TIFF 2025: Nirvanna The Band The Show The Movie Review

This will be one of many reviews during this year’s Toronto International Film Festival, to keep up with our latest coverage, click here.

It’s rare that the jump from the television set to the big screen is successful—too often, adaptations either dilute the essence of the show to appeal to new viewers, or filmmakers fall into the pitfall of sticking too closely to the material so that the films end up playing like a few extended episodes smashed together. The challenge lies in balancing the expectations of longtime fans with the need to engage a wider audience; what works in a 22-minute episode—its pacing, its jokes, its narrative shortcuts—often falters when stretched to feature length. But after already transitioning from the internet to television, few filmmakers are better equipped to bridge the gap to feature-length than director/writer Matt Johnson. Aided by co-creator Jay McCarroll, the two are brilliant, hilarious, media-obsessive minds with a sharp handle on improvisational comedy, meticulous planning, and an awareness of cinematic tropes that make Nirvanna The Band The Show The Movie, a film adaptation of the titular series, a resounding success and one of the freshest, most exciting, and unpredictable independent releases in years.

For newcomers, the premise is simple: like the television series, Nirvanna the Band the Show The Movie is a high-concept mockumentary following fictionalized versions of creators Matt Johnson and Jay McCarroll as they concoct elaborate plans to land a gig at The Rivoli—despite not having any songs written or attempting to go through a booking agent (extra-humorous context for non-Torontonians: just a few doors down is the Horseshoe Tavern, a far more iconic venue). After Matt’s latest scheme to get into The Rivoli goes wrong, he and Jay find their friendship tested as they become stuck in 2008, with only their cameraman Jared and a broken, DeLorean-inspired RV powered by the long-extinct beverage Orbitz.

One element that makes NTBTS so exciting is the duo’s willingness to let both drama and comedy be shaped by this level of specificity without alienating audiences. Longtime fans will be delighted to see the team upping the ante even further than Season 2 of the original series—from borrowing beats from famous films to securing iconic licensed music to staging a full-on chase scene finale, the film remains a feat of independent filmmaking, with many of its greatest moments sparking the question, “How did they ever pull this off?” At times, the film is so meticulously conceived that when it begins incorporating archival footage, one can’t help but wonder whether Johnson recycled unused clips or actually mapped out a time-travel storyline twenty years ago.

Simply put, Nirvanna The Band The Show The Movie is arguably the most impressive piece of independent filmmaking of the decade, with a scale and vision that never once feels compromised. Beyond being the funniest film of the year, it’s also a surprising, touching tribute to Toronto, standing as the city’s most high-profile film since Scott Pilgrim vs. the World. As Matt and Jay visit obscure and iconic landmarks displaying kindness to stranger and tourist alike, the film gradually reveals itself to be the greatest cinematic love letter to Toronto ever produced. A pure triumph.

still courtesy of Elevation Pictures

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J.A. Birney

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