On October 11, 1975, the first broadcast of SNL aired on NBC. It was a revolutionary concept full of young unproven comics and this film recreates the anarchy of the 90 minutes leading up the premiere. This cast is crammed with talented actors portraying the familiar faces from that era. Especially fun are Cory Michael Smith (Chevy Chase), Dylan O’Brien (Dan Aykroyd), J. K. Simmons (Milton Berle) and Nicholas Braun in dual roles as Andy Kaufman and Jim Henson. Co-writer/director Jason Reitman has effectively captured the continual mayhem with frantic energy. Gabriel LaBelle, as Lorne Michaels, runs from crisis to crisis, trying to cope with the constant madness from all angles. It’s not hilarious, but there are occasional funny lines. With such a big ensemble, it’s impossible to get much depth with any of them. Even so, anyone who recalls that era or people who don’t know the backstory will enjoy this love letter to the bravery and pluck that created this cultural icon. 
(3.5 / 5)
