Review: Palm Springs
When the world collectively began to realize that the COVID 19 pandemic would have more than a fleeting impact, those of us who would normally look forward to summer movie theatrical releases kissed that idea goodbye. Palm Springs debuted at Sundance in January and slowly floated onto cinephile’s consciousness when it made headlines as the biggest acquisition in Sundance history. We all held our breath to see if a streamer would take the reins and make the film accessible despite movie theaters remaining closed for the summer.
Thankfully, Hulu picked it up and there were resounding shouts of joy when it was announced it would be released on the streaming service in July. The film met our expectations in more ways than one. We’ve come to expect excellent albeit absurd comedic projects from The Lonely Island guys, (Andy Sandberg, Akiva Schaffer, and Jorma Taccone) but I think we were all a little bit surprised when they offered us something genuinely funny and entertaining and ironically at the height of quarantine with Palm Springs.
Without giving too much away, the film follows Nyles (Andy Samberg) and Sarah (Cristin Milioti) a couple who seem to have been brought together by fate, but will have to learn some hard lessons about themselves if they want to stay together. The flim is held together by the chemistry between the two actors who can play the dramatic moments just as powerfully as the comedic ones. It might not be the best movie you see from your couch this year, but it’s not a bad choice for a hot, summer quarantine night.