Live On the Big Screen, It’s ‘Saturday Night’

It’s Oct. 11, 1975. The set is falling apart, the cast is in open rebellion and the eyes of every NBC executive are set squarely on what’s unfolding in Studio 8H.

The first episode of “Saturday Night Live” goes live at 11:30 p.m.

Co-written and directed by Jason Reitman, “Saturday Night” depicts the 90 minutes preceding the first broadcast of “Saturday Night Live,” the seminal late-night sketch show. Releasing just weeks after the start of the show’s 50th season, the film chronicles the variety series’ manic first launch.

“Saturday Night” races against the clock as it depicts the minute-by-minute efforts of show creator Lorne Michaels to prevent the pilot from failing. With an ensemble portraying a host of combatant comedians and television producers, the film is a comedy with the structure of a thriller.

Reitman (“Juno,” “Tully”) directs with evident passion for the show, having grown up with its biggest talents. Son of filmmaker Ivan Reitman, responsible for “Saturday Night Live” (“SNL”) alumni hits such as “Ghostbusters,” the younger Reitman’s proximity to the material lends the movie a sense of authenticity — no matter how absurd it gets.

Speaking at the Telluride Film Fest, Reitman described the process of conducting research for the pilot broadcast.

“We spoke with every person alive that was there that night,” Reitman said. “From talking with them, we found each story was completely different from one another.”

“Saturday Night” is both a hodgepodge summary of one night’s happenings and an ode to outsiders working their way through a tired system. That latter aspect is the thematic drive, but the former is the film’s real draw.

Equipment stops working without warning, scripted bits are cut for time, crew members quit on the scene and are replaced by rookie hires just as quickly. Even when “Saturday Night” exaggerates or condenses moments, the film gives the impression of multiple memories all stitched together.

As showrunner Michaels, Gabriel Labelle acts as the ensemble’s centerpiece. Labelle (“The Fabelmans,” “Snack Shack”) captures the comedy producer’s soft confidence that comes across as arrogance.

As Michaels bounces between dilemmas, he’s aided by co-producer Dick Ebersol (Cooper Hoffman), nihilistic writer Michael O’Donoghue (Tommy Dewey) and his estranged wife and head writer Rosie Shuster (Rachel Sennott). The four put out literal fires and race to adjust the script as the show’s cast focus more on casual drug use than stage rehearsal.

Michaels is the lead point of view, but the real stars of “Saturday Night” are the eerily accurate portrayals of the show’s original cast.

Gilda Radner (Ella Hunt) is a gleefully immature thorn while Garrett Morris (Lamorne Morris) searches for motivation as an actor. Jane Curtin (Kim Matula) endures insecurities as a performer, yet in contrast, Laraine Newman (Emily Fairn) feels more comfortable in the spotlight than outside of it.

Embodying their counterparts to the point of indiscernibility, Matt Wood relays a somber rendition of impetus comedian John Belushi, and Cory Michael Smith’s egocentric presentation of Chevy Chase foreshadows the comedian’s notorious reputation. Dylan O’Brien utterly melts into the oddball eccentricities of jokester Dan Aykroyd.

The core seven are so captivating they’d be capable of reproducing a whole season of classic “SNL” sketches instead of just one episode.

NBC executives work against Michaels and his crew, betting on their failure to win a proxy battle over their time slot. Willem Dafoe as media mogul David Tebet and J.K. Simmons’ as Hollywood heavyweight Milton Berle crassly antagonize the “SNL” crew’s efforts to make it to air.

Depictions of famed comedians and performers Billy Crystal, Jim Henson, Andy Kaufman, George Carlin and Billy Preston also join “Saturday Night” as sideline acts.

With an overflowing cast portraying showbusiness legends, “Saturday Night” prevents itself from bloating by ensuring everyone stays moving. Reitman gives seasoned direction with fast-paced camera movement and long takes that weave in and out of studio space.

Each character is given just enough time to showcase their personality before moving on to the next scene. In that regard, “Saturday Night” resembles an actual episode of “SNL,” in being just about an-hour-and-a-half of revolving characters, jokes and skit-like scenarios.

“Saturday Night” is an anarchic, absorbing watch. Even knowing “SNL” would reach its 50th season, the film can’t help but feel like a car barrelling towards a collision.

Whether it’s recreating skits from 1975, inciting on-set hookups or delighting in unseemly substances — it’s all just another “Saturday Night.”

“Saturday Night,” rated R, comes to theaters Oct. 3.