‘Nimrods’: Teen Road Trip Comedy Is an Overlong Love Letter to Green Day 

Sandra Miska

California punk rock trio Green Day has become one of the most enduring bands from the ’90s, and is now the driving force behind a coming-of-age indie rock film. Road trip comedy “Nimrods,” named after Green Day’s 1997 album, follows three high school boys as they travel from Kansas City to Los Angeles. The young rockers, who collectively make up the garage band Analog Dogs (a nod to a bygone era, that becomes a running joke because it also has “anal” in it), have been led to believe they have been selected to open for their idols at the Hollywood Palladium on New Year’s Eve. 

Mason Thames is in the driver’s seat here as dreamer Tommy, the young frontman of Analog Dogs. He is best friends with his bandmates, green-haired slacker Chad (Kylr Coffman) and supreme nerd Chad (Ryan Foust). Jenna Fischer brings warmth to her role as Tommy’s loving but overextended widowed mother. Rounding out their modest household is Wayne (Keen Ruffalo), Tommy’s immature older brother. 

Although he is unable to afford tickets to see Green Day (Billie Joe Armstrong, Mike Dirnt, Tré Cool) live, Tommy manages to give them an Analog Dogs demo at a signing at a local record store. Soon after, he is ecstatic to receive a call from “Tré Cool” inviting the band to be their opener. Unbeknownst to him, he is on the receiving end of a cruel prank by Wayne and his even lamer best friend Keith (Ignacio Diaz-Silverio).

While this is true for a lot of teen comedies, the viewer has to really work overtime to suspend their disbelief with “Nimrods.“ Desperate to get to Los Angeles, Tommy manages to steal Wayne’s car with a view to driving it clear across the country. Despite not even having a learner’s permit, he drives with little issue until Fred accidentally fills the gas tank with diesel fuel. Miraculously, they never are pulled over. Chad repeatedly attempts to be a voice of reason, but mostly serves as an object of ridicule here due to his being, for lack of a better term, a major mama’s boy wussy. Predictably, the guys learn a lot about themselves and each other on this road trip, and the friendship between them is put to the test.

Writer-director Lee Kirk conceived of the story for “Nimrods” with Armstrong and his bandmates, who also co-produced the film, and it has multiple good things going for it, including a full soundtrack of Green Day songs dropped in at the right moments. Although Green Day first broke through when these characters’ parents would have been in high school, it is not too far-fetched to believe that they would be such fans due to the band’s lasting cultural impact, proven most recently with their headlining Coachella in 2025. Plus, it is established early on that the teens, especially Tommy, have a genuine relevance for their punk forefathers (the Ramones, Rancid, etc.). Tommy also eschews all things digital whenever possible, which gives the film a somewhat timeless feel.

Unfortunately, at 116 minutes, “Nimrods” is overly long and uneven. Viewers who are not devoted fans of Green Day will especially find their patience wearing thin by the third act, which is overstuffed with concert footage from the band. The film is a little too sincere for its own good, and there are precious few laugh-out-loud moments. The veteran actors who appear here in cameos are made to do the heavy lifting when it comes to laughs. For example, the funniest scene in the film involves Tommy and Fred getting a room at a roadside motel run by a weirdo played by Fred Armisen who gives out serial killer vibes (spoiler: he is one). 

Angela Kinsey and Bobby Lee also pop up as a proprietor of a country bar and a roadie, respectively. Too many other actors in smaller roles bring more of a regional film festival feel to the movie. McKenna Grace serves as a bright spot, bringing energy and charm to what could have been a thankless role as Olivia, Tommy’s punk rock dream girl he meets hanging out in Nowheresville. At the end of the road, this is passable entertainment, but easily a skip for those who are not diehard Green Day fans.

“Nimrods” releases Aug. 14 in select theaters.