This all-night romp through New York City by two high school seniors and assorted others reveals a search for a lost friend, a search for romantic love, and a search for Fluffy. In fact, the question “Where’s Fluffy” permeates the entire film, as hoards of indie-loving teens and 20-somethings cruise the streets and clubs of the city searching for this legendary band’s next performance.
The Story of Nick & Norah’s Infinite Playlist
Bass-playing Nick (Michael Cera) has recently been dumped by his beautiful girlfriend, Tris (Alexis Dziena), who attends a private school. Norah (Kat Dennings) goes to school with Tris, and has admired Nick from afar – taking the CD mixes of Nick’s band (The Jerk Offs) that Tris casually discards. During an embarrassing nightclub scene with her classmates, Norah kisses a sweet-faced stranger to prove to Tris that she’s with a date. Naturally, this good-natured stranger turns out to be Nick, making Norah cringe with embarrassment and Tris burn with jealousy.
The rest of the film concerns Norah’s efforts to find Caroline (Ari Graynor), her lost and very drunken friend, who gets confused and wanders around the city looking for new places to vomit. Nick and Norah then chase her all over the place in a rescue attempt, while Tris chases them trying to woo Nick back so she can dump him again. The romance and comedy provide a delicate balance in this surprisingly sweet film, marked by occasional crude comments and gross vomiting scenes that should discourage younger viewers from ever wanting to get drunk.
DVD Bonus Features on Nick & Norah’s Infinite Playlist
Bonus features include filmmaker and cast commentaries, outtakes, a music video with a movie montage, a delightful film synopsis of Nick & Norah’s Infinite Playlist told through a puppet show by Dennings, a fake interview with Cera and Dennings in which the interviewer praises Cera and mocks Dennings about her rubbery hands and lack of talent.
A collection of funny deleted and alternate scenes is the most enjoyable highlight on the DVD. These scenes include:
- “Hell No” (repeated takes of a gross bathroom scene)
- “Tal Remembers the Jerk Offs” (Norah’s ex-boyfriend tries to remember the name of Nick’s band)
- “Attack of the Homeless” (Nick stumbles upon a group of homeless men who find him attractive)
- "Caroline in the Tree” (Nick and Norah witness Caroline performing in a gay men’s club)
- “Vomit Comet” (a comical disaster on the bus)
- “CD Guy and Caroline Chant” (Caroline causes a loud, drunken display at a club)
- “CD Kid” (someone approaches Norah with a CD to pass on to her father at the recording studio)
- “Tranny Tris” (an uncomfortable case of mistaken identity)
- “Norah and Jesus” (another bathroom scene, but not as gross this time).
Nick & Norah’s Infinite Playlist
Two high school seniors enjoy one long, romantic night of misadventures in New York City as they look for a missing friend and a secretive band.
- Starring Michael Cera, Kat Dennings, Alexis Dziena, Ari Graynor, Aaron Yoo, Jay Baruchel, Rafi Gavron
- Director: Peter Sollett
- Run Time: 90 minutes
- Rating: PG-13 (for mature thematic material including teen drinking, sexuality, language, and crude behavior)
- DVD Bonus Features Include: Outtakes; Deleted Scenes; “Middle Management” Music Video by Bishop Allen; A Nick & Norah Puppet Show by Kat Dennings; Faux Interview with Michael Cera and Kat Dennings; Photo Gallery; and Filmmaker & Cast Commentaries.
For more information about new movies on DVD, read New DVD Releases for February 2009. For another review of a movie starring Michael Cera, read Bonus Features on Juno DVD.
Leslie C. Halpern - Leslie C. Halpern, Romantic Films/Comedies Topic Editor, authored Passionate About Their Work, Reel Romance, & Dreams on Film.
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