To many audiences, Palm Springs is one of the cooler time-loop films. It presents a story reminiscent of movies like Groundhog Day. However, it trades the bitter cold of Pennsylvania for the lush balmy heat of Palm Springs, California. Furthermore, it involves multiple people who get caught in a time loop, who have to figure their way out together.
Adam Samberg stars as Nyles alongside Cristin Milioti's Sarah Wilder. The two attend a wedding only to discover the next morning they are right where they started the day before. Throughout the movie, the two encounter several personalities. They present their likability in their actions and attitudes.
Abraham Eugene Trent "Abe" Schlieffen
Tyler Hoechlin plays Abe. He is the groom at the wedding Nyles and Sarah attend, and romantic partner to Sarah's sister Tala. At first, his likability isn't put on display too clearly. However, after Nyles and Sarah experience the time loop several times, his nefarious behavior is revealed.
Abe proves to be selfish. He sleeps with his fiancée's sister the night before his wedding day. He shows remorse but remains untrustworthy. He doesn't tell his wife about what happened and proves to show little empathy as a result.
Misty
Meredith Hagner plays Misty. She is Nyles' girlfriend. She is obnoxious and appears inauthentic in her actions before the wedding. Her most unlikable qualities come out as the time loop is presented.
Misty proves to be selfish. She cheats on Nyles. She hides her behavior from him. She acts outraged when she thinks Nyles is cheating on her despite her keeping an affair from him. However, she shows her selflessness in talking about the wedding being only Abe and Tala's day.
Roy Schlieffen
Roy is played by J.K. Simmons. He is a guest at Tala's wedding. He gets sucked into the time loop after he and Nyles share a wild night. He is vengeful and malicious.
Roy hunts Nyles after he is stuck in the time loop out of revenge. He tortures him and commits several heinous acts. However, he is a funny and interesting character. He eventually changes his ways and forgives Nyles.
Pia Wilder
Pia is one of the less developed characters in Palm Springs. She is played by Jacqueline Obradors. She is Tala's mother and Sarah's stepmother. She is rarely showcased.
Pia is harsh toward Sarah. When Sarah runs away from the wedding after discovering she is in a time loop, Pia talks badly about her. She says "Sarah realized the day wasn't about her, so she left." She doesn't remember that Nyles is Misty's boyfriend.
Trevor
Chris Pang plays Trevor. He is perhaps best known for his character in Crazy Rich Asians. He is the officiator of Tala and Abe's wedding. He is one of the lesser developed characters in Palm Springs. However, audiences get to know him through his attitude and actions.
Trevor is pleasant. He gives a spirited officiation with a smile on his face. He proves to be selfish in not sharing his drugs with Roy. He cheats with Misty. However, is almost always showcased with a cheery affable demeanor.
Nyles
Andy Samberg gives one of his highest-rated movie roles as Nyles in Palm Springs. He is one of the film's protagonists. He is funny and pleasant. He is helpful, showing Sarah the ropes of the time loop.
However, Nyles is careless. He pulls Roy and Sarah into the time loop, causing them confusion and misery. He is duplicitous. He doesn't tell Sarah that they slept together. He is apathetic and hopeless. He doesn't try to escape the loop and leave the mystery to be solved by Sarah.
Sarah Wilder
Sarah, played by Cristin Milioti, is one of the protagonists in Palm Springs. She shows her likability early on in the movie. She is compassionate. She goes after Nyles when he is being hunted in an attempt to help him. The action leaves her in the time loop cave and kicks off the events of the film.
Sarah isn't without bad qualities. She sleeps with her sister's fiancé the night before her wedding day. However, she knows she has made mistake after spending days in the time loop. She is smart and funny. She is helpful. She throws Nyles a party on his millionth birthday. She is smart and convinces Nyles to leave the time loop to help him.
Howard Wilder
Many fans know Peter Gallagher for his role as the likable character Sandy Cohen in The O.C. In Palm Springs, he plays Howard Wilder, father of Sarah and Tala Wilder. He is kind.
He helps his daughter after she breaks her teeth in an accident. He finds a dentist that glues teeth to fix Tala's smile on her big day. He is caring, telling Sarah to stay hydrated when she looks "exhausted."
Tala Anne Wilder
Tala is played by Camila Mendes. She is the bride at the wedding and sister to Sarah. She is presented as altruistic. Sarah refers to her job as "bonemarrow sh*t" and that it requires a "real act of selflessness," unlike Nyles' underwhelming gesture of donating $100 to a kid selling candy bars for charity.
Tala is rarely showcased in a poor light. She is pleasant. She doesn't react in anger when Sarah tells her she slept with Abe. She is grateful, thanking her Dad profusely when he finds her a dentist. She proves to be caring and kind, presenting no acts of malice throughout the film.