Major spoilers for Mike & Nick & Nick & Alice lie ahead, so read on at your own discretion.
Those who enjoy great time travel movies should do themselves a favor and watch Mike & Nick & Nick & Alice, a recent addition to that subgenre of film. Written and directed by BenDavid Grabinski, the 2026 movie schedule entry is an action-packed romp that centers on two longtime friends/mob associates, who embark on a violent adventure that could have life-altering consequences. That all culminates in a truly wild (and satisfying) ending, and Grabinski recently spoke to CinemaBlend about how he sought to craft that conclusion.
Grabinski’s film centers on mob enforcer Nick, who uses a time machine to travel back several months to prevent the murder of good friend Mike (who Nick framed for having an affair with his wife, Alice). Along with the present-day Nick, the group seeks to protect Mike from mob boss Sosa and his adopted son, Jimmy Boy. The third act sees Mike and the Nicks infiltrating Sosa’s home and eliminating him and his forces. Yet the group’s victory is short lived, as Present Nick takes a bullet from a dying Jimmy Boy to protect Mike and Alice.
Within the film, it’s established that whatever happens to Present Nick affects future Nick so, when the former dies while being rushed to the hospital, the Nick of the future vanishes from existence. That’s particularly interesting, though, is that audiences don’t actually see Nick fade (like in beloved film Back to the Future), as he’s simply gone when the camera pans back to his seat in the car. Grabinski told CinemaBlend why he wanted that specific ending and didn’t consider alternatives:
I didn't, and if it hadn't worked, I’d have been fucked. Because that was sort of my commitment I wanted to — we set up several times that I say that if present Nick dies, future Nick no longer exists. And you have to hope that that'll track. And it's funny because there was just no other way to do it. I just have — he's just not in the car. And the interesting thing about it was the first few times I showed the movie to people, I'd say maybe like 30% of people were confused.
Time travel movies (which can be streamed or rented) can be quite tricky, as the director and writers have to establish ground rules for how it works. After all, time travel in a movie like The Flash differs from the travel dynamics in Indiana Jones 5. There’s also the visual representation of what it looks like if or when someone is erased from a timeline. On that note, Grabinski talked about the small tweaks he made to ensure viewers weren’t left out of sorts:
It was truly as simple as just a tiny edit change. I just changed the order of two shots, nd then nobody was confused…. There's stuff in the movie that is intentionally confusing, and there's stuff where you should not be confused. And I was really happy, because like the first time we did a test screening, you know, you have 550 people in a room and you're like, ‘Alright, well, we're going to find out what people don't understand.’ And no one was confused by anything, which I thought was a miracle. I was sure that I was going to have to kind of figure out some stuff, but especially with the time travel movie, you know, you have a focus group, and I read every card of every person who was in the room, and no one was like, ‘Wait, so why did this happen?
Additionally, there are other variables that have to be considered as well. BenDavid Grabinski – whose credits also include Happily and Scott Pilgrim Takes Off – also mentioned a cosmetic detail that could also make viewers second guess his film’s ending:
It's tricky too, because they changed costumes at a point kind of for thematic reasons, and also because [one Nick] gets covered with water, and their costumes are a little bit more similar at that point. So there's always the fear that maybe when people are seeing the car, they don't realize which guy got shot but, luckily, I don't have that problem. But, yeah, it was maybe the riskiest thing in the movie because, if that didn't work, you kind of undercut what should be an emotional moment.
Due to Grabinski and co.’s efforts, the ending hits the right emotional note. (I’m still thinking about watching all of that play out while Oasis' “Don't Look Back in Anger” played over the scene.) I’d argue that it’s difficult to hit sentimental beats in any kind of film, and only certain filmmakers have been able to achieve that in a somewhat heightened film like this one. On top of that, Grabinski also sets the stage for a potential sequel, as Alice reveals the existence of another time machine that could help her and Mike save Nick.
On that note, Mike & Nick & Nick & Alice has received positive reviews from critics, with many praising the action, story and performances of its cast, which is led by Vince Vaughn, James Marsden and Eiza González. I’d hope that anyone who’s read this far has seen the movie already. But, if not, do yourself a favor and stream the movie (including that sentimental ending) with a Hulu subscription.
