Nimrods review: New Green Day movie is absurd, but it’s anything but a ‘Basket Case’

Few movies can pull off a premise as wild as Nimrods’, a new flick about and developed by punk-rock band Green Day that stars Regretting You stars Mason Thames and Mckenna Grace.

In short, it follows a teen band called Analog Dogs led by the blindly ambitious Tommy (Mason Thames). His band also includes Fred (Kylr Coffman), the well-intentioned but dense bassist, and Chad (Ryan Foust), who lacks the punk-rock roots of his bandmates, wearing sweater vests and neatly styling his hair.

They are led to believe that they are opening for Green Day in Los Angeles, California, on New Year’s Eve. The three teenagers, who lack licenses and the ability to accept being told no, make their way across the country, traveling from Kansas City to the City of Angels, facing every obstacle imaginable, from incorrectly filling their truck up with diesel to running out of money in the Midwest. They even encounter a biker gang and compete in an open mic contest at a bar.

It’s completely absurd, even if Nimrods is based in some truth of Green Day’s early days before becoming one of the most commercially successful punk-rock bands ever. And yet, it features some of the best work of Thames’ career, whose rise continues after breaking through with roles in The Black Phone and How to Train Your Dragon.

Nimrods review

For some, Nimrods’ hard shell might be hard to overlook. It is similar to Booksmart in that it feels like a modernized take on Superbad, even down to its core trio.

Tommy is Nimrods’ Seth (Jonah Hill), the brash ringleader of the group. Fred is like McLovin (Christopher Mintz-Plasse), while Chad is like Evan (Michael Cera).

The comparisons aren’t exactly 1:1, but they largely fit the character archetypes. Nimrods gives each of the boys a complete arc in the breezy 116-minute movie.

Each of them gets what they want. They are juniors in high school, staring down the barrel of success as a band or college applications. The latter always presents interesting drama in high school movies, as college can bring together or tear friends apart.

Nimrods’ brashness leads to a heartwarming story about a trio of friends. Like most teenagers, there is tenderness beneath the obnoxious fronts they put up.

Thames is a really good actor, not just a flash in the pan due to his popularity. He has really come into his own over the last few years, of course doing his best work in the Black Phone series.

However, his performance as Tommy is another wrinkle in his resume. Tommy isn’t really a likable dude — he can be selfish and take advantage of his friends. At the same time, the twinkle in Thames’ eye keeps him from being completely insufferable.

The trio of main actors bounces off each other really well. Coffman’s charisma makes him stand out, but Foust shouldn’t go under the radar for his more subtle performance as Chad.

You’ve seen all three of these guys in your own life, and they brought them to life in an over-the-top comedy that is, unlike most comedies these days, genuinely funny.

Some of the other standouts

Shoutout to Grace, too, who is a standout. Her small but impactful role as Olivia leaves a mark. She gets to perform a rocking song that showcases her singing ability.

The Office star Jenna Fischer also has a relatively small but impactful role as Tommy’s mom. She isn’t the only Office alum, as Angela Kinsey plays the owner of the biker bar the boys stumble into.

Fischer brings some of the emotion of Pam to her character in Nimrods. Tommy’s mom lost her husband before the events of the movie, and it left a mark on her and her boys.

One of her strengths as an actress has been her ability to hit the dramatic notes. It’s heartbreaking to see Tommy’s mom break down. Later in the movie, once she realizes that her youngest son is missing, you can hear the despair in her voice through the phone.

Green Day’s role

Green Day serves as the backbone of Nimrods, with the movie’s title being derived from the band’s fifth album. However, Billie Joe Armstrong, Mike Dirnt, and Tré Cool take a back seat to the action.

They come in when necessary, but they never overstep in their roles as Analog Dogs’ North Star, so to speak. Plus, they have some acting chops — especially Armstrong and Cool.

Lee Kirk wrote and directed Nimrods. He is best known for directing an episode of The Office in 2013 and Ordinary World (which also featured Armstrong) in 2016.

He brings a wide range of tones to Nimrods. Not only is it a raunchy coming-of-age comedy, but it also features some horror sensibilities. There is an especially fun and tense sequence involving Fred Armisen.

It’s not always perfect, as Nimrods is a plot full of conveniences. Certain things, like having three drivers without licenses, are never discussed, while other solutions to problems pop out of thin air. It requires a full suspension of disbelief, but that’s to be expected in a movie about teenagers driving across the country to open for Green Day.

Should you watch the Green Day movie Nimrods?

Surprisingly, Nimrods is one of the best movies of the year. It’s heartfelt and genuinely hilarious. The trio of actors front and center also feel like authentic friends, which makes all the difference.

Sometimes, it’s okay to have a movie with a bonkers plot. There is room for serious and comedic movies alike in Hollywood. Nimrods won’t be winning any Oscars, but it’s unlikely that’s what Green Day wanted from the project.

And for as outlandish as the plot is, Nimrods is relatively grounded. Most have experienced the stress of potentially losing friends over senior year of high school or college, and ultimately, the three boys — played by Thames, Coffman, and Foust — get full-circle moments by the time the credits roll.

Who knows if we ever get a proper Green Day biopic. There’s a chance that Nimrods is the closest we ever come to seeing the band’s story on the big screen. That’s still fitting, given the movie could seem, on the surface, about “nothin’ and everything all at once.”

Grade: A-

Nimrods will be released on Aug. 14.

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