Movie · 2026 · Comedy, Science Fiction, Adventure · 1h 40m · R · English
Curator score: 9.4/10 (197K ratings)
One... last... plan.
Overview
When their plan to book a show at the Rivoli goes horribly wrong, Matt and Jay accidentally travel back to the year 2008.
Ratings
Curator score: 9.4/10
IMDb: 7.9/10
Letterboxd: 4.28/5
Rotten Tomatoes: 98%
Metacritic: 78
TMDB: 7.6/10
Director
Matt Johnson
Production
Crave, Zapruder Films
Cast
Matt Johnson, Jay McCarrol, Ben Petrie, Ethan Eng, Michael Scott, Jared Raab, Reid Janisse, Steve Hamelin, Luke Lalonde, Maddy Wilde, Mitch DeRosier, Luca Tarantini, Nikolay Michaylov, Ayush Joy, Isabella Scovariello, Ethan Keyes, Jack Wiktor, Marko Rantala, Raymond Ellis, Yekaterina Moiseeinko
Curator Review
Verdict
A wildly inventive, crowd-pleasing comedy that turns a scrappy friendship story into an absurd time-travel caper. The appeal is less the sci-fi mechanics than the sheer audacity of the gags, the DIY ingenuity, and the infectious chemistry between its two leads.
Best for
fans of high-concept indie comedies
viewers who love meta humor and elaborate practical gags
audiences who enjoy friendship-centered odd-couple stories
people who want a theatrical comedy best experienced with a crowd
Skip if
you dislike improvisational or intentionally chaotic comedy
you need a tightly plotted time-travel story
you prefer understated humor over maximalist absurdity
copyright/parody-heavy jokes and self-referential bits annoy you
Overview
Nirvanna the Band the Show the Movie is the kind of comedy that feels like it should not exist, which is exactly why it’s so exciting. It takes a long-running cult premise and blows it up into a bigger, stranger, more ambitious theatrical prank, using time travel as a launchpad for friendship jokes, public-spectacle chaos, and a constant stream of “how did they pull that off?” moments.
Worth noting
The movie’s biggest asset is the chemistry between Matt Johnson and Jay McCarrol, who make the whole thing feel both ridiculous and oddly sincere. Beneath the elaborate gags and copyright-baiting audacity, there’s a real emotional current about staying close to your best friend while life keeps moving on around you.
Bottom line
It’s also a movie that rewards seeing it with an audience. The jokes are dense, the escalation is relentless, and the craftsmanship is so sneaky that half the fun is trying to catch the seams. If you like comedy that feels handmade, mischievous, and just a little bit dangerous, this is a standout.
Top Letterboxd reviews
demi adejuyigbe (5★) · 8164 likes
better be a five hour comprehensive making-of bonus feature on that blu-ray
David Sims (4.5★) · 7959 likes
how on earth did they make this lol
eddyburback (5★) · 7104 likes
can’t recommend seeing this one in theaters enough
asked myself “how did they do that???” at least 50 times
BenDavid Grabinski (5★) · 5004 likes
Comedy masterpiece.
There’s a gag related to THE HANGOVER that might be the funniest thing I’ve ever seen.
James (Schaffrillas) (4.5★) · 4751 likes
Spit out my metaphorical drink when I heard that Black Eyed Peas song playing