Lorne

Name: Lorne
Director: Morgan Neville
Genre: Documentary
Released: 2026-04-17
Duration: 1h 41m
Cast: Lorne Michaels, Tina Fey, Maya Rudolph, John Mulaney, Andy Samberg

R Apr 17, 2026 Documentary · At 101 minutes, moves briskly without overstaying its welcome for comedy enthusiasts.

Hidden gem

7.3/10

IMDb

52/100

Metacritic

★

3.59/5

Letterboxd

🎬

7.2/10

TMDB

Rewatch

warm comfort

Attention

full focus

Phone-check

medium

Ages

holds up

The brief

Morgan Neville gets unprecedented access to the notoriously private Lorne Michaels, delivering the kind of insider documentary that feels like backstage gossip elevated to art form. The parade of SNL legends sharing war stories creates this warm, almost clubby atmosphere, but Neville smartly avoids pure hagiography by letting the contradictions in Michaels' personality speak for themselves. At 101 minutes, it moves at the perfect pace for comedy nerds without overstaying its welcome, and the archival footage alone is worth the price of admission. Essential viewing if you devoured Live From New York or any other SNL oral history.

intimate archival-rich backstage-insider warm-nostalgic comedy-industry reverent personality-driven

The verdict

If you're a comedy obsessive who craves behind-the-scenes SNL lore and can appreciate the contradictions of creative genius, this is essential viewing that delivers insider access like no other Michaels documentary. If you're looking for hard-hitting journalism or have little interest in Saturday Night Live's inner workings, the clubby atmosphere and reverential tone will likely leave you cold.

Watch with

👥 Comedy fans and SNL devotees
👤 Perfect for solo viewing by industry nerds
⚠️ May bore those unfamiliar with SNL

Heads up

Adult language in comedy clips (moderate)
Some discussion of workplace pressure (brief)

Credits

Director: Morgan Neville
Cast: Lorne Michaels, Tina Fey, Maya Rudolph, John Mulaney, Andy Samberg, Conan O'Brien, Chris Rock

Official synopsis

An unprecedented, behind-the-scenes glimpse at the man who built the inimitable empire of comedy, shaping television and culture for generations. The documentary features exclusive footage, archival treasures, and candid interviews with the show’s most iconic cast members and writers including Tina Fey, Maya Rudolph, John Mulaney, Andy Samberg, Conan O’Brien, Chris Rock and many more.