How many times have we seen a “time loop”, waking to relive the same day again, again, and again? Throughout the years, Hollywood has given us memorable ones. But the one that everyone uses as THE BAR to compare is Harold Ramis's 1993 box office romantic comedy hit, Groundhog Day.
This weekend, we are back at it again, with the surprising excellent rom-com Palm Springs. The film is directed by Max Barbakow and starring Andy Samberg, Cristin Milioti, Peter Gallagher, and J.K. Simmons. But what’s so special about this one? Why should we look for this one on Hulu, immediately, ASAP, yesterday (wait, I promise no spoilers )? I’ll give you a few reasons here.
Plot:
Very basic. Andy Samberg plays this individual who wakes up every day, at the same place at the same time. No matter what decisions he makes throughout the day, he ends up stuck in this weird time loop. And weird is a perfect way for me to describe it, specifically when we are all still experiencing the effects of being in quarantine for over four months now. We all can relate to Nyles (Samberg) through the story, his decisions, his hopelessness, and, at times, his depression because of being “stuck”. And his performance embodies all that struggle thanks to his charm and uniquely quiet charisma. So far, you're probably still asking why this movie is so special?
A nice twist:
When reading (I chose not to watch the trailer) about this movie I couldn’t find something that made me wanna run to the movies (if that would have been an option) and watch it. And that immediately changed after seeing why this one stands out from all of the movies that deal with the “time loop” plot. And is that our main character is not the only one who experiences this time loop. What if the love of your life experiences the same thing? This was a very welcome surprise for me, and they made it a delightful experience that is worth every minute of it. There are so many plot twists and big laughs throughout the first two acts that lead up to that incredible third act. Surprisingly, it lands in an emotional journey for both main characters, which elevates this movie from a generic and fun rom-com to an outstanding one and one of the best movies of the year.
More props:
The performances from the whole cast are excellent and brilliant. as you can expect. However, it's the incomparable chemistry between Samberg and Milioti that carries this movie to that stratosphere of best romance duos ever. I wish I can see a lot more of Milioti. Her energy is a scene-stealer, but her charm sparks that true Hollywood star shine! J.K. Simmons, as usual, is devilishly delightful and very welcomed in this movie. Reminded me of a sadistic version of his 2014 Academy Award-winning performance as Terence Fletcher in Whiplash.
Conclusion:
Palm Springs will bring joy to you. Even in these tough times, this gem reminds us of how important these movies are for some of us; movies that help us to connect with our reality. They help us to look around and value not only what we have next to us, but also the little things in life: Those short, meaningful conversations with our loved ones, the kisses, the big laughs, the hugs. All of those things remind us of how important the connection we have with each other is. I would’ve loved to watch this movie with others in a packed movie theatre and share those moments with an audience. I didn’t know that Palm Springs was the movie I needed at this time. It came as a balm of joy, great energy, lots of fun, deeply moving at times, but as a reminder of the power of cinema.
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