CHRISTIAN TOTO: Saturday Night – Counter-Culture Cut-Ups Crush Conformity.

J.K. Simmons steals the movie as Milton Berle, the literal face of Old Hollywood. He doesn’t think much of these kids rewiring the variety show template. His disgust adds a welcome layer to the film’s premise.

And, yes, another part of the Berle, ahem, legend gets mentioned.

Related: ‘Saturday Night’ Recalls When Left Loved Comedy, Free Speech.

Willem Dafoe plays an NBC executive eager to cut Michaels off at the knees. The cast may get their first.

A subplot finds John Belushi (Matt Wood) refusing to sign his contract minutes before showtime. We all know now how combustible Belushi was behind the scenes.

At the time, Michaels and co. needed that coiled energy to power episode one.

LaBelle, who played the Steven Spielberg-style character in “The Fabelmans,” makes Michaels earnest and flexible. He’ll do whatever it takes to get his show off the ground, and his faith in the concept holds the thin narrative together.

“Saturday Night” starts as a frantic look at show business behind the scenes. What emerges is a thoughtful, even nostalgic glimpse at a comedy institution that captures the ’70s at its best. It questioned authority, uprooted the status quo and proved talent could win the day if given the chance.

For all those reasons, “Saturday Night” is a rare must-see movie in 2024.

HiT or Miss: “Saturday Night” is funny, bittersweet and always engaging. Much like the best “SNL” sketches of yore.

It’s one of those movies based on real-life events like Apollo 13, Titanic, and Bohemian Rhapsody where we broadly know exactly how it’s going to end. So the ride along the way better be good.