Nirvanna, The Band, The Show, The Movie
By: Caroline Bucari
I am not a longtime fan of Matt Johnson, but he has created some of the greatest improvised films in recent years, from “Operation Avalanche” to his scripted piece “BlackBerry.” He does something rarely seen in theaters today—he makes audiences laugh simply for the sake of laughter.
About a year ago, I thought he was “overrated” and celebrated “bro culture,” but sitting down and watching his work—especially as an aspiring filmmaker—completely changed my perspective. This one is for the film addicts everywhere!
The plot of “Nirvanna, The Band, The Show, The Movie” follows two best friends who have spent 20 years trying to play at The Rivoli in Canada. When one of them has second thoughts, they travel back to 2008 and encounter their younger selves, who are still chasing the same goal in their early twenties.
The film explores how small decisions can change everything—especially those made out of anger—and somehow manages to do so while being a complete copyright nightmare.
‘Nirvanna, The Band, The Show, The Movie’ is based on the Vice TV sitcom “Nirvanna, The Band, The Show,” created by the same writers and directors. This film serves as Matt Johnson and Jacy McCarroll’s masterpiece on friendship—specifically best friendship.
If you ever had a best friend, this film is for you. It is difficult to critique because it feels entirely original while drawing inspiration from countless films and TV shows, including “Indiana Jones,” “Back to the Future” and even Netflix’s “Daredevil.”
If you have ever taken a first-year film class, you probably remember the professor saying, “You’ll never see a film the same way again.” This film does the opposite—it allows audiences to see movies the way they once did.
With nearly every camera angle, I found myself amazed. I kept asking “How did they do that?” and “No, seriously, how did they do that with a camera from the 90s?” This film brings back a sense of wonder—not knowing something was done and being completely okay with that.
The film captures the magic of movies. Its cinematography feels like a spectacle straight out of the 1970s. For example, when audiences first saw “Star Wars,” both casual viewers and film students were captivated by something entirely new.
This film is a unicorn. It is funny, meaningful, and remarkable simply because it exists—especially considering the number of copyrighted elements it includes, even in its title. At my showing the screen reads “you are lucky if you are seeing this, it may be the only showing.”
At its core, it reflects what happens when someone dedicated years to a dream with their best friend. The result is something deeply meaningful for anyone who has loved a friend that much.
This film may be one of the most ambitious two-decade projects I have ever seen. The acting is not always polished, but that is largely because much of the film is improvised.
It is rare to see something like this on the big screen—a film that takes such risks while still making audiences laugh and cry.
Grab a best friend and see this on the largest screen possible!
5/5
“Nirvanna, The Band, The Show, The Movie” is now playing theaters, including at AMC Plainville 20 in Connecticut.