NIMRODS
Starring: Mason Thames, Kylr Coffman, Ryan Foust, Keen Ruffalo, Jenna Fischer, McKenna Grace, Sean Gunn, Billy Joe Armstrong, Tré Cool, Mike Dirnt, Bobby Lee, and Fred Armisen
Director: Lee Kirk
AMARÚ
Nimrods has all the essentials of a rock-and-roll road trip film, and it’s a pretty damn good time. Mason Thames, Kylr Coffman, and Ryan Foust are hilariously relatable even if you’re not an avid punk rock patron, and their high school angst, peer-pressure-fueled-but-still-authentic friendship, and idiotic decisions take me back to my own teenage years. I would never do any of the things they do, but watching them meet new (and more famous) people while getting into shenanigans on the way to Los Angeles for their musical dreams was full of all the hope and determination of underground bands everywhere.
PAIGE
Nimrods is a punk rock-fueled coming-of-age movie that does a great job of utilizing Green Day’s music catalog. Although it’s a bit messy at times and not every joke lands, there’s a sweet story underneath it all about friendship, taking chances, and being young and dumb. It may not reinvent the genre’s formula, but it knows exactly what kind of movie it is. It’s packed with fun shenanigans and its cast has killer chemistry. Overall, it’s an entertaining, rocking good time for fans and non-fans of Green Day.
QUENTIN
Had I seen Nimrods in the early 2000s, I suspect it would have entered my regular rotation of rewatchable scrappy comedies like Slackers and Grandma’s Boy; however, at this point, it’s nothing more than a collection of ideas, scenes, and characters that all feel like things I’ve seen before. That doesn’t make the movie inherently bad, of course, but why not watch the much better and very similar Road Trip or Superbad instead? Either way, everything in Nimrods is forgettably fine, from the mildly amusing jokes to its sweet-natured sentimentality; it’s just nothing special unless you are a major fan of Green Day.
KATIE
Nimrods is a very sweet and likeable teen road comedy about friendship, following your dreams, and being true to yourself. The plot is quite generic and the script is straightforward, but the endearing young cast is great, with the dynamic between Mason Thames, Kylr Coffman, and Ryan Foust’s characters coming across as heartwarming and authentic. Plus, it features a lovely performance by Jenna Fischer as Tommy’s (Thames) mother, and a couple of the more tender scenes brought a tear to my eye. Obviously, it naturally has a fantastic soundtrack too.
NICK
If you’re checking out Nimrods for a showcase of throwback Green Day music, you’ll be satisfied. If you’re expecting anything more than a cookie cutter teen road trip film, you’ll be left wanting. All the hallmarks are here: running out of gas, angry parents, a love interest who pops up along the way, and odd cameos. Beyond those clichés, there’s no rooting interest as the focal group of friends are rather unlikable. I didn’t want to see them succeed and that’s kind of a key component missing here. Unless you’re a massive Green Day fan, you probably don’t need to see this.
