Springs Forward

I'm sure there are plenty of people in the world who have never seen Groundhog Day. But I'd wager there are very few who know nothing about the movie. "Groundhog Day" is near-universal slang for repeating the same day on a loop, or even deja vu generally. It's impossible to do a version of the story without being directly compared to it: "this TV show I watch is doing a Groundhog Day episode," "it's Groundhog Day as a horror movie," "it's Groundhog Day starring Tom Cruise," and so on.

So, it's not merely shorthand, but inevitable, to say that the new Hulu movie Palm Springs is "like Groundhog Day." Andy Samberg and Cristin Milioti star as Nyles and Sarah, who meet at a wedding. Hijinks ensue, and yes, the hijinks revolve around living the same day over and over again. I could get into more detail, but let's be honest: you don't need to be told any more than "it's like Groundhog Day."

Nor should you be, because saying more would actually spoil some of the fun surprises that Palm Springs has in store. The story is actually quite clever, injecting several twists into the premise that I found novel and interesting. It also knows it can't get out from under the shadow of Groundhog Day, so it bakes in a handful of cheeky references to it.

I can say that I quite liked the pairing of Samberg and Milioti. They both have great comedic chops, his less restrained wackiness well balanced by her razor precision. The movie also slips into more serious terrain at times; while this is where Milioti really shines, Samberg is no slouch (as anyone who watches Brooklyn Nine-Nine would have predicted).

They're helped along by a great supporting cast that includes Peter Gallagher, Meredith Hagner, Tyler Hoechlin, and June Squibb. The standout here, though, is J.K. Simmons; though he won the Oscar for a serious role, he has long brought the same intensity to comedy as well, and this movie is no exception.

There is an odd flight of fancy here and there, including a truly oddball scene in the middle of the movie that seems meant to Be Important. (You'll know it when you see the CG.) And no, it's not as good as Groundhog Day itself; that's an awfully high bar to clear. But I enjoyed Palm Springs overall, and would give it a B+. If you have Hulu, it's definitely worth a try.