Nirvanna the Band the Show the Movie

TIFF REVIEW: BY DARREN ZAKUS

January 19, 2026

4.5 OUT OF 5 STARS

Nirvanna the Band the Show the Movie is a comedic tour de force from start to finish as Matt Johnson and Jay McCarrol conjure up an unapologetically Canadian comedy that holds nothing back, delivering a time travelling, outrageous and wickedly entertaining experience that will have theatres across the country erupting into uncontrollable laughter!

Looking for a biopic about the band Nirvana? Well keep on looking… as this is not that film. While this film is also about a band, it is not that Nirvana, but Nirvanna with two N’s. Initially a web series created by Matt Johnson and Jay McCarrol that ran from 2007 through 2009 before its television series sequel in 2017 and 2018, Johnson and McCarrol have brought back their cult favourite characters for another laugh filled adventure, and it is comedic gold from start to finish. Filled with hilarious stunts that should never have gotten as far as they did, the perfect unknowing participants in the jokes, and brilliant pop culture references for both Canadians and worldwide audiences, there is not a moment of Nirvanna the Band the Show the Movie that does not land with brilliantly that ensures there is never any shortage of laughter to be had while watching it.

Continuing the ongoing narrative of the fictional versions of themselves’ desire to play the Rivoli in Toronto, Johnson and McCarrol have hit the jackpot here with the unsuspecting real life individuals who they cross paths with while shooting, and being able to get away with stuff they didn’t imagine would be possible. From a libertarian Canadian Tire store manager who so perfectly and unknowingly plays his part, to that outrageous CN Tower stunt that you won’t believe that they actually pulled off thanks to its staff who bought those ridiculous explanations, the comedic set pieces are excellently tied together with a Back to the Future-esque narrative that is unapologetically Canadian in the most accessible way imaginable, complete with a musical score that uses fragments of Alan Silvestri's iconic musical score from the Michal J. Fox starring film and a great “Johnny B. Goode” needle drop. It’s never restrictive as international viewers will have no problem laughing uncontrollably at the ridiculousness that unfolds on screen with lots of jokes intended for a broader audience, but for Canadian audiences, it is these small cultural references (such as the Jian Ghomeshi moment or the prominence of the Orbitz drink in the plot) that make the film that much more hilarious. Mockumentaries are tricky to pull off, as for the comedic aspects of it to truly work there needs to be a strong narrative base to the film, but Johnson and McCarrol seamlessly blend the time travel plot throughout their insane stunts and gags, finding genius at every turn that allows their film to soar to great heights (both figuratively and literally).

A large portion of the film’s success goes to Johnson and McCarrol thinking on their feet, adapting their script to what they were actually able to get away with while shooting and extending moments as far as they could go, and capitalizing on real life occurrences and working it into the film, such as the press conference of the shooting of Drake’s bodyguard which creates one of the film’s most memorable laughs. It’s this gorilla style direction on the streets of Toronto that truly brings this style of storytelling to life, capturing an earnest realism to the film and natural human reactions to the wild lengths that Matt and Jay go to to book their performance at the Rivoli. Unlike other similar styled films that aim to make fun of those real life individuals who become part of this hidden camera film, more often that not Johnson and McCarrol actually invite moments of self-deprecating humour on themselves for these individuals to play into, for the most part making them part of the joke instead of the joke itself which makes it that much for entertaining to watch. Aided by the decades-long collaboration of Johnson and McCarrol, their impeccable and easy comedic timing as a pair only fuels the film’s greatness, ensuring that there is not a single second of this film that is not accompanied by uninterrupted laughter by all who watch it.

Continuing to honour his Canadian roots within his latest film, Matt Johnson returns to his beloved creation Nirvanna the Band with one hilarious film that supplies continuous gags, stunts and uncontrollable laughter from start to finish. Whether it be the outrageous CN Tower stunt you have to see to believe, the brilliant popular cultural references throughout the film that champion Canada, or the otherwise shocking events that unfold on screen, there is no denying the wicked comedic storytelling on display in Nirvanna the Band the Show the Movie, that when infused with an undeniable heart by Matt Johnson and Jay McCarrol, results in a comedy event that you won’t ever forget. Not only is it certainly going to be one of the funniest films of the year, there is no doubt that Nirvanna the Band the Show the Movie is destined to become one of the greatest Canadian comedies of all time as Matt Johnson and Jay McCarrol create some of the most outrageous and funniest gags ever captured on camera at the same time as touching love letter to the city of Toronto in one of the most crowd-pleasing films in recent memory!