Chelsea Alexandra
Sunday night at the Zach Theatre in Austin was electric. The audience erupted in applause, rising to their feet in a thunderous standing ovation for Nirvanna the Band the Show the Movie, Matt Johnson’s latest film. When Johnson and his longtime collaborator Jay McCarrol took the stage for a post-screening Q&A, the crowd was still roaring. The theater was filled with an outpouring of love for a film that had just delivered something truly special to its fans.
Johnson’s film is unlike anything that played at this year’s SXSW Film & TV Festival. While Nirvanna the Band the Show the Movie comes with a built-in cult following, prior knowledge of the web series or its Viceland run isn’t a requirement. This film is so wildly inventive, so relentlessly chaotic, that even newcomers will find themselves swept up in its brilliance. Both Johnson and McCarrol do a fine job of making sure that everyone knows Matt and Jay’s goals: to play a show at Toronto’s Rivoli club.
Over the years, without having any real song finished, the two have come up with not-so-great plans to find a way to get their band, Nirvanna, to play at the small Toronto club. This time, the initial plan involves parachuting off of the famous CN Tower in the heart of Toronto. After this plan fails, somehow Matt creates a time machine that magically transports the two back to the year 2008, where it all started.
Utilizing a guerrilla filmmaking style like in the series, the film unfolds in real-world settings, with unscripted interactions and spontaneous twists that push the limits of comedy and storytelling. What begins as a simple, low-stakes mission quickly spirals into a chaotic kind of unpredictable madness that makes Nirvanna the Band the Show hilarious. Johnson and McCarrol thrive on spontaneity and they are always able to quickly adapt to the unpredictability of the real world. It is remarkable how the duo can craft a story from start to finish while having so many obstacles in the way. The duo embrace unpredictability.
Nirvanna the Band the Show the Movie delivers everything longtime fans could hope for, amplifying the spectacle while staying true to what makes Nirvanna the Band the Show so beloved. The show’s charm has always come from its sincerity. Matt and Jay dive headfirst into harebrained schemes for the sake of their dream: to play at the Rivoli. While the film finds plenty of humor in its relentless misadventures, it also offers a heartfelt tribute to the real and fictional friendship at its core, a bond that has endured both on-and off-screen for nearly two decades.
Films like Nirvanna the Band the Show the Movie are a reminder of how fun and accessible filmmaking can be. Johnson revealed that this wildly absurd film was entirely funded by the Canadian government, thanks to the critical success of BlackBerry. While BlackBerry marked a shift toward more conventional storytelling, what sets Johnson apart as a filmmaker is his ability to maintain his distinct vision, no matter the project. That is what makes Johnson’s work so thrilling to watch; his unique voice sets his work apart from a lot of filmmakers. It was because of his vision and the success of BlackBerry, that he was able to deliver to his fans this film. It’s clear that, no matter the success or scale of his projects, Johnson’s creative spirit remains.
Nirvanna the Band the Show the Movie is a love letter to its fans, celebrating everything that made the series special while taking its absurdity to new heights. It’s packed with the same off-the-wall humor and celebrates an endearing friendship that longtime viewers have cherished for years. For what it’s worth, Nirvanna the Band the Show the Movie gave fans the kind of unforgettable theater experience people dream about. For one night, everyone in that room was connected—whether they were longtime fans of Nirvanna the Band the Show or just admirers of Matt Johnson’s work. Nirvanna the Band the Show the Movie is truly something special and hopefully, everyone else gets to experience it on a big screen soon.
