Director- Morgan Neville (other Docs: Anthony Bourdain, Paul McCartney, Mr. Rogers, etc.) endeavors to capture the elusive Lorne Michaels in his new documentary Lorne. It’s a series of humorously woven clips, interviews and conversations with mostly past and present SNL cast members, crew and friends of Michaels. Appearances by Maya Rudolph, Tina Fey, John Mulaney, Conan O’Brien and Chris Rock, to name a few, show the star-power of the platform that is Saturday Night Live. The attempt to get a closer look at the private man who created SNL somewhat bolsters the mystery. Cast interviews show the reverence and respect held for Michaels but also the sense that he is hard to know.
Lorne makes it clear, though, that Michaels is inextricable from SNL. The film mines video archives of Michaels’s early career work in sketch comedy, SNL clips from its start in 1975 through its evolution with and without Michaels at the helm. And this is its strength. Some of Michael’s pivotal career moments are humorously shown through animation, adding more visual variety. Lorne documents how SNL is made and the culture that encourages cast ideas and creative risk. There is a lot of popcorn involved and a close knit, dedicated group.
Michael’s passion for SNL looms as large as his dedication to his privacy in the film, making Lorne feel more like a film about SNL and the show’s cultural impact. It works, especially for viewers interested in the behind the scenes of SNL. And the film is done with laughter in mind and plenty of star appearances if not a wealth of substance about Michaels.
This film release date is April 17th. I rate a (3/4) 🍿
