Saturday Night Live's Biopic Movie Gets Glowing Review From Original Cast Member Dan Aykroyd

The comedy-drama Saturday Night is finally in theaters, and one original Saturday Night Live cast member has nothing but rave things to say about it. Co-written and directed by Jason Reitman, the movie is a chaotic behind-the-scenes look into the group of young comedians and writers an hour and a half before the first broadcast of NBC's SNL in 1975. Saturday Night includes a stacked ensemble cast portraying an equally iconic cast and crew, some of whom include Cory Michael Smith as Chevy Chase, Dylan O'Brien as Dan Aykroyd, Matt Wood as John Belushi and Gabriel LaBelle as Lorne Michaels.

One of the original cast members and writers of SNL, Dan Aykroyd, recently took to his Twitter to give a glowing review for director Jason Reitman's Saturday Night. The Emmy winner and Oscar nominee praised Reitman's ability to give viewers a "perfect window into the creative process at the highest level", while also noting that the movie is "pretty accurate too." Check out Aykroyd's full review post below:

What Aykroyd's Review Means for Saturday Night

Reitman Has Made An Accurate Portrayal Of The Award-Winning Sketch Show

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Aykroyd's review is not only a great sign that Reitman and co-writer Gil Kenan have taken great lengths to celebrate its namesake's legacy, but that Saturday Night stayed fairly true to its real-life story. This doesn't necessarily mean that the movie was a one-to-one recreation of the sketch show's opening night, as there are a few creative liberties taken with the film, ranging from Chase and Belushi's fight on set to many iconic things being depicted as found at the last-minute, despite having been set up well before cameras started rolling.

Related Saturday Night's True Story & What Happened On SNL's First Episode Explained 2024's Saturday Night Live movie chronicles the show's origin and first episode, telling the true story behind Lorne Michaels' late-night series.

Even still, as Aykroyd, critics and audiences have all shared in their Saturday Night reviews, it's clear that these deviations from the real story don't necessarily detract from the overall quality of the film. Currently holding an 80% approval rating from critics and 89% from audiences on Rotten Tomatoes, the movie has largely been praised for its frenetic pacing and insightful, yet funny, look at the eponymous sketch show. While the movie doesn't look to be taking off in its opening box office weekend, it will be interesting to see if Aykroyd's praise serves as a major vote of confidence going into the next few weeks.

Our Take on Dan Aykroyd's Review

Saturday Night Is A Must-See

With a film that tackles some of America's greatest comedy legends, it is a good sign that one of SNL's original cast members enjoyed Saturday Night and was able to "relive it wonderfully again." Hardcore SNL fans and even casual viewers can revisit the origins of the show and can expect to feel like the audience members who witnessed the show's first night over 45 years ago.

Source: Dan Aykroyd/X