Warning: this review contains spoilers.

Ever since “Groundhog Day,” movies involving a character living the same day over and over have almost become their own subgenre. 

Most recent movies include the action/sci-fi take “Edge of Tomorrow” and horror take “Happy Death Day,” plugging the trope into different types of movies that have both turned out to be hits. 

In Hulu’s new film “Palm Springs,” rather than applying the formula to a different brand of movie, the formula is only altered slightly.

The movie begins as a seemingly run-of-the-mill romantic comedy, taking place at a luxurious wedding in Palm Springs. But what’s slightly off is Andy Samberg’s character Nyles, who instead of a suit is wearing a Hawaiian shirt and cracking cold ones during the wedding vows. After seducing the bride’s sister, he’s then shot and killed by J.K. Simmons wielding a bow and arrow. The witness, Sarah, played by Cristin Milioti, follows wounded Nyles into a cave where she mysteriously falls into the same predicament, living the same day over and over.

It’s revealed Nyles has been living in the day of the wedding for quite a while and life is now meaningless to him. He’s mastered the day itself, knowing how every event plays out and sometimes using that to his advantage. Simmons’ character Roy is also trapped in the same day and occasionally hunts and kills Nyles for punishment. Sarah now lives in the day alongside Nyles, and their evolving relationship makes for the movie’s drama.

The movie becomes extremely entertaining and interesting as the dynamics of the time loop are revealed and the intricacies of the day’s events develop. Samberg and Milioti are compelling in their roles and equally hilarious, making their journey inside the time loop simply fun and wholesome to watch. 

While the romantic drama in the film is a bit mundane, it’s fully within the expected reality of the plot. By the movie’s end, the events feel very convenient, but it’s earned through its comedic and sharp storytelling.

By embracing the meaninglessness of life inside the time loop, truly thought-provoking and unexplored questions are brought out inside the trope itself. “Palm Springs” gets the viewer thinking about living the same day over and over unlike any other film in the “subgenre” has. Coupled with lovable characters while being genuinely funny, “Palm Springs” is a great example of how even tired tropes can be compellingly explored inside a well-written movie. 

Final Verdict: 7/10