Late Recommends: ‘Nirvanna The Band The Show The Movie’

Welcome to Late Recommends! A series where I finally watch gems well after they’ve been released because, well, I’m late to the party a lot. But there should never be a time limit to talking about stuff you love so…here we go.

I’ve been sitting here for a while wondering how in the world do I recommend Nirvanna The Band The Show The Movie to you without telling you much about it. This is exactly how I experienced it because everything I read about it told me to go in not knowing anything. I don’t think you necessarily have to go in blind to enjoy it, but I do think that made the ride that much more special for me to the point where I would hate to ruin that experience for anyone else. 

What I can tell you is that Nirvanna The Band The Show The Movie is easily one of the best films of the year, and maybe one of the best comedies of the 2020’s. It’s a surprising, clever, hilarious ride that had me laughing just as much as it had me baffled at how in the world these guys pulled this off. It’s a legitimate achievement and a sweet love letter to friendship and creativity.

The movie is actually a sequel to the web series Nirvanna The Band The Show, and it centers on aspiring musicians Matt and Jay. The duo have been working hard to get their band, “Nirvanna the Band”, a show at the Rivoli (this is shown via prologue of what looks like actual footage of these guys from 2008). Seventeen years later and with no success, Matt finally has a plan that’s guaranteed to get them a show. Jay reluctantly agrees, and before we know it Matt and Jay are on the adventure of a lifetime.

This description doesn’t do it justice, but again I really don’t want to spoil what’s in store for you here, which gets crazy funny almost immediately. You’re going to be laughing your ass off almost as much as you’re going to balk at what’s happening on screen. It’s an incredible mix of scripted and improvised comedy. Matt and Jay will sometimes just be running around Toronto, their cameramen following closely or at a distance, even interacting with the public who have no idea what’s going on. It’s unexpected and make for some of the best parts of the movie 

By the way, you don’t have to have seen the show to enjoy this. I actually didn’t even know it was a web series until I rented it, but not once did I feel lost or was missing out on anything (maybe I missed some inside jokes, but who knows). If anything, it made the show skyrocket up on my watchlist as soon as the credits rolled.

Because god damn is this movie funny as hell all around. It’s not only full of quotable moments (“No Doubt before Gwen Stefani. Have you heard that music? Look it up”), but plenty of great gags and set pieces. Sometimes they’re unscripted, like a bit involving a concerned employee. Other times it’s sneaky, like a certain Black Eyed Peas song playing in the background. One of my favorite bits involved The Hangover, and it had me laughing harder than anything else I’ve seen this year so far (high bar to clear considering how much Project Hail Mary made me laugh).

Its comedy is rivaled by the sheer creativeness going on here. I cannot tell you how many times I thought to myself “How the fuck did they do this?!” Sometimes I couldn’t hold it in and asked out loud, much to my wife’s annoyance. Seriously though, I hope the team behind this is proud of how much stuff is pulled off here. It’s a true feat, and a shining example of what indie films can pull off, high budget be damned. I’ve never wanted behind the scenes footage this badly before. As soon as I’m finished writing here, that’s exactly what I’m seeking out.

On top of being hilarious and creative, the movie is also very sweet. Everything about this movie was a surprise, but I really wasn’t expecting the amount of heart here. It’s a love letter to friendship and creating, and how making stuff with friends, regardless of the outcome, is the real reward in life. When the credits rolled, I couldn’t help but think of the countless stuff I did with my friends, even if it was brief. Writing and shooting stuff with Braden, streaming with friends, attempts to make podcasts, making silly little skits. Sure, they were silly, and maybe nothing grand came out of it, but the fun that was had made those little pieces of life far from a mistake.

I absolutely adored Nirvanna The Band The Show The Movie. It’s easily my biggest regret so far, not seeing this in a packed theater when it played back in January, but I’m so happy I finally got to see it. It joins movies like Hundreds of Beavers and One Cut of the Dead in that it’s a hilarious and inventive ode to creativity, an inspiring look at how movie magic can be made regardless of how limited your resources are. It’s also a sweet look at friendship, and how making stuff with friends is one of life’s greatest joys. I smiled wide as the credits rolled, but I also need a 10 hour making of documentary like, right now.