THE STORY – In this fourth chapter of the hit comedy franchise THE NAPA BOYS, Jack Jr. (Nick Corirossi), his reluctant co-captain Miles Jr. (Armen Weitzman), and the rest of the Napa Boys gang are back for one more wine-sloshed journey into the unknown. With a mission set forth by the mysterious “Sommelier,” they are joined this time by Puck, a bright young podcaster and the Napa Boys’ biggest fan, as the group embarks on the adventure of a lifetime.
THE CAST – Armen Weitzman, Nick Corirossi, Sarah Ramos, Mike Mitchell, Jamar Neighbors, Chloe Cherry, Vanessa Chester, Kevin Smith, Jason Mewes, DJ Qualls, Ray Wise, David Wain, Paul Rust, Riki Lindhome, Nelson Franklin, Ivy Wolk, Beth Dover, Natasha Leggero, Steve Agee, Chris Aquilino, Greg Worswick, Mike Hanford, Harley Quinn Smith, Nik Dodani, Natasha Behnam, Eve Sigall, Ryan Perez & Jack Allison
THE TEAM – Nick Corirossi (Director/Writer) & Armen Weitzman (Writer)
THE RUNNING TIME – 92 Minutes
2026 can now be remembered as the year everybody’s favorite franchise got a whole lot bigger. Nick Corirossi’s “The Napa Boys” has made its way to the big screen, all the while calling its shot that new comedy releases will no longer exist almost exclusively on streaming services much longer. At face value, the film expands its irreverent cinematic universe set in Napa, California, for both fans and newcomers alike. But it also serves as a pivotal reminder of what has been missing from theaters for so long: the unabashed, straightforward comedy. The past year or so has seen the early signs of a potentially massive resurgence, thanks to films like “Friendship” and “The Naked Gun.” But this latest entry in “The Napa Boys” franchise is going for broke by expanding into countless genre homages and comedy styles, all while never treading on familiar ground or relying on IP. Not to peek behind the curtain too much, but purely to avoid potential confusion, it should be noted that “The Napa Boys,” despite being the fourth entry of a cinematic franchise, is the first and only Napa Boys adventure audiences have been able to see thus far. To confirm, the entire existence of this film, even down to its marketing, structure, and format, is one big joke. But watching any sequence of “The Napa Boys” instantly makes clear to its audience why being all-in on the joke from the very outset always had to be the case, four-quadrant franchise success be damned.
No interpretation of subtext is needed when a character can practically deliver the film’s sentiment directly to the audience. Puck (Sarah Ramos), the biggest Napa Boys fan ever and latest recruit to the gang, essentially does just that very early on. She lets those around her know, plain and simple: “It’s OK to be weird.” It would appear that Corirossi and co-writer Armen Weitzman wrote that line as a direct challenge to themselves. It is a particular creed that benefits “The Napa Boys” and just about any comedy immensely. This feels like a film made purely for the sake of the comedy its cast and crew are obsessed with. That purity of intent serves as the throughline of the film’s story from one absurdist scenario to the next.
Breaking down the plot of “The Napa Boys” feels a bit like folly. It is essentially unnecessary, serving solely as a driving force for the absurdly stacked ensemble cast of alt-comedians to run freely in and out of the film whenever Corirossi and Weitzman call upon them. While the overall plot remains on the looser end of the screenwriting spectrum, the thematic and cinematic riffs present are as tightly constructed as can be. One might expect the opening sequence of “The Napa Boys” to fully immerse the audience in the hilarity that will consume them over the next 90 minutes. But instead, viewers are treated to a quiet, beautiful Californian landscape, backed by a building score that could just as easily appear in a Golden Age Western film. Building such anticipation works wonders as the rolling hills are invaded by “The Wine Wagon,” a fully ridiculous vehicle riffing on “Kill Bill,” which never loses its silly charm throughout the film. This simple yet effective piece of vehicle dressing, followed by its driver showing his face, sets the lack of stakes in “The Napa Boys” wonderfully. If the leader of the Napa Boys, Jack Jr. (Corirossi), sees no need to take anything seriously, the viewers should follow suit.
That is all for the best, as “The Napa Boys” feels more interested in being an extended series of improv sketch comedy bits than in functioning as a full-fledged feature film. While that might seem like a bit of a knock, the intentionality of this cast and crew allows the rocky table-setting of each increasingly ridiculous plot device to function as its own sort of genre riff. This being the fourth Napa Boys adventure, according to the title card reveal, the lore these characters and their world are steeped in is a mockery of the current state of cinematic storytelling. Luckily, no homework is needed to enjoy “The Napa Boys.” Audiences can instead sit back and admire the brazen willingness on display from Corirossi, Weitzman, and the rest of the cast they have brought to Napa. There are familiar faces aplenty in each new set piece, and each performer seems wholly committed to making their moment in the spotlight as absurd as possible. It is quite raunchy and deeply crude at every turn imaginable. Importantly, its comedy is never mean-spirited, and it would appear that no joke was off the table, logic be damned. For example, “The Napa Boys” proves a sentiment that has worked to varying degrees of success since 1994: adding Jay and Silent Bob to any film will inherently make it just a little bit better.
Something like “The Napa Boys” will inevitably be compared to a film like 2001’s “Wet Hot American Summer.” Considering David Wain appears in this film more than once, it can be assumed the team behind “The Napa Boys” will not be too upset by such claims. It is likely to be worn as a badge of honor. Both films share the joyous commonality that no joke is too nonsensical if it makes even a handful of people laugh. Each film revels in the absurd reality that its comedic sensibilities have freed it up to explore. Without a shred of embarrassment or irony in sight, “The Napa Boys” is a film made by people who believe in their sense of humor and hope to share it with audiences in a crowded room to laugh together. It is the sincerity with which simple insert shots and montage footage repeat themselves, and jokes are driven into the ground ad nauseam, that confirms all the absurdity present is a powerful feature when applied properly. It certainly will not be a film for everybody, but this is comedy purely for comedy’s sake, and for that alone, one can only hope it will become beloved.
