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Instead of “Friday the 13th” and “Vice Versa,” Grabinski’s film merges “Back to the Future” with trigger-happy Arnold Schwarzenegger movies like “Commando.” Vaughn plays the Nicks in the title. Both Nicks are hit men, but one of them is from the future. Like Ah-nuld’s role in “Terminator 2: Judgment Day,” Future Nick has gone back in time to stop a murder that will have drastic consequences on events in his timeline.
Unfortunately, Future Nick’s biggest problem is the other version of himself, denoted here as Present Nick. Present Nick caused the death of his work buddy and BFF, Quick Draw Mike (James Marsden). Mike’s having an affair with Nick’s wife, Alice (Eiza González), which may or may not have some bearing on why Present Nick framed him as the rat who sent their mutual colleague Jimmy Boy (Jimmy Tatro) up the river for seven years.
Keith David as Sosa in “Mike & Nick & Nick & Alice.”20th Century Studios
Jimmy Boy is the adopted son of evil mob boss and loan shark, Sosa (Keith David), who controls his empire with the help of henchmen with such appropriate names as Dumbass Tony (Arturo Castro), Roid Rage Ryan (Louis Tan) and the never-seen Jackie Napalm, who has been murdered by some very violent Canadians before the story begins. To get rid of Mike, Sosa employs the services of The Barron, the aforementioned cannibal assassin. The Barron is such a big baddie that he’s played by two familiar actors, neither of whom I’ll name.
After Mike was killed and eaten, Future Nick had second thoughts about his role. Enter the time machine. We get a glimpse of its inventor, Symon (Ben Schwartz from “Parks and Recreation”), during the opening credits. Grabinski is so down with playing footsie with the ’80s that he has Symon sing the only remotely listenable song in the 1988 Disney animated disaster “Oliver and Company”: Billy Joel’s “Why Should I Worry?” And he sings the entire song, too, before meeting with an unfortunate fate. (Don’t worry. The needle drops get much better.)
Future Nick’s first order of business is to interrupt Mike’s secret rendezvous with Alice to force Mike to kidnap Present Nick. Mike is confused as hell when he realizes he’s seeing double, leading to the first of several well-staged action sequences. Grabinski proves he’s adept with staging fights and maximum gun carnage by using clever setups and framing. He even lifts one memorably gruesome image from Sam Raimi, who lifted the same idea from John Woo.
Eiza Gonzalez as Alice and James Marsden as Mike in “Mike & Nick & Nick & Alice.”20th Century Studios
For Future Nick’s plan to work, he has to get the other three titular characters to work with him. Mike has an obvious reason to go along, but the other two people need some convincing. Adding to the fun are several other slightly askew characters, including a stoned, sarcastic gas station attendant (Dylan Playfair), and a very corrupt cop (Emily Hampshire).
“Mike & Nick & Nick & Alice” is full of crazy ideas, but its most daring leap occurs when Grabinski’s screenplay finds room for an investigation into the feelings of its characters. The film takes the time for everyone to get personal and emotional gripes off their chests, and does so in such earnest fashion that it balances out the absurdity. Present Nick’s neglect of Alice sent her into the arms of his best friend, and he has to deal with it to get to the emotional maturity of Future Nick. Vaughn is excellent in both roles; you can see how Present Nick’s hotheaded impulsiveness morphs into Future Nick’s regret and rebirth.
González gets to do more than her role would suggest. Alice is a sharp cookie, a friend of Symon’s who knows more than she lets on. Her anger and her sadness are given equal time with her male counterparts’ issues, and she works well off both Vaughns.
James Marsden, Eiza Gonzalez, and Vince Vaughn in “Mike & Nick & Nick & Alice.”20th Century Studios
As the straight man/murder victim in this comedy of errors, Marsden grounds the movie with a bemused common sense. The perfect audience stand-in can make any situation believable, and Marsden understood that assignment. Keith David is having the time of his life here as Sosa, and it’s infectious. As the film’s dopiest gangster and Sosa’s favorite son, Tatro holds his own.
Like the excellent “Predator” prequel, “Prey,” “Mike & Nick & Nick & Alice” deserves better than a straight to Hulu release. It deserves to be seen on the big screen with a rowdy audience ready to cheer its ultraviolence and laugh heartily at its jokes. Plus, there’s a delightful cat here who holds the camera’s gaze as skillfully as Barbara Stanwyck once did. Watch the entire credits for a final moment with this scene-stealer. Appropriately, the kitty cat is named Kingpin.
★★★½
MIKE & NICK & NICK & ALICE
Written and directed by BenDavid Grabinski. Starring Vince Vaughn, James Marsden, Eiza González, Keith David, Jimmy Tatro, Arturo Castro, Louis Tan, Ben Schwartz, Dylan Playfair, Emily Hampshire. 107 minutes. On Hulu. R (violence, profanity, an unhealthy love of “Gilmore Girls”)
Odie Henderson is the Boston Globe’s film critic.
