Matt Johnson and Jay McCarrol, creators of the mockumentary series Nirvana the Band the Show, have released a big-screen spin-off titled Nirvanna the Band the Show the Movie. The film, directed by Johnson, blends the life-endangering stunts of Jackass, the hidden-camera comedy of Borat, and the plot of Back to the Future. The duo play incorrigible no-hopers who travel from 2025 to 2008 in an RV equipped with a flux capacitor to secure a gig at Toronto's Rivoli club.
Stunts and Stress
One of the most daring sequences involves the characters skydiving illegally from Toronto's CN Tower, 356 metres (1,168 feet) high. McCarrol, who proposed the stunt, said it was meticulously planned: "The whole thing had to be so meticulously planned that there really wasn't ever any celebration. We had so many targets to hit." Johnson added that the process was "90% stressful." The only moment of relief came when they saw the rough-cut of a sequence filmed at a live crime scene outside Drake's mansion, where a security guard had been shot. Johnson said, "I don't think we had a high that was higher than that."
Shift in Humor
The film notably avoids the racist and homophobic humor that characterized the original 2007-08 web series, which included use of the N-word and P-word. McCarrol acknowledged that the web series would be considered "tasteless" if released today. Johnson attributed the change to evolving cultural norms: "That was the water we were swimming in." He described the characters as "like 10-year-old boys at summer camp" who push boundaries to find the edge of their community. McCarrol added that their comedy relies on "the well-trodden trope of how much fun it is when naive or ignorant characters are trespassing on taboos."
Fan and Critic Reactions
While some fans applauded the early series, others criticized its racism. One Letterboxd reviewer noted that "the amount of racism does wear on you... for me as a non-white person it makes me feel like I have to grin and bear it." Johnson defended the framework of pushing back at accepted norms, saying, "I'm still using it today. Jay and I have a line on set: 'It's difficult for us to be class clowns unless there's a teacher.'" However, the pair diverged on reflection: McCarrol conceded they "got it wrong, admittedly," while Johnson remained defiant: "Oh, I'm not willing to go that far."
Release Details
Nirvanna the Band the Show the Movie is in UK cinemas from 3 July, with previews from 1 July, which is Canada Day.
