Some films aspire to greatness, and some films find it thrust upon them.

And then there are The Napa Boys, a group of young-middle-aged-sex-has-beens who have inherited a straight-to-DVD-franchise from maybe-not-their-parents. The Napa Boys is a great movie about the movies and depravity as entertainment, a comedy with a simple premise that sounds hilariously complicated when you say it out loud. After you read this review, try it on some friends. It’s been working for me all week.

Nick Corirossi as Jack Jr. in THE NAPA BOYS, a Magnolia Pictures release. Photo courtesy of Magnolia Pictures.

So, do you remember Sideways (2004), the wine movie starring Paul Giamatti? If you’re under the age of 30, then, like me, your main relationship to the film is probably through memes. It’s where the majority of Grumpy Giamatti memes came from before The Holdovers (2023). Ok, Paul Giamatti wine movie, got that? Now, you know how American Pie (1999) and National Lampoon’s Vacation (1983) and Home Alone (1990) spawned uncountable straight-to-DVD sequels starring people’s cousins?

What The Napa Boys presupposes is: what if this movie was the fourth sequel to Sideways?

See? Simple.

 “The Napa Boys taught me it’s ok to be weird.”

Armen Weitzman (Oceans 13; Role Models) and Nick Corirossi (The Code; Lockjaw) star as Miles Jr. and Frank Jr. Jr., who may be the sons of the original Sideways leads, or may just be the sons of other dudes with the same names as Nick Corirossi, who also directed the picture, told me in our easter-egg-spoiling interview. The film’s real title is Napa Boys 4: The Sommelier’s Amulet, and it picks up where previous films didn’t leave off: The Napa Boys have broken up, and the recently widowed Miles Jr. has built an empire writing comic books based on the group’s adventures. His domestic misery is interrupted when

Frank Jr. arrives back in his life with the Sommelier’s Amulet, now glowing with a strange energy; a signal that can only mean one thing: The Napa Boys must return to the valley.

“It’s like Puss-mass out here.”

“I’m the Scrooge of Puss-mas now?”

– Frank Jr. and Miles Jr.

While the premise of the film may be a mouthful, it’s a testament to the filmmaker’s skill that the viewing experience is effortless. Anyone who’s ever seen a tired sequel can instantly shift into the film’s comedic gear, and the most surprising thing about the film is the emotional weight of the performances. This is not the Scary Movie (2000-2026) franchise, stringing parody along for parody’s sake. Nor is it Don’t Hug Me I’m Scared (2011-2022), revealing existential horror behind parody. Instead, the film chooses a narrow path between these two tones, creating a world of absurdity and comedy that allows for a grounded level of repressed struggle to peak through just enough to count — like when you’re hanging out with a friend who’s struggling, but they’re trying not to show it.

L-R: Sarah Ramos as Puck, Armen Weitzman as Miles Jr., Jamar Malachi Neighbors as Stifler’s Brother, and Nick Corirossi as Jack Jr. in THE NAPA BOYS, a Magnolia Pictures release. Photo courtesy of Magnolia Pictures.

Beyond the leads, the film stars Jamar Malachi Neighbors (Keanu; House Party) as “Stiffler’s Brother,” Sarah Ramos (Babylon; How to Be Single) as wannabe-reporter Puck, Mike Mitchell (The Doughboys podcast; The Tomorrow War) as Mitch, and Nelson Franklin (Scott Pilgrim vs. the World;  Argo) as Kevin. They reunite as The Napa Boys to unlock the secret of the Sommelier’s Amulet, and defeat Paul Rust’s (Inglourious Basterds; Saturday Night) Squirm, their long-running nemesis who has been dominating the Napa Valley wine contest.

The emotional core of the film is found between Miles Jr. and Frank Jr. as one eggs on the other into reliving their glory days as, presumably, teenage sex pests. They both deliver moments where the veil drops for a moment, but Weitzman gets the most chances to perform this, and does so with aplomb.

L-R: Jamar Malachi Neighbors as Stifler’s Brother, Paul Rust as Squirm, Mike Mitchell as Mitch, Nick Corirossi as Jack Jr., and Armen Weitzman as Miles Jr. in THE NAPA BOYS, a Magnolia Pictures release. Photo courtesy of Magnolia Pictures.

While the characters are not self-reflective, self-aware, or self-preserving, as they continue to reference the events of other films, deaths, sexual misadventures, “pranks” they pulled on each other, and characters we never meet, the viewer will reflect on how these two guys really suck. Depravity and movies seem to be their only outlets for entertainment. And, of course, they go hand-in-hand. Beneath all the clever jokes and laugh-out-loud performances, the film asks of us and of the DVD era we all claim to remember fondly, can you ever reclaim your glory days? And were they really as good as you remember them to be?

Available on VOD and digital April 17^th, 2026.
Available on Blu-ray and DVD May 19^th, 2026.
Available on Tubi August 17^th, 2026.

For more information, head to the official Magnolia Pictures The Napa Boys webpage.

Final Score: 4 out of 5.

Categories: Films To Watch, Home Video, Recommendation, Reviews, streaming

Tags: Armen Weitzman, Beth Dover, Chloe Cherry, Chris Aquilino, comedy, David Wain, DJ Qualls, Eve Sigall, Greg Worswick, Harley Quinn Smith, home release, home video, Ivy Wolk, Jack Allison, Jamar Neighbors, Jason Mewes, Kevin Smith, Magnolia Pictures, Mike Hanford, Mike Mitchell, Napa Boys 4: The Sommelier's Amulet, Natasha Behnam, Natasha Leggero, Nelson Franklin, Nick Corirossi, Nik Dodani, Paul Rust, Ray Wise, Riki Lindhome, Ryan Perez, Sarah Ramos, Steve Agee, streaming, Sunset Rose Pictures, The Napa Boys, Vanessa Chester, VOD