“Mike & Nick & Nick & Alice” follows two gangsters and the woman they love who attempt to survive the most dangerous night of their lives with the help of a time machine.
Genre Mash-Up That Mostly Works
A true genre-bender, “Mike & Nick & Nick & Alice” attempts to be a comedy, crime thriller, sci-fi, action film and romance. Many movies would grow tonally inconsistent because of this — but here, it’s different.
As the 107-minute runtime progresses, these classifications ebb and flow. What results is a hybrid viewing experience that general audiences will likely be entertained by.
This is much to the thanks of the charming cast.
Vince Vaughn (Nick), James Marsden (Mike) and Eiza González (Alice) have electric chemistry in the lead roles. Mostly through arguments, their back-and-forth banter adds an abundance of comedy. Vaughn delivers a dual-role performance, mixing cold and soft personas. While his delivery doesn’t fully differentiate the “present” and “future” characters, there are subtle differences. Marsden and González are more eccentric, both playing their typical roles and succeeding in the process. While none of the moments are over-the-top memorable, they’re certainly serviceable for this type of movie. Without this trio, “Mike & Nick & Nick & Alice” wouldn’t work as well.
Fun Cast Carrying a Familiar Story
The supporting cast is also stacked. Jimmy Tatro (Jimmy Boy), Keith David (Sosa), Ben Schwartz (Symon) and Arturo Castro (Dumbass Tony) round out the ensemble. Tatro, especially, leans into his douchey portrayal in a way that proves to be laugh-out-loud funny on multiple occasions.
“I f—king hate rats, Mike. Except for the one from that movie where it was cooking stuff.”
Despite its mash-up style, “Mike & Nick & Nick & Alice” can’t help but feel… generic. It very much has the classic “straight-to-streaming” identity — full of lopsided plot devices and underdeveloped characters.
The sci-fi aspect of the movie, specifically, is only present to push the plot forward. There’s minimal explanation and, most of all, no logic. To the film’s credit, it knows its audience. The time-travel cop-out works because of the film’s central theme of regret. Past, present and future decisions tie into this idea. Viewers looking for an entertaining popcorn flick will likely be able to look past this anyway.
Style Choices and Missed Opportunities
While Vaughn and Marsden have plenty of time to shine, González’s character is often pushed to the side. This is a film that doesn’t pass the Bechdel Test; Alice is integral to the story, but doesn’t serve much purpose outside of creating conflict between her male co-stars. This proves frustrating, as the more dramatic elements could have been heightened by expanding her screen time.
The film also takes creative choices in its visuals. Time and time again, “Mike & Nick & Nick & Alice” uses a step-printing technique for a slow-motion aesthetic. While it can sometimes feel like an homage to classics, it also comes across as gimmicky. More often than not, it distracts from the on-screen action.
The action isn’t constant. When it does show up, however, it’s energetic and full of life. Director BenDavid Grabinski takes an old-school approach to the fight sequences, with plenty of gunfire and plenty of music. The film also mixes in other weaponry alongside hand-to-hand combat, creating well-rounded bursts of violence.
“Mike & Nick & Nick & Alice” is bold in some ways but safe in more. A generic plot is elevated by the charismatic presences of Vaughn, Marsden and González — making this a perfectly watchable guilty pleasure.
Rating: 3 out of 5
