Billy Crystal co-wrote and directed this highly satisfying Drama/Comedy (in that order) about the downfall of a fictional Jewish stage comedian (played by Crystal) named Buddy Young, Jr. Starting way back from when he was a funny child, entertaining the adult relatives in the living room at holidays, Buddy displayed a knack for offbeat Don Rickels-like humor, eventually got famous and had himself a hit television show in the early 1960s, but then fizzled out into oblivion. His long-suffering brother (David Paymer) took on the part of his agent who lived in Buddy's shadow and stood by him for all those years, despite having to endure his frequent conceit and abuse.

Most of the story centers around Crystal and Paymer in old age makeups, well past their prime but still trying to get Buddy some meaningful gigs. Unfortunately, Buddy is a short-tempered and self-centered egotist who is his own worst enemy. Helen Hunt plays a young newcomer to the agent business who's never heard of Buddy but takes him on to try and find old Bud some worthwhile jobs. Crystal is surprisingly strong in his turn as Young, not always likable but someone you can still feel for. But it's David Paymer as his sensitive brother who really turns in the best performance. People shouldn't go into MR. Saturday NIGHT expecting nonstop laughs and craziness; while it's got its share of both strong and weak jokes, the thrust of the piece is the emotional relationship between these two brothers. *** out of ****

As others have said, this is NOT a comedy; unfortunately, it was marketed as such, which is why it wasn't successful in its theatrical release. It is, however, an excellent drama, with Crystal as a comedian who rises to the top, but who is tragically flawed. The life of Crystal's Buddy Young is a conglomeration of aspects of the lives of particular real-life comedians, including Milton Berle, Sid Caesar and Jackie Mason.

I recall having seen this film in the theater and being blown away by David Paymer as Crystal's brother; Paymer later won the Oscar for Supporting Actor. An at-the-time relatively unknown Helen Hunt also does some compelling supporting work in a brief featured role.

One major flaw, as another commentator pointed out, is the weak aging-effect makeup in the last part of the movie. You just have to suspend your disbelief and hang in there til the end.

Anyone who's paid attention to cinema knows who Billy Crystal is. Whether he's the wisecracker who occasionally hosts the Academy Awards, or the star of breezy comedy flicks, he's a perfectly recognizable face. But what you might not know is that in 1992, he directed and starred in a serious movie. "Mr. Saturday Night" casts him as a comedian long past his prime. Watching the movie, I got the feeling that the character was a composite of several noted comedians from the '50s. He's the sort of character who shifts between amicable and rude in one breath.

I guess that the movie's point is that there's no way to stay at the top forever, especially with how quickly things change (note the scene of "The Ed Sullivan Show"). Nonetheless, the movie does shift between comedy and drama; is there a way for Crystal not to be funny when he has the chance? You're sure to laugh at the scenes where he performs in front of audiences.

David Paymer received an Oscar nod for his role as the protagonist's exasperated brother and agent. He's an actor who doesn't get the recognition that he deserves. In a better world, this movie would've turned him into one of the most sought-after people in entertainment.

Anyway, the movie isn't a masterpiece, but worth seeing. Watch for appearances of Helen Hunt, Jerry Orbach, Richard Kind (Meemaw's friend on "Young Sheldon" and Bing Bong's voice in "Inside Out") and in a cameo, Jerry Lewis.