‘Palm Springs’ Is 2020 on Repeat
By: T.S. Lowry
Tags: Relationships, Culture, Movies, Self, Film

All families are different and mine certainly isn’t perfect, but I can relate to Cristin Milioti’s character Sarah as the renegade member of the family in Palm Springs. I continue to live in a state that I usually can’t afford, and I’ve lost count of how many jobs/companies I’ve written for. Still, I’d love to be stuck on a time loop of my brother’s wedding day, just as Sarah’s time loop always starts on the morning of her sister’s wedding.

Although Sarah’s wake-up call consists of her rising and shining to the — SPOILER — man her sister is supposed to marry that morning, my brother’s wedding took place in Hawaii. It would depend on the time I wake up, however, as my father had a diabetic reaction that resulted in me calling 911 before the sun even made an appearance. Thankfully, the rest of the day was aces as I got to be in the same place as my mom, dad, and brother at the same time; an event that doesn’t occur all that often as my parents are divorced and we’re scattered across the country. Plus, it was the happiest day of my life because I could tell it was the happiest day of my brother’s life. Siblings fight, and I’m no stranger to that, but my brother and I just want each other to succeed and be happy. I know that sounds corny but if you’ve read my work, then you know my writing sometimes drips with trite and melodramatic waters. I make no apologies for that.

A lot goes down in Palm Springs and the characters, although on an endless déja vu loop, suffer real pain — such as getting hit by a semi-truck. But I can’t help but think Milioti and Andy Samberg’s characters have it easy. Yes, weddings can be stressful, even for the guests, and especially when you’re a person who doesn’t conform to conformities. Being single at 29 and trying to make it as a writer in LA; although I may be a walking cliché, at the same time, it doesn’t live up to such accepted ‘normal’ conformities.

Palm Springs is an enjoyable film that hit screens during a bad time. During normal times, it would be easy to sympathize with the characters, and, in many ways, we still can as we live our own versions of the same never-ending routines. The pandemic has made every day feel like a Wednesday. And maybe I would have appreciated it more if I watched it when it first came out; I’m finding myself losing my patience more quickly, and becoming more and more irritated with 2020’s Groundhog Day treatment.

I would have enjoyed Palm Springs more in 2019, even though many viewers might think it’s best suited for 2020. We’re well into 2020 and I’m exhausted having the same conversations with people about the coronavirus, not-so-patiently waiting for a vaccine (which will create a world of other problems depending on who you talk to).

I’m, at the least, happy my AB5 simulation appears to be almost over, and I can’t wait to get back to work full-time. Although I’m still going to be in my room just as much as before, at least I’ll have a sense of purpose, not to mention make an honest living doing what I love. Now, that’s a time loop I can wrap my head, heart, and entire body around. Alas, always talking and writing about money and struggles is, in a way, a time loop — and I’m ready to move on.

As we hopefully get closer to finally seeing the end of this nightmare and we welcome in fall and a vaccine becomes a reality, Palm Springs is perfect as it has a happy ending, or at least an ending. Right now — hell, always — that’s all we’ve ever wanted. We want to be happy — at the least, we want to know when this shit is going to end.