Nirvanna the Band the Show the Movie

[SPOILER ALERT: This review contains spoilers.]

A movie that asks the real questions, like what's success without friends/loved ones to share it with and where did all the goth kids go?

Nirvanna the Band the Show the Movie is difficult to describe and all the better for it. The film seamlessly blends together hidden-camera crowd work, archival footage, scripted scenes, and even high-stakes stunts. Matt Johnson and Jay McCarrol bring their script to life with such enthusiastic energy that any crowd should be captivated from start to finish. Hearing a full house gradually key in on a joke is so much fun, and is something Nirvanna the Band the Show the Movie continuously sets up so well. Whether it's riffing off changes in socially acceptable language or going full send with Chekhov's Gun, the film knows how to deliver a punchline. Find a packed room or theater, grab some popcorn, and kick back and listen as Nirvanna brings the house down.

"Nirvanna the Band the Show the Movie" combines slyly skillful filmmaking with gut-busting laughs and will be pure heaven for fans of the series while making happy converts of the uninitiated.

First off, this movie has nothing to do with the original Nirvana led by Kurt Cobain, but is based on a Canadian TV series of the same name (with 2 “n”s). Matt Johnson and Jay McCarrol play aspiring performers who are desperate to get a gig at the Rialto, although we never hear them sing a song. Their efforts end up with them travelling back to 2008 and some other preposterous episodes. It was also shot guerilla style on the streets of Toronto, including some nerve-racking footage on the exterior ledge of the CN tower without permits. Their style of comedy is goofy, unexpected, brash and energetic (there’s lots of running down the street). Even so, I never found it funny, although the young audience around me seemed entertained. This duo has created a unique project that’s feels like an extended comedy sketch from two desperate wannabes.