Supremely silly, ‘The Napa Boys’ requires patience, goodwill and maybe a wine buzz

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It’s almost as if the creators of “The Napa Boys” expected the show wouldn’t appeal to everyone – and that’s okay with them. The comedy relies heavily on jokes, but many of them don’t land. However, even the failed jokes feel intentional, as if that’s part of the show’s overall style.

Nick Corirossi and Armen Weitzman, who wrote, starred in, and (in Corirossi’s case) directed the film, have created a series of scenes that feel like they’re trying to find a story. They playfully imitate famous moments from a mix of actual movies – like “Sideways,” “American Pie,” and “The Lord of the Rings” – and scenes they made up. It took a little while to figure out what the filmmakers were going for (they intentionally wrote a confusing description of the movie!), but once it clicked, the playful absurdity started to make sense.

Okay, look, this movie starts off…confusing. But once it finally clicks what’s going on, it’s surprisingly…not awful. Honestly, the less you expect from it, the more you might actually enjoy it. Let’s just say, go in with low expectations, and you might be pleasantly surprised.

The story centers around a group of friends who love wine – known as the Napa Boys – as they embark on a comical adventure in California’s wine country (filmed in Malibu). Their escapades revolve around a prestigious wine competition at the annual Great Grape Festival.

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The group is made up of some pretty flawed guys: Jack Jr. (Corirossi) is crude and always looking for a fling, Miles Jr. (Weitzman) is a down-on-his-luck widower, Kevin (Nelson Franklin) is struggling with family issues, and Mitch (Mike Mitchell) is a bit of an underdog trying to make it as a winemaker. They’re joined by a new, more easygoing member nicknamed “Stifler’s Brother” (Jamar Neighbors), a playful reference to a famous movie character. Along for the ride is Puck (Sarah Ramos), a dedicated fan and podcast host who’s documenting their misadventures.

The movie playfully pretends to be the fourth film in a series called “Napa Boys,” which is supposedly based on comics that don’t actually exist. It’s titled “The Napa Boys 4: The Sommelier’s Amulet” – complete with an “Indiana Jones”-style logo! Because of this setup, the film jumps right into the story, assuming you already know the characters and their world, and doesn’t bother with much explanation. Feeling lost? That’s kind of the point.

Honestly, I think this movie gives Corirossi, who used to be a creative head at Funny or Die, and Weitzman a lot of freedom to just throw things at the wall and see what sticks. And it feels intentional – like that chaotic energy is part of the joke. This isn’t a movie that bothers with logic or realism at all, so they really let things go wild. Sometimes, though, you kind of wish they’d rein it in just a little.

A prime example of the show’s absurdity: Jack Jr. (along with Miles Jr., they’re always called by their full names) has a medical mishap and accidentally contaminates a barrel of wine meant for a competition with diarrhea. He then inexplicably ejaculates into the same barrel. The judges, unfortunately, are required to taste the resulting mixture. This extended scene raises the question of whether this is genuinely the most humorous idea the writers could come up with. Though, some viewers might actually find it funny.

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Beyond that, the movie is filled with silly and mostly good-natured scenes, quick sketches, references, and bizarre situations, all building up to the final wine-making competition. It includes themes like sex, love, and death, plus near-misses, possible family complications, plenty of wine tasting (though the wine is strangely tea-colored!), and even a runaway moose.

The movie also features scenes of Jack Jr. driving around in his flashy SUV (with the license plate IH8MERLOT), happy montages set to uplifting music showing the fun side of life in Napa, and a brief, unnecessary appearance by Jay and Silent Bob. We also see an awkward visit to Jack Jr.’s former girlfriend, now an elderly sex expert known as the Milfonator. And is that famous director and winemaker Francis Ford Coppola playing the secret celebrity judge at the wine competition? (It probably is.)

Honestly, the whole thing just felt…silly. It all happens in just a few days, and it’s bizarre that nobody ever changes their outfit! I mean, couldn’t Jack Jr. have at least thrown a couple of Hawaiian shirts in his bag?

The movie’s mysterious wine expert (played by DJ Qualls, known from “Road Trip”) and his magical green necklace feel like afterthoughts. He shows up briefly, offering vague advice like Yoda, but it doesn’t really make a difference to the story.

The show features Paul Rust, performing in a style reminiscent of Paul Reubens (with whom he previously co-wrote the film “Pee-wee’s Big Holiday”), as Squirm, a particularly unpleasant competitor in Mitch’s wine-making world. David Wain, known for directing and co-writing the comedy “Wet Hot American Summer,” plays the fair-minded host of the wine competition. Rounding out the cast as the characters’ love interests are Chloe Cherry, Vanessa Chester, Riki Lindhome, and Beth Dover.

The film was reportedly made incredibly quickly, in less than 10 days. It’s filled with enjoyable music choices, including classics like The Supremes’ “You Can’t Hurry Love” and Gerry Rafferty’s “Family Tree.” Surprisingly, a seduction scene is scored with “The Girls of Rock ‘n’ Roll” performed by Alvin and the Chipmunks and the Chipettes. It’s a bit of a mystery how this low-budget film managed to afford those songs, but it adds to the movie’s quirky and unusual charm.

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2026-02-27 22:01