Live from the movie theaters: it’s the greatest film of the year!

As the 50th season of the iconic variety show “Saturday Night Live” premiered last month, “Saturday Night” immortalizes the 90-minute leadup to the first ever live show in 1975. Jason Reitman’s latest film is a love letter to the long-standing series.

The movie takes the viewer minute-by-minute through the show’s chaotic first night, focusing on “SNL” creator Lorne Michaels, played by “The Fabelmans” (2022) star Gabriel LaBelle. Each member of the star-studded cast, including Dylan O’Brien, Rachel Sennott and Lamorne Morris, takes on the challenge of embodying one of the many iconic comedians and stars that appeared on that first night of “SNL.”

Nicholas Braun is on double duty, playing both Andy Kaufman and Jim Henson. The stand-out stars are Ella Hunt as Gilda Radner, Matt Wood as John Belushi and Cory Michael Smith as Chevy Chase. The latter especially embodied his role. He was egocentric while sharing the spark of talent that gave Chase his meteoric rise to fame.

With “SNL” being a television staple for so many years, it’s easy to forget that at one point it was revolutionary. TV had never seen anything like it: 90 minutes of live show, broadcast across the country featuring relatively unknown stars. It truly seemed doomed to fail.

The approach to the live show was anxiety-filled. The studio and executives didn’t believe in these 20-something-year-old nobodies. Jon Batiste’s score perfectly engulfs the viewer in the stressful mess of an opening night. The Grammy-winning artist expands his acting resume, brilliantly portraying Billy Preston — one of the NBC show’s first-ever musical guests.

Michaels, alongside his actors and writers, are the only ones who believe in the show. It’s an inspiring watch for any creatives or just any television fan. While the movie is full of Easter eggs for “SNL” fans such as the iconic bee costumes and Julia Child sketch, it’s also a film that can be enjoyed by all. It’s a story of resilience and passion. Most of the one-hour-and-49-minute runtime will be spent gripped with anticipation and stress, but beyond that, “Saturday Night” is exhilarating and rousing.

The odds are against Michaels and the crew, yet they pull their show off despite the physical fights, sabotage and drugs. While Michaels is the star, it’s truly an ensemble film. Each cast member gets their time to shine and has their own complex motivations. The movie’s poster reads “The writers are inebriated,” “The actors are physically assaulting each other” and “The crew is in open revolt.” It’s all true, and it’s all captivating.

With the drama, there’s not necessarily one specific person to root for, rather the group’s collective dream.

The set of the illustrious Studio 8H at 30 Rock invites the viewer into the show as the stage is literally laid brick by brick. Along with the moving camera, moviegoers feel as though they are right in the chaos of the night and are a part of the team who are hoping to put on this historic show. It’s a movie unlike any other and the perfect homage to the legendary comedy series.

It feels there is rarely a completely positive response to “Saturday Night Live” nowadays. Sure, people are excited to see alumni Maya Rudolph, Andy Samberg and Dana Carvey return to the screen during election season, but overall, it’s hard to watch an episode without finding at least some complaints.

Still, there’s no denying the show’s cultural power and influence over comedy. Every season of the show produces some future comedy giant: Eddie Murphy, Kate McKinnon, Will Ferrell and Amy Poehler come to mind, just to name a few.

While the show is no longer underground or a huge financial risk for NBC, there is still something beautiful about 90 minutes of live comedy and music on a late night. The show is a historical monument in itself, having iconic moments such as the incredibly talented Sinéad O’Connor tearing up a photo of Pope John Paul II live. It’s also got an undeniable influence on public opinion, with some believing that Tina Fey’s impression of former vice presidential nominee Sarah Palin affected her public support.

It’s not like “Saturday Night Live” needs the publicity, but “Saturday Night” reinvigorates a love for the show that has been missing from the cultural sphere. The film is, of course, for comedy fans but, more importantly, it’s a film for all dreamers.

​​Kimberly Aguirre is a senior writing about comedy. Her column, “Comic Relief,” runs every other Tuesday. She is also the editor in chief of the Daily Trojan.