OriginalSaturday Night Livestar Laraine Newman has addressed the accuracy ofSaturday Night, contrasting the movie to the sketch comedy’s real launch. Directed by Jason Reitman, the biographical film dramatizes the day leading up to the premiere of NBC’s famous sketch comedy series. Thecast ofSaturday Nightportray a variety of actors who were the first to star in the series, including Newman, who is played by Emily Fairn. The movie has been praised for its balance of drama and comedy, alongside its success as a nostalgic playback of when the series first began.
Speaking withScreen Rantduring an interview about her hosting the Sentinel Awards, Newman explained how she sawSaturday Nightas a “love letter” thanks to the work of Reitman and the film’s co-writer, Gil Kenan. Whilethe actor revealed many parts of the movie are fictional, she says it doesn’t matter much because the movie still captures the spirit of what it was like preparing for their first live show. Check out what Newman had to say below:
The movie is definitely a love letter. It was written with such love by Jason Reitman and his writing partner, Gil Kenan. During the pandemic, they did some Zoom calls with me. We talked for a long time. The actual movie, the story that’s being told in the movie is kind of a lot of fiction, but it doesn’t really matter because it really captures the spirit of the show, the “by the seat of your pants” energy that was going on, and also the idea that we didn’t know if anybody was watching and we couldn’t believe the material we were able to get on the air.
What Laraine Newman’s Statement Means For Saturday Night
The Film’s Presentation Trumps Historical Accuracy
Newman’s approval of the biopic, despite its many historical liberties, highlights the movie’s purpose of capturing the essence of the night over the exact, detailed events of what happened
Despite Newman’s admittance that not everything in the movie is accurate to real life,Saturday Night’s true storyis still brought to life thanks to the chaotic ebbs and flows of the story as its presented. However, details like NBC wanting Lorne Michaels (Gabriel LaBelle) to fail, Michaels getting a threatening phone call from Johnny Carson (Jeff Witzke), andmany other small events didn’t have provable basis in reality. Yet Reitman was still able to accurately capture the sense of panic and wild nature of getting prepared forSaturday Night Live’s first show, even without much historical information.
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However, this has led to somepolarizing reviews forSaturday Night, which critiqued the movie for not being able to fully capture the personality of that first night with its imitation act. Even so, Newman’s approval of the biopic, despite its many historical liberties, highlights the movie’s purpose of capturing the essence of the night over the exact, detailed events of what happened. While the movie still highlighted some of the real sketches that ended up happening during its first show, its focus on the essence of that night makes it stand out from typical biopics.
Our Take On Newman’s Reveal About Saturday Night’s Accuracy
It’s Okay The Movie Doesn’t Entirely Pull From History
While it would have been interesting to see a more grounded rendition ofSaturday Night, complete with accurate details leading up to its premiere,Newman’s statement clarifies the film still captured the spirit of what transpired. Even though this makes it overall historically inaccurate, the movie’s tone seemingly still matches what was really going on as the sketch comedy was being prepared. This makes it a worthwhile watch despite its historical differences, as it’s still genuine in its portrayal.
Saturday Night
Cast
Saturday Night (2024) is a forthcoming film with an undisclosed director. The movie centers on the vibrant nightlife of a bustling city, capturing the intertwining lives and stories of a diverse ensemble cast navigating personal and social challenges over the course of a single evening.
