There’s a wedding in Palm Springs. As the boyfriend of one of the bridesmaids, Nyles (Andy Samberg) is an outsider. Sarah (Cristin Milioti) is the bride’s sister. She has a tense relationship with her family because of her life choices and her tendency to make mistakes. During the wedding toast, Nyles unexpectedly swoops in, and starts delivering a beautiful and touching speech. Curiously, he seems to know a few things about the bride that he shouldn’t know. Driven by curiosity, Sarah spends the rest of the evening with him. However, after that night, her life will never be the same again. Trapped in a time loop, the unexpected duo will share hilarious moments, secrets and adventures, and learn to make the best out of their situation.
Wild, imaginative, politically incorrect, with some fantastic elements, Palm Springs is a refreshing and hilarious rom-com. For his debut feature, Max Barbakow assembled a solid cast, including seasoned actors J.K. Simmons, Peter Gallagher, and Dale Dickey in supporting roles. Under the layer of comedy, the movie deals with the repetitive and lonely existence of its protagonists, who are hoping to make their lives more meaningful, and find the right person to share it with. Acclaimed at the 2020 edition of Sundance and featured in several critics’ top movie lists, Palm Springs could very well be the comedy of the year. The feature manages to give food for thought about opportunities, (anti-)conformism, love and loneliness, while being highly entertaining and original.
Year: 2020
Runtime: 90′
Country: USA
Direction: Max Barbakow
Screenplay: Andy Siara
Cast: Andy Samberg, Cristin Milioti, J.K. Simmons
Cinematography: Quyen Tran
Genre: Comedy, fantasy
Subtitles: Twelve Oaks Pictures
Contact: Twelve Oaks Pictures
2020: Sundance Film Festival