Directed by Max Barbakow
Starring Andy Samberg, Cristin Milioti, and JK Simmons
Scoob! was the disease. Palm Springs was the cure. The film premiered at Sundance in January and made its worldwide debut on Hulu back in July. The film centers around Nyles (Samberg), and Sarah (Milioti), both attending the wedding of Sarah's sister in, where else, Palm Springs. The two hit it off at the reception, only to find themselves stuck in a time loop, repeating the day of the wedding over and over. The film then follows Sarah and Nyles as they try to navigate and make sense of their situation, while growing closer as time goes on (figuratively...because they're in a time loop...)
Obviously this film has gotten a lot of comparisons to Groundhog Day, and rightfully so since it uses the same concept of characters repeating the same day. But Palm Springs proves it's more important what you do with the concept than the concept itself, particularly in this case, there is more than one character caught in the loop. Naturally a lot of humor derives from the concept but this is a very character-driven piece.
Sarah can be very self-destructive in her behavior, and Nyles has a very devil-may-care outlook on life. On paper, being stuck in a time loop where nothing matters almost seem perfect for this pair. But as the film progresses it forces them to look inside, and revaluate how they operate. The ultimate question is, can these two survive together?
Samberg and Milioti play off each other really well. Samberg's already shown his comedic chops before, but I liked seeing him handle more emotional material as Nyles. Cristin Milioti, she's amazing. She's the heart of the film and undeniably charming. The way she handles both the comedic and dramatic...her career didn't take off after How I Met Your Mother but it needs to take off now (I mean, when it's safe for her to go back to to work). Additionally, JK Simmons has a lot of fun moments in the supporting role of Roy.
The filmmakers also do a nice job in varying up the cinematography so not every day looks the same (even though story-wise it is the same day), which gives off the sense that time (in a metaphorical sense) is passing, and these characters are on a sort of spiritual journey.
This review is a bit shorter than my usual ones. Normally if I don't have much to say on a film I won't do a write up, but we're not getting a lot of new releases right now and I truly enjoyed Palm Springs. It might not say much, but it's the best film I've seen this year. It's a sweet piece that may seem familiar but it's elevated by two wonderful lead performances and a fun, heartfelt script. Definitely head over to Hulu and shoot some cinematic positivity into your summer.
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