Mike and Nick and Nick and Alice
Eiza González, James Marsden, and Vince Vaughn star in MIKE AND NICK AND NICK AND ALICE. (Photo: Hulu)
Although it might sound like the members of a rock band, Mike and Nick and Nick and Alice is actually a silly and subversive crime saga that doesn’t take itself too seriously, yet isn’t built to withstand logical scrutiny.
Emphasizing chaos over coherence, this genre hybrid succeeds better as a quirky buddy comedy than a crime thriller, bolstered by a science-fiction twist that distinguishes it from its formulaic trappings.
It takes place over one hectic night, starting with a party celebrating the prison release of Jimmy (Jimmy Tatro), the dim-witted son of a gangster (Keith David), who vows revenge against the rat who got him incarcerated in the first place.
The target turns out to be Mike (James Marsden), known for his quick trigger but trying to get out of the killing business. His partner, Nick (Vince Vaughn), knows Mike is innocent. But that’s only because he’s seen this night play out already.
It turns out, this version of Nick—known as Future Nick moving forward—has traveled back in time to help Mike clear his name. But in order to do so, he has to deal with Present Nick, the man assigned to carry out the act of retribution.
What neither Nick knows is that Mike is carrying on an affair with his wily girlfriend, Alice (Eiza Gonzalez), which naturally causes friction. They must resolve their own internal power struggle while also channeling their collective energies toward a proper comeuppance.
The banter among the title characters is intermittently amusing, with pop-culture non sequiturs including an overextended Gilmore Girls confab, a Christina Aguilera song reference during an especially tense moment, and a shout-out to ALF.
Vaughn is appealing in both roles as he navigates the cloudy motives and shifting loyalties that drive the convoluted plot.
The screenplay by director BenDavid Grabinski (Happily) playfully tweaks mobster tropes, from fashion and nicknames to swagger and temperament. Meanwhile, the eclectic soundtrack prominently includes throwback jams from Sheena Easton, Dave Matthews, Steve Winwood, Thin Lizzy, and Oasis.
However, the action scenes are more workmanlike than visually inventive, which renders some of the set pieces rather flat. Mike and Nick and Nick and Alice spin enough jokes to keep it watchable, if hardly memorable.
Rated R, 107 minutes.