Nirvanna the Band the Show the Movie

Directed by Matt Johnson, Nirvanna the Band the Show the Movie follows two friends (Johnson’s Matt and McCarrol’s Jay) as they trigger massive changes to their reality after inventing a time machine. Filmmaker Johnson, armed with his and McCarrol’s screenplay, delivers a fun and progressively engrossing comedy that benefits substantially from the irresistible chemistry between Johnson and McCarrol, as the movie, in its early stages, succeeds as a low-key (yet agreeably) freewheeling portrait of the jocular friendship between these guys – with the entertaining vibe certainly enhanced by the two leads’ endlessly charming efforts. It’s clear, ultimately, that Nirvanna the Band the Show the Movie‘s shift from solid to enthralling arrives with the aforementioned time-travel elements, as Johnson does a terrific job of incorporating amusing (and sometimes hilarious) bits of temporal silliness (eg Bill Cosby’s appearance on a newspaper cover) – with, as well, the growing emphasis on Back to the Future-inspired paradoxes and adventure beats enhancing the compulsively watchable atmosphere. And while Johnson’s recurring reliance on unscripted encounters with random passersby remains somewhat distracting (and needless), Nirvanna the Band the Show the Movie builds towards a completely satisfying climactic stretch that ensures it ends on about as positive a note as one could envision – which effective confirms the picture’s place as a delightful piece of work that generally (and considerably) exceeds the viewer’s expectations.

***1/2 out of ****