Mike & Nick & Nick & Alice Review: A Wild Time-Travel Crime Ride

If you’ve ever looked at Vince Vaughn and thought, "One fast-talking, towering presence isn't enough," then director BenDavid Grabinski has heard your oddly specific prayers. Mike & Nick & Nick & Alice, the latest genre-bending R-rated romp to hit Hulu, is a neon-soaked fever dream that manages to combine organized crime, existential dread, and a time-traveling love triangle into something that actually works. It’s chaotic, it’s violent, and it’s probably the most fun you’ll have with a remote in your hand this year.

The Plot: Gangsters, Guns, and a Golden Retriever

The setup sounds like a bar joke gone wrong: two gangsters and the woman they both love walk into a time machine. James Marsden plays Mike, a criminal with a "heart of gold" (and hair that remains suspiciously perfect during a shootout) who is ready to leave the life behind. His partner, Nick, is a vengeful hitter who isn't quite as ready to retire. Throw in Eiza González as Alice, the woman caught between them and a cannibalistic assassin named The Baron, and you have a recipe for a very long, very bloody night.

The twist? Future Nick arrives from six months out to stop Present Nick from making a fatal mistake. Watching Vaughn play against himself is a masterclass in deadpan delivery; one Nick is a hardened cynic, while the other is a weary traveler who has clearly seen too much. It’s the kind of high-concept madness that usually collapses under its own weight, but Grabinski keeps the pace so frantic you don't have time to question the physics.

Why It Hits (And Where It Misses)

The film is at its best when it leans into its own absurdity. There’s a scene involving a debate over Gilmore Girls right before a major hit that feels like classic The TV Cave territory, pop culture obsession meets high-stakes carnage. The chemistry between the leads is electric, with González proving she can hold her own against two of Hollywood’s most charismatic leading men.

However, the film isn't without its stumbles. The visual style, heavily inspired by the "shutter-speed" aesthetics of Wong Kar-wai, is gorgeous but can occasionally feel like it’s trying a bit too hard to be "cool." Some viewers might find the narrative loops a bit dizzying, but for those who like their sci-fi with a side of a heavy dose of adrenaline, it’s a fair trade-off.

A New Cult Classic in the Making

This isn't a movie for people who want a quiet night in. It’s loud, it’s proud, and it’s unapologetically weird. Between the star-studded supporting cast, including Ben Schwartz and Keith David and the "Goodfellas-esque" needle drops, it’s a love letter to 90s action with a modern, cynical edge.

Mike & Nick & Nick & Alice is a wild, R-rated ride that proves time travel is much better with friends, even if one of those friends is just a future version of yourself trying to keep you from getting shot.

Will you be pressing play when the film drops via Hulu on March 27? Let us know in the comments!