AND NOW FOR THIS WEEK'S `SNL' MOVIE.

Byline: Bob Strauss Film Critic

Molly Shannon's Mary Katherine Gallagher is the most lovable clod to grace ``Saturday Night Live'' in a month of, well, Saturdays. The spectacularly ungainly Catholic schoolgirl is such a poignant comic creation - ever aboil with misdirected neediness, engaging (if gross) quirks and repressed everything - that she wins your heart with each panty-exposing pratfall.

It's a good thing for ``Superstar'' that Mary Katherine generates so much laughing good will, since little else about the movie does. As ``SNL'' knockoffs go, this one tried somewhat harder than usual to tell a coherent and engaging story. But it fails at that about as thoroughly as ``A Night at the Roxbury,'' or any of the others that didn't bother trying, have.

The clumsiest member of St. Monica High's cheerleading squad, Mary Katherine lives with her wheelchair-dependent, show-biz-hating grandmother (a more or less wasted Glynis Johns) and dreams of being kissed like they do it in Hollywood movies. This, of course, is not a dream shared by any of her male classmates, so she's reduced to practicing liplocks on a sturdy old oak tree.

But luck comes Mary's way, sort of. Catholic Teen magazine sponsors a talent contest at St. Monica's. The first prize is a chance to appear in a real movie (albeit one of those nonexistent ones with positive moral values) but, more importantly to Mary's fevered mind, it's a chance to get the school hunk's attention - provided, of course, that she can dredge up any talent to show.

Will Ferrell, Shannon's clever ``SNL'' co-star, plays the lusted-after, self-regarding Sky. Elaine Hendrix is Evian, Sky's pretty girlfriend and a dedicated Mary tormentor. Harland Williams does something akin to a Gomer-Pyle-in-biker-leather number as the silent school rebel, Slater. And MTV fixture Emmy Laybourne is Mary's sister in gawkiness, Helen.

The director, former ``Kids in the Hall'' member Bruce McCulloch, brings a little more comic zip to these proceedings than he did to his moribund feature debut, ``Dog Park.'' Most of that is provided by Shannon's abundant energy and sweet neuroticism, but a few conceptual flourishes - a supermodel daydream, Ferrell's manifestation as a laid-back Jesus - are also pulled off well.

That last bit may stir complaints from those who don't like to see religion spoofed. But it's about as critical of Catholicism as this film gets - and is really quite benign compared to the derisive humor that parochial school graduates from George Carlin to playwright Christopher Durang typically devise.

The fathers and sisters in ``Superstar'' are mainly just bewildered by Mary Katherine's behavior, a trait they'd probably share with any other teacher on the planet.

THE FACTS

The film: ``Superstar'' (PG-13; language).

The stars: Molly Shannon, Will Ferrell, Elaine Hendrix, Harland Williams, Glynis Johns, Emmy Laybourne.

Behind the scenes: Directed by Bruce McCulloch. Written by Steven Wayne Koren and Molly Shannon. Produced by Lorne Michaels. Released by Paramount Pictures.

Running time: One hour, 22 minutes.

Playing: Citywide.

Our rating: Two and one half stars.

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Photo

Photo: Catholic schoolgirl Mary Katherine Gallagher (Molly Shannon) practices her kissing technique on tree in ``Superstar,'' which is based on her ``Saturday Night Live'' character.