Oh Canada, whatever will we do with you? Our future 51st state (totally kidding, btw) houses some of the most interesting excursions ever recorded on camera throughout their history, but top of mind recently has to be Nirvanna the Band the Show the Movie. The film is based on the miniseries that ran from 2007 – 2009 and was very well liked…in Canada. The show follows two lifelong friends, Jay McCarrol and Matt Johnson, who are living together while trying to land a gig at a local bar called the Rivoli that they believe will lead them to global success.
The two friends have (un?) ironically named their group Nirvanna the Band, in an almost oblivious nature to the one that already exists, but whatever. The film, much like the show, blends both scripted scenes and some prank show-esque, on-the-street gags. This mismatching style creates a lot of moments of confusion and chaos, and that seems to be the brand they’re going for.
Almost immediately, we’re thrust into the goal of the film. The two friends want to play the Rivoli, but they want to gin up some excitement somehow. So, the plan is to go up to the top of the CN Tower in Toronto, skydive off of it, land in the Skydome, and announce their gig. If you’re wondering if any of this is legal, probable, or even the right strategy, you’ve gone too far. This isn’t about logic or common sense. It’s about showmanship. Unfortunately, our two leads are charisma-deficient, so a lot of their antics fall flat.
When the skydiving attempt fails, the new scheme becomes time-traveling. But unlike any of the other plans, this one actually works. Playing off of a lot of the tropes created in Back to the Future, our two bandmates travel back in time to 2008, and a choice has to be made from here: do they try to redo the failures of their pasts or try to forge a new future? Surprisingly, the friends don’t share the same ambitions. When the two return to the present day, Jay has actually become a successful solo artist, while Matt remains in their old apartment with three new roommates who are now in a Jay McCarrol cover band. After Jay finds himself in some trouble of his own, the friends reunite to reset their world back to the way it was.
When it comes to creativity and packing in as much as you can into an off-kilter comedy like this one, you have to give the guys credit. There is a lot of both physical and visual trickery here that is admirable. You will walk out of the theater wondering how they got a lot of the shots they did, and how much of it was unscripted or not. That alone is worthy of praise as the film plays on your sense of timing in that way and will leave you questioning what’s real and what isn’t.
Sadly, though, the film sets up a lot of parameters throughout that it now has to deal with, and it doesn’t do the strongest job of handling them. The narrative goes a bit off the rails as it comes midway through, and it all starts feeling a bit frivolous by the end. There’s laughs to be had here for sure. There’s a great gag of how Matt discovers it’s 2008 that might be the cleverest joke in the entire film. Everything else revolves around some physical gags and pranks, and some pedantic dialogue that can come across a little immature.
This film isn’t really meant to be about anything in particular. It’s mostly a vehicle for showcasing a really innovative way of filmmaking. While what happens is a mostly inoffensive, wacky, buddy adventure comedy, it’s likely the film won’t find an audience outside of the ones who were already familiar with the show. The gags are funny enough, but the film is ultimately missing a reason for anyone outside of Canada to actually care.
Nirvanna the Band the Show the Movie is currently playing in theaters courtesy of NEON.
The gags are funny enough, but the film is ultimately missing a reason for anyone outside of Canada to actually care.
Phoenix is a father of two, the co-host and editor of the Curtain to Curtain Podcast, co-founder of the International Film Society Critics Association. He’s also a member of the Pandora International Critics, Independent Critics of America, Online Film and Television Association, and Film Independent. With the goal of eventually becoming a filmmaker himself. He’s also obsessed with musical theater.
