Straight outta Canada, here comes Nirvanna the Band the Show the Movie. Based on a digital series created by Matt Johnson and Jay McCarrol, the scrappy comedy delighted audiences at the Toronto International Film Festival in 2025 and is now arriving in multiplexes.
The film, a time travel mockumentary, has struck a chord with critics, currently boasting a 96 percent approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes and an 84 percent score on Metacritic as of . It’s a strong start to President’s Day weekend, outpacing initial reviews for Wuthering Heights and Crime 101.
Nirvanna’s success isn’t just about laughs; it’s about a surprisingly effective homage. As one critic put it, this is the closest thing we’re likely to get to a Back to the Future sequel, and one that Robert Zemeckis and Bob Gale would be proud of. The film follows Johnson and McCarrol, playing fictionalized versions of themselves as members of a band called “Nirvanna the Band,” as they attempt to book a gig at the Rivoli in Toronto, despite a distinct lack of original material or any outreach to the venue. A botched plan to play the Rivoli inadvertently sends the duo, along with their cameraman Jared, back to 2008, leaving them stranded in the past.
The project’s origins lie in Johnson and McCarrol’s 2007-2009 web series, Nirvana the Band the Show, and its 2017-2018 television sequel, Nirvanna the Band the Show. The film, produced by Zapruder Films, Telefilm Canada, and Crave, was acquired by the studio following its premiere at TIFF. Elevation Pictures is handling distribution in Canada, with a release date of .
Critics are consistently highlighting the film’s comedic energy and the chemistry between Johnson and McCarrol. Barry Hertz of The Globe and Mail described it as “a furiously funny roller coaster of a film whose energy never, ever dips,” adding that it’s “difficult to imagine a better, sharper comedy coming along this year. Or the next.”
Variety’s Peter Debruge noted that beneath the irony and cartoonish schemes, the film explores the friendship between the two leads, specifically what happens when the bond keeping Nirvanna the Band together is tested. He called the film “an homage to the lasting impact that junk culture can have on impressionable minds.”
The Daily Beast’s Nick Schager labeled Nirvanna the year’s “most bonkers comedy,” praising its “random” humor and the duo’s “Laurel-and-Hardy, Abbott-and-Costello chemistry.” He wrote that the film’s increasingly chaotic plot only strengthens its comedic effect.
Not everyone was swept away, however. Frank Scheck of The Hollywood Reporter found the film “sophomoric” and overly reliant on references to Back to the Future and Bill and Ted’s Excellent Adventure, calling it “humor abuse.”
The film’s success is particularly notable given the challenges of securing rights to emulate a beloved franchise like Back to the Future. According to sources, the filmmakers navigated fair use laws to create a loving homage without directly infringing on the original’s intellectual property. This approach allowed them to deliver a film that feels both familiar and fresh, appealing to fans of the original while standing on its own as a unique comedic vision.
The buzz surrounding Nirvanna the Band the Show the Movie extends beyond critical acclaim. A TikTok video posted by CBC Music on , showcasing the film’s premiere at TIFF, garnered significant attention, highlighting the film’s enthusiastic reception at the festival.
The film’s release comes at a time when Canadian cinema is gaining increasing international recognition. The acquisition by a multi-Oscar winning studio signals a growing appetite for Canadian-produced content and a willingness to invest in unique comedic voices. Nirvanna the Band the Show the Movie isn’t just a funny film; it’s a testament to the power of independent filmmaking and the enduring appeal of a well-executed homage.
