<body><div><figure><img src="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?type=thumbnail_580x000&amp;url=3KFe1v_0w2UTKqH00" alt="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?url=3KFe1v_0w2UTKqH00" width="1416" height="868" ></figure>In theaters Oct. 11THE PLOT:October 11, 1975, finds producer Lorne Michaels (Gabriel LaBelle) scrambling to pull his show together. He has 90 minutes to convince his boss Dave Tebet (Willem Dafoe), his cast and himself that he is ready for prime time – or what would eventually become “must see” tv. As the moments tick by more and more problems arise, until finally, Dave Tebet must decide whether to give Michaels a shot or bump him for Johnny Carson reruns . . . and the rest is history.KENT’S TAKE:“Saturday Night” is a retelling of the final 90 minutes before the first night of “Saturday Night Live.” This feature beautifully captures the stresses, the ridiculousness and frustrations of show business while adding a layer of nostalgia that balances this narrative with legendary history.Lorne Michaels is shown to be the anchor in this production. His even keeled demeanor keeps this herd of cats relaxed. His writer/wife Rosie Shuster (Rachel Sennott) keeps the cast focused and mostly on task. But Lorne has some problems he must address. His show is entirely too long, with too many skits. He has a talented cast who are looking to carve out their space and the powers that be want to know what kind of show this is – but Lorne doesn’t know yet.Writer/director Jason Reitman along with writer Gil Kenan deftly weave the break-neck nature of television production with the iconic touchstones of “Saturday Night Live.” The studio is still being upgraded with new lighting, the stage is still needing brickwork, skits have been written, but not practiced. John Belushi (Matt Wood) hasn’t signed his contract and he hates wearing the bee costume (an iconic character on the show). With 75 minutes left until show time, Michaels is brought into a room with 50 NBC executives that have been flown in to watch the show – Gulp!Chevy Chase (Cory Michael Smith) is seen as the true talent of the cast; his good looks and great timing have distinguished him to the top brass. Dan Aykroyd (Dylan O’Brien) is a stickler for detail, but always commits to his characters, eventually. Gilda Radner (Ella Hunt), Laraine Newman (Emily Fairn) and Jane Curtain (Kim Matula) bounce around in a pack observing and helping Michaels fit more skits within his allotted time. Garrett Morris (Lamorne Morris) drifts around attempting to discover his place within the cast. Morris is classically trained, so being around a cast of improvisational comedians is unsettling for him. And then there are the guests. Jim Henson (Nicholas Braun) is looking for the pages of his script and trying to keep the cast from putting his “co-star puppets” in compromising positions. Andy Kaufman (Nicholas Braun) is quickly found, then lost, then found, then saves the day. And while fires real and symbolic arise, Milton Berle (J.K. Simmons) tours the set to add an air of pomposity and grounding to the cast.The secret sauce of this film is the nostalgia that flavors this journey. We know the fame and tragedies that befall these iconic comedians, but this film shows them in their perfect natures before fame, fortune, pressures, and their own flaws catch up to them. This also goes for the show itself. Saturday Night Live is shown as the very risky experiment that almost wasn’t. It is, at its core, an improv comedy show with an edgy twist – before it became a beast of political satire.This fast-paced 105-minute downhill run zips by quickly as the clock ticks toward destiny. The cast is well-defined although this ensemble cast is large. The struggles that Michaels endures are real, but many audience members will come to realize that eventually, these pressures will shift onto the cast and writers throughout the years as this show gains momentum. Watching the run up to the opening show offers both a touching innocence as well as a poignant sadness for what is to come.The strengths of this production arrive in the excellent writing and strong acting performances. This script makes every word count. As the large cast must mesh and conflict, they must also endear audiences and make us laugh. The top-tier writing also allows this cast to shine, giving them memorable moments that stitch together a memorable story.“Saturday Night” will satisfy original fans of the show, entertain fans of later eras and iterations, and create new ones as we gather to witness the beginning of both a late-night icon and the show that made late night television relevant.</div></body>

Mountain View, CA

NewsBreak

Saturday Night

October 11, 1975, finds producer Lorne Michaels (Gabriel LaBelle) scrambling to pull his show together. He has 90 minutes to convince his boss Dave Tebet (Willem Dafoe), his cast and himself that he is ready for prime time – or what would eventually become “must see” tv. As the moments tick by more and more problems arise, until finally, Dave Tebet must decide whether to give Michaels a shot or bump him for Johnny Carson reruns . . . and the rest is history.

Saturday Night

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