Nirvanna the Band the Show the Movie needs to be seen to be believed. It’s an insanely inventive comedy that somehow turns the act of trying and failing in spectacular fashion into an art form. What begins as one more failed scheme from Matt and Jay, two lifelong best friends whose only ambition is to play a single show at the iconic Rivoli in Toronto, morphs into an absurd, affectionate tribute to friendship, fandom, and the shared weirdness of growing up in the early 2000s. It’s simply put, masterful.

The film picks up where its web series and subsequent TV show left off: Matt Johnson and Jay McCarrol play exaggerated versions of themselves, two earnest schlubs chasing as gig at the Rivoli with precisely zero preparation, zero songs, and approximately one brain between them. Their latest idea, which we won’t spoil here, goes sideways yet again. What follows is a time-travel movie that may or may not copy Back to the Future and its sequel, mixed with unscripted guerrilla street comedy, launching the duo (plus cameraman Jared) back to 2008 in an RV-retrofitted “time machine” powered by the power of friendship (actually its Orbitz).

Right from the get-go, NTBTSTM kicks off with roars of laughter that are valuable, and rarely, if at all, cheap. The duo isn’t spitting out punchlines for punchlines’ sake and chuckles. In reality, it’s a mockumentary turned cinematic prank: scenes blur between staged stunts and interactions with unsuspecting Torontonians, creating a meta-comedy that feels like Borat (which funnily enough had its world premiere at TIFF) without ever feeling cynical.

For longtime fans of Matt and Jay, the film is a treasure trove of callbacks and deep cuts to the series. They still haven’t booked that gig at the Rivoli, it’s always update day, and there’s always a new scheme. Thankfully, you don’t need intimate knowledge of the series to enjoy what’s onscreen. The humour is specific yet universal, grounded in an absurdist yet affectionate portrait of Toronto itself. Queen Street West, where much of the final act takes place, becomes a character on its own.

This movie is organized and meticulous chaos. If anyone but Matt and Jay did this movie, it would’ve collapse under its self-awareness or fall into random gags without payoff. Instead, Matt & Jay infuse each wild set piece of the film with a sense of purposeful lunacy. Anchoring it all is the undeniable chemistry between Matt and Jay, a partnership built on real-world friendship that translates beautifully and hilariously onscreen.

What NTBTSTM lacks in thematic elements and profoundness, it more than makes up for in its infectious and chaotic energy. It’s not trying to say something grand about the human condition or change your outlook on life, it’s trying to make you laugh so hard that you forget to question why a time-traveling RV powered by Orbitz can hit 88 miles per hour. And it works.

NTBTSTM is a brilliantly chaotic, laugh-out-loud comedy that doubles as a love letter to fandom, friendship, and Toronto. It might even change your life. It’s the best movie you’ll see all year and one of the funniest films of the decade.