To be honest, I didn’t know that much about Nirvanna the Band the Show before. The most that I knew about this sitcom was from a few short clips on YouTube, notably their “Update Day” clip that spiraled the internet for a good time. Little did I realize that this web series-part-sitcom was actually bigger than I expected, which of course it would be. Given how this was part of the foundation of the internet in the late 2000s, their influence on today’s culture might be undeniable. This year, the internet-nizing duo returns, this time on the big screen with Nirvanna the Band the Show the Movie, which is incredibly heartfelt and hilariously chaotic.
For those who might not have heard of Nirvanna the Band the Show, the series is centered around two best friends, Matt Johnson and Jay McCarrol, and their shenanigans. Although their main goal is to become popular and play at The Rivoli, a social hotspot in Toronto, the two go through ups and downs to try to keep their band intact. If this series represents what an oddball friendship looked like back then, then Nirvanna the Band the Show the Movie represents that relationship leading to one’s complacency in life, the mental crossroads that comes with such a fracturing, and the dedication to staying true to that friendship.
While this may sound like something dramatic, in reality, Johnson and McCarrol’s film retains the metafictionalized element of their original series to add some excitement. From the energetic, playful interactions that the two have with their cameramen to the shaky, mockumentary-esque cinematography, such elements easily pull the audience into this wacky cultural shift that’s interwoven with the main story.
The film plays on perspective, through the inclusion of the two cameramen that record Johnson and McCarrol’s actions, to make the audience feel like they’re actually part of their experience. Yet, the film’s style also keeps enough cinematographic and narrative distance from the duo to make them characters to empathize with instead of outright putting us into their shoes. It also has this comically interesting way of connecting plot points together: slowed down, black-and-white callbacks to previous moments that are somewhat extended to add more context. It adds to the meta-ness of the film’s editing style too, which makes the film feel like a personalized home video if anything.
Although Nirvanna the Band the Show the Movie’s story is based on what Johnson and McCarrol’s series was, it really plays into the fantastical elements a bit. Outright stating it’s inspired by the Back to the Future films, the duo have a nostalgia time travel trip that sends them back to 2008 and they have to get back to the present. The usual tropes play out, from the duo nearly interacting with their past selves to changing one thing that affects their future. Sure, it may hit some familiar beats, but it’s Johnson and McCarrol’s dynamic that’s truly the core of this film.
On Johnson and McCarrol’s “characters,” it’s clear that they’re playing fictionalized versions of themselves, but there’s a distinction that makes these older versions stand out. Whereas Johnson wants to continue the band through reckless promotion, which ranges from skydiving off the CN Tower into a stadium to the time machine plan (which becomes real), McCarrol simply wants to become an act of his own. Though McCarrol is determined at the start to leave Johnson, there’s hints to suggest that he truly appreciates the bond he’s shared with Johnson for so many years.
From the first “incident” in the second act where the duo find their younger selves to the part where McCarrol tries to make conversation with his bandmates after changing something in 2008, these moments subtly show that shared brotherhood they have. Yet, it’s in that gradual division between the two that makes you feel a bit sympathetic for both of them. There’s one specific scene in the third act that creates an internal conflict because you’re still not sure whether or not there’s another motivation at play in McCarrol. All of this results in an interesting character dissection about what fans of the duo know and have come to love.
Aside from the two’s character dynamics, what Johnson, McCarrol, and their writing team have done with the film’s humor will definitely get audiences laughing. There may be a few references here and there that only older fans of Nirvanna the Band will get, but there’s also some jokes that can be universally recognized. Whether that be a softball internet humor joke (shout-out “Obamna”) to a joke about copyright issues for certain songs being played, McCarrol and Johnson’s way of writing comedy and mixing multiple gags together is simply stellar.
Nirvanna the Band the Show the Movie is an extraordinary piece of comedy and character storytelling that’s ridiculously entertaining thanks to Matt Johnson’s innovative direction and his and Jay McCarrol’s superb writing. What Johnson and McCarrol have accomplished with this film is nothing short of amazing; it genuinely feels like it should be getting a lot more eyes on it, which Neon should take full advantage of!
Nirvanna the Band the Show the Movie releases in theaters on February 13.
Rating: ★★★★½
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Christopher Gallardo is a freelance entertainment writer and critic. While not running The Reel Roller, Chris can be found writing reviews and breakdowns on all things films and TV. Outside of entertainment writing, he’s currently taking classes for a Bachelor’s of Science with a minor in Digital Media & Journalism. Plus, he loves Percy Jackson, animated films and shows, and Fallout! Follow Christopher on Instagram & X.