to pose this question, though: where does it stack up compared to the thousands of other SNL movies in existence? 😊

[@yaninaperez-masud1303]

Thank you for all the reviews, I am so excited to be a member

[@whelp22]

This sounds like such a strange movie. I’m in the same boat you are, Dan. I love SNL and have been a nerd about it since I was a kid. When I saw the trailers for this originally, what struck me was, “Huh. I don’t remember the first night being that insane.” The oddest part to me sounds like the movie would still be effective and maybe even more interesting if they toned down all the crazier moments to more of simply what occurred that night. The audience isn’t dumb, you know? It’s still dramatic for people to see a producer like Lorne solve smaller issues with actors on such a pivotal night for a production. I’ll still see it. It sounds like a fun little movie to watch before kicking on the first episode of the show to celebrate the 50th.

[@connorstevens8020]

Dan, as someone who has done intern work in a tv studio the things. That may seem like unrealistic stuff happens ALL THE TIME!! I’m telling you, this one deserves a rewatch. Much respect tho

[@ronan.pellen]

ok then what did you witness on par with deciding WU host 10min before airing and/or hiring a writer in a bar to feed you jokes in real time again just before the show airing, I'll wait!

[@connorstevens8020]

@@ronan.pellen not saying anything was necessarily on par with that. Just saying hard calls had to be made at the last minute

[@ronan.pellen]

@@connorstevens8020 and he didn't say it never happened, just that it really stretched credibility at that point!

[@connorstevens8020]

@@ronan.pellen dude I’m not saying I have credibility, I said it was an internship

[@connorstevens8020]

@@ronan.pellen If you’re curious about my “credibility” here you go. I was a staff manager at my local movie theater for 4 years and I have a film and video production degree from the University of Memphis where I got hands on experience and got to interact with local filmmakers like Craig Brewer (Hustle and Flow, Dolemite is My Name). So there’s my credibility

[@JDotWill]

I’m assuming Lorne wasn’t a fan of the film or its production. With this movie coming out shortly after SNL’s 50th season starts, you’d think the week the movie is released there’d of been some cross promotion. One or multiple people from the movie should’ve hosted &/or appeared on SNL this week.

[@philippeh3904]

This probably should’ve been a miniseries tbh.

[@josepablodeleon6073]

Maybe we shouldn't look at art as what it should've been but as what it is

[@ronan.pellen]

@@josepablodeleon6073 maybe we can do both tho

[@yondie491]

So this sounds like a combination of "the Memphis Belle format" with "it's for the fans" which... doesn't necessarily sound like a good idea. I'm not against it, but that sounds like a dangerous combination. While I'd have loved a proper historical representation of Memphis Belle, I do love the movie (I'm presuming you know what I mean regarding how that movie combined a bunch of historical facts into a single bombing mission) for what it was. I lol'd at "Chevy Chase's ego." Your review basically just cemented my desire to see this. Thanks!

[@JoePrimmerEditor]

Yeah you got too into it. I liked the vibe and just went for the ride. Fitting what made the show in a movie.

[@SnoopyKendall]

Let's effing go!!!! Awesome to be a member Dan!

[@sydney4377]

Really appreciate your thoughts Dan!

[@iohfs2629]

Kind of shocked you thought this was worse than Joker 2

[@Lamont580]

This should have been an eight-part prestige series. Most of those shows try to spread too little plot over too many episodes, so that they came milk extra seasons out of popular IP. In this case, it sounds like they packed too much plot into too little time. It also seems like a situation where they could have secured most of the cast for a limited run, which is often the excuse for a two-hour movie versus an eight-hour series.

[@MariaVosa]

I was worried about this when I heard about the "real time" conceit. But I'm really bummed hearing the short shrift Gilda Radner gets. For shame!

[@brianng8350]

I grew up with the 80s and 90s SNL. But I’m not a fan of this movie. Most of the people do not have much screen time and others are not likable and very unprofessional. My only takeaway from the movie is that it was a miracle it got made and it lasted 50 years. I did not recognize Dylan O’Brien. I’ve never knew Lamorne Morris has such a great voice. The jokes that made it into the movies, I did not laugh. Were the jokes too 70s for me? The movie just did not leave me with any strong impressions, which left me disappointed.

[@montyql]

I'm so confused as to whether see Joker or Saturday Night next week. I was leaning Saturday Night, but Dan's reviews have thrown me.

[@gerrigarrick]

Curious to see it now to see if the rushed structure bothers me. Wondering if the writers chose said structure so that it could solely be Lorne Michael's story. If he's well developed maybe the stakes will feel okay for me?? I'll let you know! Thanks!

[@Slugthing]

Saw this one at tiff, I felt like the biggest problem was that there was no clear goal to get to by the end. Sure, they have to get the show ready, and actually get it on the air too, but they felt so ambiguous in the actual movie itself. I know nothing about SNL and I think you’re right about this one relying too much on your knowledge of SNL, not that I was lost, but I just kept wondering why I should care.

[@GrubHooligan]

I disagree with Dan's take on the gimmick of the movie and how well it works. I thought the pacing on the movie was excellent, and it elevated a movie that I don't think I would have otherwise cared much about into something that eventually won me over and made me care. Pretty much everything about this movie is excellent. The writing, the performances, the pacing, etc... I went in with no expectations and very little investment in the movie (free preview screening of a movie I otherwise wouldn't have seen), and afterwards I told multiple people that they should make it a point to watch the film. I think he really was just a little too close to the subject matter. As somebody who cares much less, I was thoroughly entertained, followed all of it, and absolutely bought into the stakes. My one and only criticism of the film is that I think all of the women were extremely shortchanged. None of them get real arcs, and they only seem to exist in this film to further the storylines of their male costars. There are so many "great men" being elevated in this film by brilliant, capable women whose only purpose is to be adoring that I found myself wondering if Aaron Sorkin wrote the film. That's definitely the vibe.

[@nicolasmoyano_]

Great review! I really want to see it on the big screen when it comes out

[@shannonbriggs1369]

Dan, I was curious about your thoughts of the portrayal of Jim Henson in "Saturday Night". I've heard a lot from Henson fans who feel that it was misguidedly negative and unfair to Henson and his relationship with SNL and the Muppets at that time. The consensus with the Henson fans is that Reitman and Kenan have an axe to grind with Henson for some reason.

[@avawarrior7937]

I think this would have worked and be more interesting if it was a limited series like 24, each season is a day but also allows for flashbacks and flashforwards

[@bryanfish7303]

I haven't seen this, but I feel like a frantic, chaotic real time movie is the perfect feel for a movie based on 70s SNL

[@yournamehere6002]

I always thought Jorge Garcia from LOST would've been the perfect Belushi

[@davidstrickler5362]

I like the movie poster art, like they borrowed from MAD Magazine's Jack Davis.