Netflix has added the movie that chronicled the backstage woes of "Saturday Night Live's" very first episode, and it's quickly become a huge hit for the streaming service.
That movie, of course, is "Saturday Night", Jason Reitman's chaotic 2024 comedy in which seemingly everything that could go wrong on set in the 90 minutes ahead of their live debut absolutely does.
"Saturday Night" might not have been a box office smash for Sony Pictures, but it looks to have garnered major interest from would-be viewers now that it's available to stream on Netflix. It only arrived on Jan. 25, but it's already become one of the most popular movies on the platform; at the time of writing, it's sitting at the No. 4 spot in Netflix's Top 10 movies.
If that's got you interested in adding "Saturday Night" to your Netflix watchlist, here's a little more info about the new movie, including some more plot details and a quick round-up of its reception.
What is 'Saturday Night' about?
"Saturday Night" is a comedy-drama that takes back to October 11, 1975, for the tumultuous first night of the legendary comedy show, "Saturday Night Live".
The movie tells the story of the eccentric and young cast and crew members and charts all the behind-the-scenes drama and, frankly, chaos at Studio 8H in the run-up to the very first live show.
To bring such a moment to life, the movie boasts an impressive roster of stars, including Gabriel LaBelle as "SNL" producer, Lorne Michaels, plus Rachel Sennott, Cory Michael Smith, Ella Hunt, Dylan O'Brien, Emily Fairn, Lamorne Morris, Cooper Hoffman, and more.
Should you stream 'Saturday Night' now its on Netflix?
I was a little surprised when I watched "Saturday Night". That's not to say I didn't enjoy it; even as someone who is, admittedly, not as familiar with the show's original run, I found it a fairly energetic and lively watch.
The whole thing thrums with a sense of chaos and anticipation. The surprise is more that, to me, "Saturday Night" is less of a comedy than I expected. The laughs are there (Nicholas Braun's Andy Kaufman is a definite highlight), but they take a little bit of a back seat; the movie's more of a stress dream, one which shows how improbably it was that this nightmare ended up being the success story it is.
That pacy sense of energy nevertheless makes "Saturday Night" an entertaining watch, and one I'd definitely recommend giving a go; even if you're not as familiar with the real show's history, it's spiky stuff all the same.
Over on the review aggregate site, Rotten Tomatoes, "Saturday Night" currently holds a 78% critics score (from more than 200 registered reviews), indicating it landed generally positive reactions.
Reviewing for Variety, Peter Debruge praised it as a "rowdy, delectably profane backstage homage", in particular praising the actors standing in for the real stars, writing: "everyone reflects the singular energy (if not always the exact look) of their characters. You might not cast them in the biopic of any one individual, but as an ensemble, they’re terrific."
"Saturday Night" earned an A-grade from Entertainment Weekly's Maureen Lee Lenker, who summed it up as "an infinitely re-watchable romp and a chronicle of a decisive moment in pop culture history. It might not be as provocative as its source material, but live from New York...it's a wildly entertaining love letter to a night of television that marked a cultural watershed."
Not everyone loved it, though. In a scathing 1-star review, The Guardian's Benjamin Lee called "Saturday Night" a dull and self-indulgent mess", adding: "At no point during the watch-checkingly wearisome 109-minute movie do Reitman, and co-writer Gil Kenan, ever find a way to elevate it from hyper-specific, hero-worshipping fan service to anything worth caring about or taking seriously."
If you're ready to check the movie out for yourself, "Saturday Night" is now streaming on Netflix. If you're not yet ready, or are looking for something else to stream instead, we can still help. For more recommendations, check out our guide to the best Netflix comedies or the overall best Netflix movies for tons more suggestions for your next movie night.
