{"id":32954,"date":"2026-02-12T00:42:03","date_gmt":"2026-02-12T08:42:03","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.cinemastance.com\/?p=32954"},"modified":"2026-02-12T00:42:03","modified_gmt":"2026-02-12T08:42:03","slug":"nirvanna-the-band-the-show-the-movie-wows-and-delivers-plenty-of-laughs","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/cinemastance.com\/?p=32954","title":{"rendered":"NIRVANNA THE BAND THE SHOW THE MOVIE Wows and Earns Plenty of Laughs"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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Running Time: 100 minutes<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This feature from Neon opens exclusively at theaters on\nFebruary 13th<\/sup>, 2026.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

It can be hard when you\u2019re starting a band and trying to get your big break. This is especially true when you\u2019ve named your band \u201cNirvanna\u201d to try and attract attention, and well, haven\u2019t really ever played an actual show or recorded an album. This was the concept behind a successful Canadian web series and later mockumentary show. It followed a bickering duo trying to land a gig at a Toronto club. The two projects were known for getting its lead characters into outrageous situations, then interacting and improvising on the streets with real passersby.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

After a hiatus, they have returned with Nirvanna the Band\nthe Show the Movie<\/em>, a feature-length escapade in which they, once again,\ntry to turn their hazy dreams into reality. This is a scrappy little\nindependent film, but a remarkably likable one with big laughs and at least a\npair of stunning scenarios that wow more than any Hollywood blockbuster.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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If you haven\u2019t seen the series, it doesn\u2019t take more than a\nminute or two to get the gist of what\u2019s going on. Matt (Matt Johnson) and Jay\n(Jay McCarrol) are the musicians in question, who have been trying for years to\nget their band booked for a show at a very specific locale. Matt is the\nhigh-energy leader of the operation, brainstorming outrageous publicity stunts\nto promote the group. Jay appears more level-headed and, after several years of\nfailed attempts, his enthusiasm is waning. After their biggest and most\ndangerous feat goes wrong, a frustrated Jay balks when Matt suggests building a\ntime-machine and restaging the stunt. Another shocking accident ends up sending\nthe two to Toronto in 2008. They try to find their way back to 2025 without\naltering their timeline, but once again, things quickly go haywire.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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As mentioned, the film frequently cuts between the characters doing outrageous things and interacting with real people on city streets. One imagines that the cast members efforts on the show for some years has provided them with remarkable expertise. They pull off some truly remarkable sequences. Wild moments involving jumping off of the CN Tower are stunning to behold. What viewers see the pair do onscreen can\u2019t possibly have occurred, but it\u2019s incredibly convincing nonetheless. And their actual interactions with real security guards, store owners and onlookers are not only funny, but lend an added authenticity to the proceedings. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

While these moments are incredible, the film\u2019s time-travel storyline also works well. On a technical level, the main characters are forced into sneaking around earlier versions of themselves, and it\u2019s shocking how well the effect is accomplished. Again, any Hollywood production would have spent tens of millions of dollars to pull this off, and it would not be as convincing as it appears here. One wonders if these stars (that pressnotes state are lifelong friends) didn\u2019t have this concept in mind and planned for it decades ago. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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So, yes, for a relatively low-budget movie, it\u2019s staggering\non a technical level. As for the performances, the leads are also charming and\nfun to watch. The high-energy Matt and his absurd ideas are amusing and it\u2019s\nparticularly hilarious to see the character break the fourth wall and speak\ndirectly to the audience. One can also easily relate to Jay, who has spent a\nlifetime attempting to reign in his best pal and is tiring of all the work\ninvolved. They\u2019re both equally flawed (one plot twist involving a character\ntrying to use the time-travel scenario to his advantage has hilariously dark\nconsequences) and affable. As the story progresses and we get to know the men\neven more, their attempts to repair their relationship and the message about\nthe sacrifices friends make for each other actually comes off as sweeter than\nanticipated.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Admittedly, one could suggest that the film could do with\neven more stunts and interactions with random citizens, and that the climax\nwould have benefitted from a more obvious clicking clock as the pair race to\nmeet a deadline. But these are very minor issues. The characters are\nentertaining, the scenarios presented are jaw-dropping, and the unexpected\ntime-travel plot offers even more opportunities for laughter. This also feels\nlike a movie that really evokes the atmosphere of the city it is set in. It exudes\nits Toronto setting and people from the first frame to the last.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Regardless of whether or not the leads land their dream gig,\nNirvanna the Band the Show the Movie<\/em> is a certifiable winner and a show\nworth checking out. It\u2019s one of the most remarkable independent efforts in\nrecent memory and left a big smile on this reviewer\u2019s face.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Running Time: 100 minutes This feature from Neon opens exclusively at theaters on February 13th, 2026. It can be hard when you\u2019re starting a band and trying to get your big break. This is especially true when you\u2019ve named your band \u201cNirvanna\u201d to try and attract attention, and well, haven\u2019t really ever played an actual […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":6,"featured_media":32958,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[5],"tags":[217,3819,4660,9788,10469,13426,14127,14671,14929,14930,14931,14933,16314,17775,19252,23125],"class_list":["post-32954","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-movie-reviews","tag-217","tag-canadian","tag-comedy","tag-indie","tag-jay-mccarrol","tag-matt-johnson","tag-mockumentary","tag-neon","tag-nirvanna-the-band-the-show-the-movie","tag-nirvanna-the-band-the-show-the-movie-film-review","tag-nirvanna-the-band-the-show-the-movie-review","tag-nirvannna-the-band-the-show-the-movie","tag-pranks","tag-science-fiction","tag-stunts","tag-toronto"],"blocksy_meta":{"styles_descriptor":{"styles":{"desktop":"","tablet":"","mobile":""},"google_fonts":[],"version":8}},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/cinemastance.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/32954","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/cinemastance.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/cinemastance.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cinemastance.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/6"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cinemastance.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=32954"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/cinemastance.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/32954\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/cinemastance.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=32954"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cinemastance.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=32954"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cinemastance.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=32954"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}