A wild party is in full swing to celebrate the prison release of Jimmy Boy (Jimmy Tatro), the favored son of crime boss Sosa (Keith David). Champagne flows, voices roar, and Vince Vaughn’s menacing gangster Nick glares intensely at the back of fellow gangster Mike’s (James Marsden) head. Nick is so fixated on Mike that he hardly registers his wife, Alice (Eiza González), approaching to kiss his cheek and ask about their plans for the after-parties. He responds vaguely, prompting a displeased Alice to casually declare she’ll have a girls’ night instead, shooting Mike a meaningful look. This introduces our three central characters, whose night is destined to spiral into chaos in strange and unpredictable fashion, all due to some time-travel mischief.
The film that truly captures the essence of “zany” is Mike & Nick & Nick & Alice, a frenetic time-travel adventure that reinvigorates the sci-fi action comedy. Written and directed by BenDavid Grabinski for Hulu, the movie is so packed with manic energy and ridiculous stunts that it seems to defy its streaming-only debut. If nothing else, experiencing this film with an audience significantly boosts the fun.
Mike & Nick & Nick & Alice charts the journey of our trio as a sci-fi time-travel twist transforms them into a quartet. The shift occurs when Mike, setting up a hotel room for a secret rendezvous with Alice, hears a knock and finds Nick at the door. This Nick, however, is dressed differently from the party and appears to need Mike’s urgent assistance. They drive to Nick’s home, where Nick instructs Mike to chloroform the occupant. The problem? The person inside is Nick. After a brutal scuffle, the inside Nick vanishes, and the one who fetched Mike confesses he’s from the future. He found a time machine from a debtor, Symon (a perfectly cast Ben Schwartz), and used it to return to the day he’s long regretted: the day Mike is killed. It emerges that Nick framed Mike as the informant who sent Jimmy Boy to prison, painting a target on his back for Sosa’s wrath. Nick’s motive for the betrayal is simple—he had just learned of Mike and Alice’s affair. Filled with remorse, he has traveled back to prevent Mike’s brutal murder by Sosa’s hitman, and to succeed, he’ll require the help of Mike, Alice, and even his past self.
True to its name, Mike & Nick & Nick & Alice hinges on the gimmick of two Vince Vaughns causing havoc for each other’s schemes, but a more notable sleight of hand is at work. Despite its time-travel premise and somewhat complicated setup, Mike & Nick & Nick & Alice is remarkably direct. It feels less like a sci-fi thriller such as Looper and more like a Shane Black-inspired buddy comedy, where one of the buddies is literally the same guy, twice over. Even when Alice joins as the fourth member, the film maintains its pace, ensuring its packed cast effectively serves the story’s ever-more absurd turns and rising tension.
Grabinski, who honed his skills on Netflix’s Scott Pilgrim Takes Off, is both a cinephile and an unabashed millennial, loading the script with witty pop-culture nods and as many ’90s punk-rock soundtrack cues as possible. An Edgar Wright influence is evident, alongside traces of other admired modern filmmakers: the dialogue has a Shane Black-like bite, blended with Community-style meta-humor that sometimes veers into a Joss Whedon-like cadence. Some jokes remain a tad rough, with certain segments—like an extended debate about the best Gilmore Girls boyfriend—overstaying their welcome, but the cast’s skill and sparkling chemistry rescue the film’s more clumsy meta-comedic efforts.
González, a veteran of sleek, high-energy thrillers from her work in Guy Ritchie’s ensembles, transitions effortlessly into a more humorous role. In the supporting cast, Tatro also deserves recognition for mastering the film’s unique blend of smart meta-jokes and simple action comedy. Nevertheless, it is Vaughn and Marsden who excel at marrying the film’s dry wit with its explosive action sequences. The action set pieces are especially impressive; Vaughn and Marsden’s initial brawl unfolds with such gratifying speed and powerful fluidity that it makes you question why both actors hadn’t pursued action roles sooner. Vaughn, who primarily portrays the stoic enforcer here, has long demonstrated his dramatic range, but Mike & Nick & Nick & Alice seems like the first film in years to fully harness Marsden’s action credentials while showcasing his natural comedic ability.
Mike & Nick & Nick & Alice possesses a certain raggedness, though it strives to treat the disorder as an asset rather than a flaw. It’s organized into brisk chapters (the party, the afterparty, the after-after party) and often inserts black-and-white flashbacks that break the flow. However, despite some confusing pauses, Mike & Nick & Nick & Alice is a lively, dynamically shot escapade elevated by its excellent cast. It stands as a potent declaration of intent from writer-director Grabinski. While only his second feature, Grabinski shows he is a filmmaker to watch, one poised to grow even more refined and daring in his future projects.