Palm Springs: The Modern “Groundhog Day”
Groundhog Day
The summer dream is to have every day be a playground for spontaneous adventures and unmatched freedom. The curiosity of what the day will bring, and the spontaneity of personal expression. Palm Springs delivers just this fantasy with an added romantic comedy. Although Groundhog Day may seem unappealing to others, this film proved to the audience that an on-edge excitement for what the next day brings, might actually be the dream. Andy Samberg plays Nyles: a laid back hysterical man in his 30’s who doesn’t have a job or a care in the world. The unfortunate event that replays every day as the same day, is Sarah’s younger sister’s wedding. At the beginning of the first wedding scenes, we see Nyles drunkenness and carefree attitude that everyone is repulsed by. Little does anyone know, it’s a dimensional time loop, and everything that happens that day will be forgotten tomorrow.
Does anybody else wake up and have the whole day for exploration? Most of us dreamed about quitting our jobs and doing the things we actually desire. By having this film be released in 2020 is not only the perfect entertainment for summer, it’s actually relatable during these current times as well.
These times of uncertainty and the lack of future plans for most, feel like a version of Groundhog Day. We wake up with an idea of what we want to do or maybe we have some things to do that day, yet for the most part it’s filled with unpredictability. That may make people feel on edge and concerned for their future, or liberate you depending on your perspective. Once you embrace the uncertainty and allow for the unknown to flow, is when the feeling of liberation can take place. This is why this film was released at the perfect time; to show people to just relax.
Rom-Com
Usually, I’m not a fanatic for romantic comedy or even romanticism at that, yet Andy Samberg never fails to deliver a classic comedic twist in his characters. It only makes sense to add a connection of two people to give the story more depth and interest. The romantic comedy approach well suited the theme of the movie, and wasn’t overly used throughout the film. In fact, both Sarah and Nyles stayed friends for the majority of their time together, and gave hints of interest to each other.
If you were stuck with the same person every day on the same day for eternity, who would it be? I already grow tired of people in real life, so I had to think about this one for a second. It would probably be my best friend, someone whom you have a love/hate relationship with. Someone you’re already tired of, yet don’t mind spending time with them every day. The option to forever live in a loop together, and possibly the chance to renew your past mistakes doesn’t sound too bad.
Diversity Review
The brief scene when Nyles is describing his past delinquencies with Sarah, she brings up the topic of who he slept with each day. His sexual exploration included all genders, races, and open curiosity. Nyles explains his hook-ups with other men, and the film playbacks the scenes. Besides this small contribution, it does lack in diversity of race and culture.
Film Score
In recent worldly events and the stay-at-home orders relating to the Corona pandemic feels like Groundhog Day. Although releasing any media or film during this time may deem to be controversial, we all just want some classic entertainment in the days of boredom. This film provides the perfect comedic spice, with a relative feeling to what’s currently happening in the world. I rated this film “awkward, but well-intended;” it could of had more race diversity, which is something I typically look out for in films. It creates more relation to the audience when including a diversity of race and sexual orientation, and the casting or characters could of been easily adjusted to fit as such. Besides the small attribute to a modern ideology, it was notably satisfying. The ending was especially delightful because it leads the audience into further curiosity of what’s to happen next, yet it was the simple closure we needed.
I overall enjoyed this film, it was suspenseful, entertaining, and funny. It was relatable in the sense of how I feel currently from day-to-day, and it made me appreciate the freedom of summer that not everyone can experience. We can’t all go fly a plane, crash our car into a big rig, or run over somebody and wake up the next day with zero consequences. We can, although appreciate what the present moment offers us, and fill our day spent with the people who we are closest to.
