Palm Springs (2020).

I cannot imagine a world in which Palm Springs is not in my top 5 movies at the end of the year. There’s not one thing that I didn’t enjoy while watching this. Unfortunately, I cannot say much about the movie without spoiling the plot (and I think this movie will work SO much better if you go in blind, as I did), so I’m going to be very vague. In essence, this will be a really stupid review in which all I do is gush.

“I felt everything I'll ever feel. So I'll never feel ever again.”

- Nyles

I guess I can describe the set-up. Nyles (played to perfection by Andy Samberg) and his girlfriend are at a wedding in…you guessed it…Palm Springs. He seems very indifferent towards her, shrugging her off and openly flirting with others at the wedding. At one point, he strikes up a conversation with another bridesmaid, Sarah (again, played to perfection by Cristin Milioti) and they slide into the desert night to have some fun with each other…and this is where shit goes off the rails. I know this description is vague, but you’ll thank me later. I’m not spoiling a goddamn thing.

You might have seen Andy Samberg’s name and thought this was a comedy - it’s not a straight comedy. It’s part romantic comedy, part…something else, and part thought-provoking drama. It balances the comedy with the drama in such smart, bold ways. Once you see it, you’ll draw obvious comparisons to certain movies (it fits right into a very specific sub-genre) and I think it’s at the top of the class with those other films.

“You gotta find your Irvine.”

- Roy

This film is written really well - it drops you in and lets you figure out what the hell is going on. It doesn’t hold your hand as things unfold. It shows, not tells, like a good movie should. The characters are all endearing and all have relatable flaws (which are dealt with in realistic ways). Roy, played by JK Simmons, was another standout here.

I cannot say anything bad about this movie. I watched it with a smile plastered on my face the entire time and it’s hard to imagine anyone watching it and not liking it.