Mike & Nick & Nick & Alice (2026)
Directed by: BenDavid Grabinski
Premise: A mob hitman (Vince Vaughn) uses a time machine to travel into the recent past and prevent his friend (James Marsden) from being murdered in a set up that he created.
What Works: Mike & Nick & Nick & Alice punches up the action movie formula with humor and a sci-fi twist. The filmmakers don’t dwell on the ins and outs of time travel. It’s more of a gimmick that allows Vince Vaughn to play two versions of the same character. Nick set up his friend and fellow mob enforcer Mike when he learned that Mike was romantically involved with his estranged wife Alice. Wracked by guilt after Mike’s death, Nick has time traveled into the past and now both versions of Nick try to save Mike and Alice. The strangeness of the concept gives this film a unique flavor and some humor. Vince Vaughn creates two distinct characters and the separation is enhanced by the costume design. Each version of Nick has a different relationship to Mike and Vaughn carries himself with a different gait. To the extent that Mike & Nick & Nick & Alice works is largely due to the likable rapport between the four lead characters. The movie also has a lot of strange details, such as odd musical choices and Alice holding onto a drink at awkward moments. The supporting cast includes colorful characters, most notably Jimmy Tatro as the idiotic son of a gangster. Tatro is often the best part of the movie. The action scenes are competent but occasionally punched up by physical comedy. Hollywood shootouts are inherently absurd and the filmmakers embrace the humor with loony choreography and camerawork.
What Doesn’t: The time travel concept has an inherent flaw. Nick could go back to any point and stop himself from setting up Mike but instead he returns at the last possible moment. It’s a forced choice to create drama which the film lacks. Nick is on a mission to save his friend but Mike is not under an imminent threat. The lead gangster (Keith David) has called in a notorious hitman to do the job but we don’t get much build up or payoff. The gangster spends the whole movie at a series of parties and the villainous hitman only shows up for a brief single scene. The conceit of the story wastes an opportunity. Rather than both versions of Nick saving Mike, it would be more interesting if Nick was the assassin and the Nick from the future tried to stop his past self.
Disc extras: Available on Hulu.
Bottom Line: Mike & Nick & Nick & Alice has just enough in it that is strange and funny to punch up an ordinary shoot-’em-up picture. The humor and weirdness carries the film through its flat moments.
Episode: #1095 (April 19, 2026)