“Nirvanna the Band the Show the Movie” Review
Director: Matt Johnson Screenwriter: Matt Johnson, Jay McCarrol Cast: Matt Johnson, Jay McCarrol Distributor: A24 Running Time: 100 min. MPAA: R
Time-travel movies are more fun for our relationship with existence than for the mechanics of experiencing the past and changing the future. There’s a reason why Back to the Future is such a gold standard of this sub-genre, and it’s just because the DeLorean time-travel car is so iconic. Nirvanna the Band the Show the Movie has the benefit of being so scrappy with its sci-fi comedy that there must be more to the drivers within the Winnebago that inexplicably transports them to the late 2000s. That devotion to such a personal journey makes this cunning little Canadian movie one of the few that can match the speed of the best time-travel movies out there.
Although I’ve never watched the show this movie is based on, the central duo is easy enough to understand and love for their chipper and daring nature. Matt Johnson and Jay McCarrol have had a dream since 2008 to play at the Rivoli, their schemes including giving their band a popular name. Time passes, and nothing is working, including a highly dangerous stunt to skydive from the CN Tower into the SkyDome that goes awry. It might be time to give up on the band, even if Matt can’t stop with his big ideas for music and promotion. Before their split can happen, however, their Winnebago travels back to 2008, thanks to a bottle of the discontinued Orbitz. How does this work? Who cares! They’re in 2008 and now have a chance to witness their older selves and maybe form a better band.
The direction for this film is mindblowing enough from Johnson that the exaggeration of his character doesn’t feel too far from reality. The use of the mockumentary format leads to many clever moments of hidden-camera antics on the streets, and to reusing old footage ala Back to the Future Part II. There’s plenty of fun to be had with this discovery, especially the hilarious moment of realization amid homophobic humor that was considered funnier for that era. There are numerous scenes shot on location, featuring real people, enough to make one wonder how any of this was planned and accomplished on film. Recreating history with the favoring of digital effects and archival footage is compelling, but my eyes nearly popped out of their sockets for the staging of the climax involving the CN Tower.
Beneath all the crafty theatrics, however, is a beating heart of a friendship threatened by fear and failure. The truth eventually comes out that Jay regrets his time with Matt and would prefer to undo the damage. That monkey’s paw eventually curls, and their lives are changed in a way that leads to some heartbreaking and shocking moments, ranging from further mediocrity to accidental murder. The questioning of friendship or fame becomes more real than artificial. Chalk it up to the history of this pair or the handheld mockumentary format, but there’s a believability to their personal plight strong enough to make the weirdness of Orbitz-fueled time machines come to life. There’s a lovable quality to these dudes who may never become a hit on stage, but their time spent getting there is loaded with charm (and likely some crimes).
Nirvanna the Band the Show the Movie is simultaneously the most daring and heartfelt time-travel movie ever made, mind-blowing for its assembly and invigorating for everything else. The humor arises almost effortlessly from this charisma-drenched vehicle of friendship and absurd schemes, present in both the movie’s narrative and reality. No other film in this subgenre can match this level of courage and complexity. This really is lightning in a bottle, truer than the Orbitz branding.
