‘Lorne’ review: The ‘SNL’ creator takes center stage in a laugh-out-loud documentary
“Remember when SNL was good?”
This is a question you’ve probably asked yourself at one time or another, and perhaps even now. “Saturday Night Live“It has certainly had its ups and downs over the decades, miraculously reaching its 50th anniversary last year.
There’s one man really responsible for that: the show’s creator and executive producer, Lorne Michaels.
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Lorne Michaels stars in Morgan Neville’s documentary Lorne, a Focus Features release. (Courtesy of Focus Features. © 2026 All Rights Reserved.)
The 81-year-old Canadian, who has worked a whopping 46 seasons of the NBC sitcom, rarely gives interviews, but as the big season approaches, he’s been talked about as the subject of a documentary by Oscar-winning director Morgan Neville (“20 Feet from Stardom,” “Won’t You Be My Neighbor?”).
Neville was given unprecedented access to Michaels over the course of two years, capturing the chaos going on backstage at each show, seeing him eat at his favorite Italian spot in New York City, and even visiting his farm and berry field in Maine, a secluded residence to which a select few were invited. The end result is “Lorn”.
What’s striking about Lorne is that many of the people interviewed – many of whom have worked with him for decades – don’t really know He knows Michaels. “SNL” alum Maya also told Rudolph Neville that there’s a “folklore” that people hear about him in the hallways of Studio 8H. Or Kristen Wiig, who says, “He has the mystique of a man behind the curtain.” Even Tina Fey downplayed her attraction to him and worked with him on “SNL.” and “30 Rock”. Staff members past and present laugh about how intimidating their teacher is and his strange work habits like starting the work day at 4:30 p.m. because he doesn’t wake up until noon.
Pictured: (from left) Producer Lorne Michaels, Gene Curtin, and Dan Aykroyd during a “Weekend Update” rehearsal on December 17, 1977. (NBCU/NBCUniversal Image Bank via Getty Images)
“Lorne” is full of A-list interviewees including Adam SandlerConan O’Brien, Chris Rock, Lily Tomlin, Martin Short, Paul Simon, Candice Bergen, Alec BaldwinJimmy Fallon, Seth Meyers, Bill Hader, Andy Sandberg, John Mulaney, Bowen Young, Fred Armisen, Mike Myers, and Dana Carvey. And that’s not even counting the various hosts Neville got to catch working behind the scenes like Timothée Chalamet, Emma Stone, Shane Gillies and Jake Gyllenhaal. We even hear from Michaels’ long-time “Fish Man.”
The documentary, humorously narrated by SNL alumnus Chris Parnell, packs a lot of things into 100 minutes. It benefits from a treasure trove of source material with many classic graphics sprinkled throughout. But it also doesn’t hurt to interview two dozen comedians and comedy writers who spend most of their time telling jokes. It’s hard to think of a funnier documentary than “Lorne.”
“SNL” creator Lorne Michaels (center) launched the careers of numerous comedy stars including Adam Sandler, Chris Farley, David Spade, Kevin Nealon, Rob Schneider, Mike Myers and Phil Hartman. (Mitchell Gerber/Corbis/VCG via Getty Images)
While the film focuses on the good times, it also revisits the difficult parts of the show. But in the end she persevered over and over again. He’s reinventing himself.
At the heart of this documentary is the question “Who is Lorne Michaels?” Whether it answers the question is up for debate, but one “SNL” historian had a good theory.
“The view is an X-ray of the lung,” he said.
Maybe he was right. There would be no “Saturday Night Live” without Lorne. He lives and breathes “SNL.” And the show will truly face uncharted territory once he retires. It’s widely believed, even by those in its orbit, that NBC will take a chainsaw to the show’s massively inflated budget, something the network wouldn’t dare touch with Lorne.
But judging by this film, Lorne doesn’t seem to be slowing down yet. Conan O’Brien describes him as “the ultimate survivor of show business”, noting that “he’s still here and 100 executives aren’t”.
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Lorne Michaels stars in Morgan Neville’s documentary Lorne, a Focus Features release. (Courtesy of Focus Features. © 2026 All Rights Reserved.)
Judgment
Whether you love or hate “SNL” in its current form, there’s no denying the show’s impact on American culture, so a look at the mastermind behind it all is warranted. “Lorne” is a laugh-filled walk down memory lane for anyone who appreciates Michaels’ contribution to comedy.
★★★ — Stream later
Lorne was rated. t for language And a sexual reference. Show duration: 1 hour and 40 minutes. In theaters now.
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