PALM SPRINGS Trailer

A wedding turns out to be meaningless in Palm Springs, the narrative feature debut of director Max Barbakow.

Sarah thought this was going to be just another wedding. Some good food and drink, dancing, nuptials, and then back to regular life. The only unusual thing was this cute guy, Nyles, who had a charming nonchalance about him. Then she followed him to a strange cave, and she woke up to the morning of the wedding again. That’s right, this a Groundhog’s Day style romantic comedy, but at least Sarah and Nyles get to navigate the monotony together.

We can’t seem to let go of this repeating day gimmick, and there’s been so many of them that it’s hard not to be wary when another pops up. It doesn’t help that Barbakow is mostly an unknown, having only worked on shorts and documentaries previously. Can he find a spark that will make this stand out from the pack?

If word out of the Sundance Film Festival is true, then he sure did. This got lots of praise from critics and landed the biggest distribution deal ever for the festival. I’m sure it helps that such lovable performers as Andy Samberg and Cristin Milioti are the two leads, so I’m sure it seemed like a safe bet that this would rake in some money. Then the pandemic and theater shutdowns derailed plans, but the good news for viewers is it’s dropping immediately on Hulu (there will be a simultaneous theatrical release wherever possible). So, enjoy one of the hottest new releases of the year however you like.

Palm Springs is directed by Max Barbakow and stars Andy Samberg, Cristin Milioti, and J.K. Simmons. It will be released in Drive-ins and on Hulu on July 10th, 2020. Further release dates are not currently known.

How would you prefer to check this one out? Will you wait a few weeks until theater reopens or plop down with some popcorn at home? Let us know in the comments!