Pizza Movie is as stupid as it is hilarious, fueled by the comedic gold of Gaten Matarazzo and Sean Giambrone. Superbad meets Dazed and Confused.
I wasn’t entirely sure what to expect with Pizza Movie beyond the title. I am a fan of the directors (who also wrote the film) – Brian McElhaney and Nick Kocher – so I was cautiously optimistic. It is hard for a movie with a really stupid premise to pull it off, but every once in a while, a film comes along that leans so far into its own absurdity that it becomes an absolute riot. Pizza Movie is exactly that.
This film is a loud, proud, and hilariously ridiculous ride that is packed to the brim with silly humor and – I’m being literal here – fart jokes that somehow actually work. It’s a laugh-out-loud experience that is practically designed to be watched with a rowdy group of friends and a few large pepperoni pizzas.
As a massive Stranger Things fan, I was primarily there to see Gaten Matarazzo. He plays Jack, who is a bit reckless and only thinks of himself – and he is fantastic. While there are certainly shades of the charm and wit we love in Dustin Henderson, Gaten does an excellent job of making Jack feel like a distinct person.
Then you have Sean Giambrone as Montgomery, who is a lot more on the shy side, which makes him easy to push around. This was a trip for me because I’m a huge Solar Opposites fan. Every time Montgomery opened his mouth, I couldn’t help but hear Yumyulack. It didn’t help that so many of his lines could be said by the alien, as well.
Together, Gaten and Sean are comedy gold. Their chemistry carries the film through its wildest segments, making the mission to retrieve their pizza from the dorm lobby feel like a high-stakes epic rather than a simple late-night snack run.
The plot kicks off when a dose of a mind-bending experimental drug turns a simple errand into a psychedelic odyssey. The best way I can describe the vibe is Dazed and Confused meets Superbad. It has that classic one crazy night structure, but it pushes the boundaries of the bizarre and unbelievable in a way that feels fresh for 2026.
The supporting cast is an absolute powerhouse of comedic talent. Lulu Wilson’s role becomes more prominent early on in the film, and she makes a great third to Gaten and Sean. Peyton Elizabeth Lee always cracks me up, but I promise, you have never seen her like this before. You’ve also got the likes of Sarah Sherman and Caleb Hearon popping up to add more crazy layers to the night, but I have to give a special shoutout to Snackatron.
We all love those adorable little autonomous delivery robots. I know I giggle every time I see one on the street, silently hoping he’s having a good day and his battery is full. Seeing one become a standout character in a movie like this was a personal highlight for me. And I don’t think I am alone on that.
And then there’s Daniel Radcliffe. I want to talk about him for hours because he is incredible here, but his role is so specific and weird that it’s truly best left as a surprise for when you watch it on Hulu. Just know that he fully commits to the bit – and it is phenomenal.
Despite the experimental drugs and the fart jokes, Pizza Movie surprisingly manages to squeeze in a tad bit of heart. Beneath the hallucinations and the ticking clock to get their pizza, there’s a sweet story about friendship and the terrifying transition of college life.
At a tight one hour and 45 minutes, the movie flies by. It never overstays its welcome, and it never tries to be more prestigious than it is. It’s fun, it’s silly, and honestly, if you have teenagers, this makes for a great family movie night – provided your family has a healthy appreciation for the ridiculous.
When this hits Hulu on April 3, clear your schedule, grab your roommates, and for the love of God, make sure you order pizza for dinner.
About Pizza Movie
A shy college student and his reckless roommate set out on a simple mission to grab pizza, but after a strange dose of a mind-bending experimental drug, they’re thrust into a chaotic night of absurd encounters, wild hallucinations, and unexpected revelations that could change their lives forever.
Pizza Movie played at SXSW 2026 and comes to Hulu and Hulu on Disney+ for bundle subscribers in the US on April 3rd.
