Palm Springs

Palm Springs, a 2020 American romantic comedy film, tells the story of Nyles, a quick-witted, adventurous, and perhaps slightly promiscuous man who lives life on his own terms. He's at a wedding in Palm Springs, California, where he's the boyfriend or possibly more of a mistress of a woman who is now marrying someone else. As the wedding festivities unfold, Nyles becomes increasingly bored and detached, often making sardonic comments and defying the conventional norms of social etiquette. Across the venue, we meet Sarah, the maid of honor, who is dutifully trying to maintain a veneer of enthusiasm and happy professionalism. Sarah is taking care of the bride's needs, performing the usual duties of the maid of honor with a stiff upper lip, all while struggling to keep up appearances. Her reluctance and clear unhappiness make her very visible at the wedding. It's when the pre-wedding party's shenanigans begin to wrap up that the pivotal moment in the film occurs: Nyles meets Sarah in a desperate, late-night bathroom break, and their interaction leaves them both perplexed and disoriented. After grabbing a secret cocktail in a hotel suite belonging to none other than Ron (Andy Samberg), the groom's father, they set out across the grounds of the estate, get disoriented, and ultimately lose track of time. As they explore the beautiful, desolate landscape of the Palm Springs estate at night, Nyles and Sarah establish a tentative rapport. Initially, they confront each other's personas but before the dialogue continues, they are eventually trapped by some unseen force that creates an unbreakable loop. Whether it's due to some sort of time anomaly, curse, or magical trap, Nyles and Sarah find themselves reliving the same twelve hours over and over. They are forced to take part in the wedding and the after-party repeatedly, stuck in a day time loop from Hell. At first, they're skeptical and jaded about their own reality but because they are experiencing the events over again, they decide to break free from conventional expectation, abandon caution and experiment with their choices. As they navigate their various responses, Nyles and Sarah become drawn to one another due to a mutually growing sense of isolation, fear, and awareness of the limited nature of their free time. It's clear they've both come together with a mutual understanding - perhaps born out of spite or dread - that they are now accountable to the universe, more so to one another, rather than to societal constraints. However, with each iteration, we see that the repeated cycle still offers them opportunities to grow into one another and forge unconventional connections. They now want to put their relationship to the test and they explore their romantic feelings with a better and deeper understanding of the circumstances of the repetitive loop, bringing out more of the real genuine feelings that surface in a period set amidst constant, chaotic repetition. However, with their emotions running deep and their confidence in their relationship growing, the time loop can be said to have a very negative effect. They find themselves facing the final moments in which they know this forced connection can never truly be completed, which leads to some of the beautiful emotional complications and moments associated in Palm Springs. It's at this point that Nyles and Sarah must make a choice. Do they wish to take advantage of their limitless free time in order to try out ever increasing complex scenarios to explore the potential of their ever-growing chemistry? Or would they rather keep up their newfound love, without even considering a risk of making changes to their relationship and possibly escape their day in the Palm Springs time loop? Ultimately, the couple decides on the 'take a risk' course, giving the story a truly unpredictable, action packed, romantic, heart-warming conclusion. The movie Palm Springs explores our need for true love. If fate chooses to make it too complicated and full of twists and turns, can there still come into play deep, long-lasting connections built over time.