Jason Reitman, the director behind the upcoming 2024 drama Saturday Night, has shared a humorous yet brutal exchange with legendary comedian Chevy Chase. After attending a screening of the film, which focuses on the 90 minutes leading up to the first-ever broadcast of Saturday Night Live (SNL), Chase didn’t hold back in his feedback.
A Harsh Reaction
Reitman revealed the interaction during an appearance on the Fly on the Wall podcast with fellow SNL alums David Spade and Dana Carvey. According to the director, after watching the movie, Chase, who was part of SNL’s original 1975 cast, approached him and delivered his unfiltered opinion.
“Chevy loves to say the thing you’re not supposed to say — to the extreme,” Reitman explained. “So Chevy comes in to watch the movie, and he is there with [his wife] Jayni, and they watch the film, and he’s in the group, and he comes up to me after, and he pats me on the shoulder and goes, ‘Well, you should be embarrassed.’”
Spade and Carvey couldn’t help but laugh at the sharp remark. “What an exact Chevy thing,” Spade said. “You couldn’t even write it better.”
Reitman’s Response
Despite the tough critique, Reitman maintained a level-headed approach. “I’m trying to balance it because, in my head, I know, ‘Alright, I’m getting a Chevy Chase moment that’s 1,000 percent only for me right now,’” Reitman reflected. “And from a comedy point of view that’s really pure, and that’s kind of cool. But also, I just spent, like, two years of my life recreating this moment and trying to capture Chevy perfectly, and even in the ego — find the humanity and give him a moment to be loved. And no, none of that shit played.”
The director noted that Chase’s comment was in line with his often irreverent and unpredictable personality, and he wasn’t surprised by it. Yet, Reitman couldn’t help but feel disappointed that his attempt to portray Chase’s vulnerability didn’t seem to resonate with the comedian.
Cory Michael Smith’s Take on Playing Chevy Chase
Cory Michael Smith, who portrays Chase in Saturday Night, has spoken about his process in preparing for the role. Smith admitted that he relied heavily on Reitman’s guidance to shape his portrayal, particularly when it came to the balance between confidence and insecurity in Chase’s character.
“The big question that Jason had for me at the beginning was, ‘How much insecurity are we going to see from Chevy?’” Smith explained. “He wanted me to look at how he walked and also wanted to focus on: ‘How good of a liar is he?’ For him, it was always calibrating the degree of confidence versus insecurity, because the Chevy we know is very confident, but this is before he had the approval of a massive audience.”
Despite the film’s success in other areas, Reitman revealed that reactions from the portrayed SNL cast members have varied. Some, like Billy Crystal, Laraine Newman, and Garrett Morris, were pleased with the film’s representation. Reitman specifically mentioned that Lamorne Morris did a remarkable job portraying Garrett Morris, capturing the essence of the comedian.
Other SNL Alumni Reactions
Not all feedback has been critical. Dan Aykroyd, played by Dylan O’Brien in the movie, was vocal in his praise. “Cracking a head to applaud Jason Reitman’s triumphant SNL film. Wow! What a propulsive, engaging, funny, beautifully cast and acted, suspenseful, adventurous, music-filled ride,” Aykroyd wrote on social media in October. “A perfect window into the creative process at its highest level.”
Challenges of Depicting Real People
Reitman admitted that creating films about real-life figures comes with its challenges. “I’ve done two movies about real people, and this is what inevitably happens,” he explained, referencing his 2018 political drama The Front Runner. “You interview the original person. All they wanna know is who’s gonna play them and if they’re attractive and how tall they are. And then they watch the movie and they just can’t figure it out. Like, there’s just silence after.”
Despite these challenges, Reitman remains proud of his film and the portrayal of Lorne Michaels, Garrett Morris, and the other SNL figures. However, he noted the emotional impact that these portrayals can have on the real people, who often struggle with seeing themselves represented on screen.
For more updates on Saturday Night, stay tuned to Vviptimes.