A Unique Time-Travel Film Experience

This weekend, brace yourself for a quirky adventure featuring two unexpected protagonists who journey back in time in a retooled vehicle, exploring how they can return to the present.

Does it remind you of “Back to the Future”? That’s intentionally so.

“Nirvana The Band The Show The Movie” is the latest faux-documentary effort from director Matt Johnson and composer Jay McCarroll. It’s a project that, to be honest, probably shouldn’t exist. The film showcases a lengthy parody that cleverly sidesteps copyright issues, a scene where two individuals leap off Toronto’s CN Tower, and many moments that leave audiences questioning, “How is this possible?”

That the film actually made it to theaters is a bit of a miracle.

“If you’re in the theater watching, consider yourself lucky because this may be the only time you see this film,” Johnson shared. “It’s a copyright disaster. We’re working within American fair use laws as much as possible. Parody is our game, and this is certainly our biggest endeavor yet.”

Over the last two decades, to embrace Nirvana’s ethos, Johnson and McCarroll have become something of authorities on fair use. They’ve even developed a guide, winning accolades for their insights, including awards at TIFF in 2018 for “How Not to Get Sued.” Interestingly, they kept a copyright lawyer on speed dial, meticulously crafting legal justifications for their various antics.

This film continues the narrative of their niche Canadian series “Nirvana The Band The Show,” which follows two struggling musicians with a singular dream: to perform at The Rivoli in Toronto.

“I’m not sure how we managed this,” McCarroll admitted about collaborating with Neon as the film’s distributor. “We’re essentially portraying ourselves without pretenses. We’re not depicting many characters; we’re just drawing on aspects of our personalities as we’ve always done, making this exposure feel somewhat raw.”

Apart from Johnson and McCarroll, who also penned the script, “NTBTSTM” doesn’t include traditional actors and instead emphasizes spontaneous encounters with strangers. They utilized “Back to the Future” as a loose framework for the plot, letting improvisation guide their transitions.

Although it sounds like a typical stressful production for many, not so for the “Nirvana” creators. “I totally get the anxiety of uncertainty—it’s nerve-wracking not knowing what will make it on camera,” Johnson reflects. However, their long history in this field enables them to flourish amid disorder. “When you grasp that the outcome develops in the editing phase, it becomes easier to release expectations about what you initially envisioned.”