Singer Bruno Mars proved a triple threat as host, musical guest, and actor. He appeared in several live sketches and the above pre-recorded short, which turned out to be more poignant than the typical SNL fare. Mars stars as a young man grappling with both a breakup and the discovery of his father’s “other family.” He lands a gig that requires him to dress up as a patriotic mouse and mingle with tourists in Times Square. His concerns about whether or not tourists will wave back at him at first seem comical, trivial — but the montage that follows conjures feelings of melancholy more than it elicits laughter. Sure, there are some amusing moments, but this short film is more evocative and artful than one might initially expect.
SNL’s 5 Best Skits: Inevitable Debate Parodies — and a Few Surprises
Highlights from this week's Saturday Night Live include Bruno Mars as both musical guest and host, several cameos from Tom Hanks and the return of one of the show's beloved characters.