Saturday Night - Wednesday 4th December 2024

I grew up idolizing American pop-culture, from movies, comics to TV shows, and everything in-between. Therefore, I was aware of Saturday Night Live (because all my favourite comedy actors seemed to emanate from that show), and desperately tried to enjoy it whenever it was broadcast on UK TV. I tried, and tried, but it just wasn’t funny.

Anyway, because I was familiar with the show, and I still like the comedians that come from that stable, I was eager to see the movie based on how that show was first broadcast. The trailer looked good, and the concept was pretty compelling.

I found this film to be smug, self important, and trying too hard to be ‘edgy’. Like the show it re-enacts, there are too many moving parts, some good, some better left out, and mostly, not funny. It relies on the audience having a reverence for the show and it’s performers, which is no way to make a movie. I knew who most of the characters were, and still wasn't enthralled.

That familiar feeling of disappoint that follows when you watch an episode of SNL was present after watching this film too.