Movies that feature time loops are inevitably compared to Groundhog Day: "ah, it's Groundhog Day as a war movie (Edge of Tomorrow [2014])," or, "ah, it's Groundhog Day as a horror film (Happy Death Day [2017]), etc, etc. Some films undergo this scrutiny well, while others suffer for it.
Palm Springs (2020) is Groundhog Day that doubled down on being a Rom Com. And it wiggles its way out from under Groundhog Day's shadow.
I. What Is It?
This is the story of Nyles (Andy Samberg) and Sarah (Cristin Milioti): they are stuck in a time loop at a wedding. Nyles is there as the boyfriend of one of the bridesmaids and Sarah is there as the Maid of Honor. The set-up is that simple, and to discuss any more would dampen this thing's vibe.II. All-Around Solid
This film is solid, on every front.
Max Barbakow's directing is crisp and energetic; he keeps the film moving forward without rushing the emotional storytelling, or languishing in it. Andy Siara's script is clever, hilarious, and, at times, pitch black; all that without skimping on the implications of immortality and conversations about the pain of a "wasted life." The photography is gorgeous: the Palm Springs locales are specific, and presented gorgeously in their sun-dappled glory. The needle drops are fun and avoid cliche, enhancing the drama on screen. The whole cast rocks (more on that below).
And we get all of that, all of the above, in a tight 90 minute package.
I cannot say enough how impressive that is. Some screwball comedies give themselves short-shrift and go the 80-minute route, while other films, intent on saying something profound, inflate themselves far past their comfort zone. Barbakow and Co. keep the film sprightly and engaging and manage not to waste, or overstay a second of screen time.
The film briefly dips its toes into quantum mechanics, but only enough to hand-wave some plot machinations. The beauty is that the film offers enough mumbo-jumbo to believably excuse its premise without ever breaking its back bending over to try and assure the audience that it works. We're here for the hijinks. Let it roll. And Palm Springs, very wisely, lets it roll.
- It is as solid a film as I have seen in some time: it clocks at 90 minutes, is solidly produced, and well-acted.Max Barbakow's directing is crisp and energetic; he keeps the film moving forward without rushing the emotional storytelling, or languishing in it. Andy Siara's script is clever, hilarious, and, at times, pitch black; all that without skimping on the implications of immortality and conversations about the pain of a "wasted life." The photography is gorgeous: the Palm Springs locales are specific, and presented gorgeously in their sun-dappled glory. The needle drops are fun and avoid cliche, enhancing the drama on screen. The whole cast rocks (more on that below).
And we get all of that, all of the above, in a tight 90 minute package.
I cannot say enough how impressive that is. Some screwball comedies give themselves short-shrift and go the 80-minute route, while other films, intent on saying something profound, inflate themselves far past their comfort zone. Barbakow and Co. keep the film sprightly and engaging and manage not to waste, or overstay a second of screen time.
The film briefly dips its toes into quantum mechanics, but only enough to hand-wave some plot machinations. The beauty is that the film offers enough mumbo-jumbo to believably excuse its premise without ever breaking its back bending over to try and assure the audience that it works. We're here for the hijinks. Let it roll. And Palm Springs, very wisely, lets it roll.
III. Excellent Leads
Andy Samberg can carry a movie. He has the finely tuned comedic chops, and a well-defined man-child persona that he slips into like a glove. But he proves, here, that he can handle emotional heft as well. His Nyles is ridiculous, but, by his own admission, he's been stuck in this loop for years (a lot of them), and so his absurdity smacks of a man who no longer fully understands who he even is. The film's delicate balance of laugh-out-loud humor and heady introspection turns on Samberg's (and Milioti's) performance. And Samberg comes to play.
Cristin Milioti should be a super star, and it is a bit confusing to me why she isn't. If you are familiar with her work, you know that she is excellent every time she shows up. Palm Springs allows her to work her comedic chops, too. Her Sarah is misunderstood: she bears some deep-rooted trauma about the passing of her mother, but her family just assumes that she "drinks and sleeps around too much." Which she does, by her own admission. She's also the kind of person whose pain and trauma tend to splash onto those around her. Her arc is the more immediate in the film, as she is newer to the loop than Nyles: he is set in his ways after a millennia, while she is stumbling around trying to figure out why they are stuck "here," and what exactly "here" is.
Samberg and Milioti have wonderful chemistry together, and make a powerhouse comedic duo. And a believable romance. I was rooting for them. And that is one of the most important elements of the Rom Com.
But don't be sleeping on J. K. Simmons. He shows up as another person caught in the loop, and has an absolute ball. In fact, just about everyone in this movie is pulling their weight. Meredith Hagner is all simpering millennial air head as Nyles date, Misty: she takes minutes of screentime and weaves it into gold. It must have been a fun set to be on.
Cristin Milioti should be a super star, and it is a bit confusing to me why she isn't. If you are familiar with her work, you know that she is excellent every time she shows up. Palm Springs allows her to work her comedic chops, too. Her Sarah is misunderstood: she bears some deep-rooted trauma about the passing of her mother, but her family just assumes that she "drinks and sleeps around too much." Which she does, by her own admission. She's also the kind of person whose pain and trauma tend to splash onto those around her. Her arc is the more immediate in the film, as she is newer to the loop than Nyles: he is set in his ways after a millennia, while she is stumbling around trying to figure out why they are stuck "here," and what exactly "here" is.
Samberg and Milioti have wonderful chemistry together, and make a powerhouse comedic duo. And a believable romance. I was rooting for them. And that is one of the most important elements of the Rom Com.
But don't be sleeping on J. K. Simmons. He shows up as another person caught in the loop, and has an absolute ball. In fact, just about everyone in this movie is pulling their weight. Meredith Hagner is all simpering millennial air head as Nyles date, Misty: she takes minutes of screentime and weaves it into gold. It must have been a fun set to be on.
IV. Timely
We've all been sort of stuck in a existential loop since March, right? A movie like this, that explores the ideas it does in the darkly comic manner that it does seems uniquely suited to our time. I think the movie has legs to stand well beyond the Quarantine era, but, in this moment, when so many of us are questioning what our life is and who we really are, Palm Springs offers a way to reflect and laugh. And I, for one, found it a wonderful wave of fresh air blowing through the stagnant halls of my shadowed home.V. A Little Predictable
Look, I saw the film's twists coming a mile away. But I think I'm approaching that part of my life where good romantic comedies find a special place in my heart. Worn storytelling tropes are worn because, largely, they work. And, while Palm Springs goes to some fairly predictable places, the writing and the cast gel enough that I didn't mind.Why You Should See It
- It has belly laughs and introspective moments in spades.
- It is as timely a movie as I have seen in some time. Especially since March.
Why You Shouldn't See It
In Conclusion
Miscellany
- Broke the record for biggest sale of a film at Sundance, at just over $17 million.- Barbakow and Siara began the film with Nyles already in the loop so that it felt like a "sequel to a movie that doesn't exist." They did this as a way to try and distance their film from Groundhog Day.
- Shot on location in Palm Springs.
- The film shattered Hulu's viewing records in its opening weekend. It had gathered more views than any other movie in the platform's history.
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