Films for Breakfast

Time travel movies are notoriously difficult to pull off. The genre has been shaped by so many iconic entries that it’s hard to imagine anything new truly standing out. Avengers: Endgame, of all films, made that especially clear to me; even as it used time travel effectively for dramatic stakes, it also poked fun at how deeply Back to the Future has embedded its rules into pop culture. At this point, that film isn’t just the gold standard in terms of quality – it’s practically the blueprint for time travel/narrative mechanics. Deviate too far, even in the name of being more “scientific,” and you risk alienating audiences who treat BTTF as gospel.

Enter Mike and Nick and Nick and Alice, a time travel story that feels genuinely fresh. While the mechanics of time travel are present and important, they’re not the main attraction. Instead, the film thrives on its character dynamics. Like Back to the Future, it leans into a character-first approach, where sharp dialogue and complicated relationships drive the story forward. It may not reach the same all-time heights, but it clearly understands what makes that formula work.

The story follows Mike (James Marsden) and Nick (Vince Vaughn), two gangsters with a messy shared history who find themselves entangled in the last thing they’d expect: time travel. There’s also a second Nick – how he factors in, and how Alice (Eiza González), Nick’s wife, ties everything together, is best left unspoiled. The film’s narrative is genuinely clever, and it rewards going in with as little prior knowledge as possible.

The biggest strength here is BenDavid Grabinski’s screenplay. It’s refreshingly original, striking a balance between simplifying its time travel rules and keeping the focus on character relationships and the central crime story. The tone stays light, but there’s enough tension and action to round things out. Grabinski, who also directs, brings a strong sense of style – action sequences are clean and well-choreographed, and his comedic timing consistently lands.

Vince Vaughn stands out, tasked with playing two versions of the same character. It’s a tricky performance, but he manages to make each version distinct while maintaining a believable throughline between them. James Marsden complements him well, and their chemistry is a major highlight – their banter is consistently sharp and funny. Eiza González adds emotional weight, grounding the film and pushing its heart forward. Supporting turns from Jimmy Tatro and Keith David nearly steal the show, making the most of their screen time.

If the film stumbles at all, it’s in its ambition. Grabinski packs in a lot of ideas, and at times it can feel slightly overstuffed, weighing down some of its sharper elements. Still, it’s the kind of messiness that comes from taking big swings, and that’s far more engaging than something safe or forgettable.

Despite occasionally feeling overcooked, the film sticks the landing. It ties together its characters and narrative threads in a surprisingly heartfelt way, while delivering a fun, action-packed third act. In the end, Mike and Nick and Nick and Alice is an inventive, character-driven time travel film that fully embraces its creativity – and is all the better for it.