Lorne is a documentary I had been wanting to watch for a while, as a long-term fan of Saturday Night Live and someone who finds his impact on culture absolutely fascinating. I’ve read numerous books in the last few years about his role in creating the show, as well as other people’s stories about him, and one thing that’s always felt abundantly clear is how elusive he is. It’s an element of his lifestyle that’s referenced heavily in the opening ten minutes. That’s why it’s so fascinating that now, with so many rumours about whether he’s going to retire soon, he has decided to let a documentary crew, led by Morgan Neville, follow him. If you’re from the UK, you might be wondering who I’m talking about. Saturday Night Live is not everyone’s cup of tea after all, and instead you may know more about the recently created UK version that had a lot of doubt from critics and fans before its release. That person is Lorne Michaels, the most nominated individual in Primetime Emmy history and arguably one of the most influential people in the world.
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It’s creatively edited in a way that not only tells his story, but also the story of how Saturday Night Live’s works, with humorous animations from Robert Spiegel used to fill narrative gaps. Over the course of an hour and a half, we’re given a unique opportunity as an audience to learn more about who he is and how he got to where he is today. It touches upon his early work on Canadian television in The Hart and Lorne Terrific Hour, the creation of Saturday Night Live, his five-year departure, before looping back to the story behind his return to the show that made him famous. It’s also filled with numerous reflective talking heads from one of the most impressive lineups of celebrities I’ve ever seen in a documentary, including the likes of Adam Sandler, Paul Simon, Steve Martin, Tina Fey and more. With my favourite description of Lorne coming from Kristin Wiig, who describes him as having a ‘man behind the curtain Wizard of Oz mystique‘.
I’m aware that, while writing this, my interest in the documentary comes with a pre-established level of bias. As I previously mentioned, I’ve read numerous books about the man it’s based on, including Lorne: The Man Who Invented Saturday Night Live (a brilliant read from Susan Morrison). Yet, I would still encourage you to give it a go if you’re interested in learning more. The 50 years of Saturday Night Live have impacted comedy enormously, with virtually every writer and comedian influenced by the show in some capacity. This documentary gives a fascinating insight into why that is, and the reason it’s survived as long as it has. That reason being Lorne, ‘the ultimate survivor,’ as the documentary puts it. It also features numerous interesting tidbits into how the show works, his lifestyle, and, for the first time, his thought processes that would be useful for anyone trying to get into the business. His opening remarks about ‘everyone who talks about comedy for longer than a minute and a half shouldn’t be listened to‘ set the tone off the bat, even if it is followed by ‘it’s like porn you know it when you see it!‘.
I find that sometimes, it can be really hard to get into a documentary. They’re not always light in tone, and often feel quite methodical in their storytelling. Lorne stood out to me because it felt like a fresh take on the genre when watching. It combines genuine, rare insight with comedic segues and brilliant storytelling from the celebrity talking heads. It’s a really cool, informative watch, and it flew by in an instant, with Neville’s established documentary experience and success clear throughout.
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
