Palm Springs is Max Barbakow's first feature film. Worn by Andy Samberg, Cristin Milioti and J.K. Simmons, the film takes the concept of An Endless Day to grab and drift it. The carefree Nyles finds himself in a time loop where he always relives the same day. That of a wedding in Palm Springs. He then meets the bride's sister: Sarah, who will join him in this waking hell.
Palm Springs: an intelligent reinterpretation of the loop concept
Unlike One Day Without End, Palm Springs starts differently. While Bill Murray's character had to understand what was happening to him, leaving several minutes for viewers to apprehend the concept, here, the feature film begins in the heart of the matter. The protagonist, played with great conviction by Andy Samberg, has been stuck in his loop for some time now. Thus, our hero already knows how this alternate reality works, and already has not much to do with it. Palm Springs begins in a universe where the hero masters everything, where he already knows everything that will happen in every detail. A different way of introducing the subject compared to Harold Ramis' huge classic. 
Palm Springs is in any case an undeniable success. A bittersweet comedy perfectly mastered, which knows the codes of the genre like the back of his hand. Max Barbakow has nothing to envy to the reference worn by Bill Murray. The filmmaker knows perfectly well what he wants to tell and he does it with a certain maestro.
Varied and touching themes
But more than its perfectly exploited concept, what seduces in Palm Springs are its emotional springs. Max Barbakow totally manages to impose touching dramatic springs, a personal vision of the world, and an intelligent appreciation of human feelings. Palm Springs glorifies love, celebration, fun, joy, as if nothing else matters. That nothing is serious, except to love and play like children. Two rare commodities that must be preserved against all odds. It is also an intelligent look at time, on aging, on the fear of evolving, of growing, of becoming an adult. Through the character of Andy Samberg, the director paints a portrait of a youth that refuses to evolve , to change, to take responsibility. From a youth who is afraid of becoming dreary and sad, preferring to remain in the innocence of childhood. 
Palm Springs also takes a pessimistic view of life. The film portrays a dreary, incompetent society that is mired in tiring self-righteousness, in illusory feelings. Max Barbakow reminds us how perverse, degrading and above all terribly sad and lonely the human being can be. The director offers a gloomy look at adult life, almost nihilistic, on what awaits us after the years of youth and happiness. It paints a portrait of a lost generation, stuck in an endless time loop, preferring to burn its mouth than to face the heavy and boring reality of a society that, paradoxically, is becoming more and more isolated. With finally as the only remedy: true love! https://youtu.be/CpBLtXduh_k Palm Springs is a tasty little candy that appropriates the concept of One Day Without End. A touching bittersweet romance about feelings and the meaning of life. It is also an ode to letting go, to fun, and that finally: nothing has consequences. The film is available on Amazon Prime Video since February 12, 2021.
