Andy Samberg’s new Groundhog Day-inspired streaming hit Palm Springs is getting some praise for featuring some unapologetic bisexuality.
The comedy, streaming on Hulu in the US, is set in a time loop where Samberg’s character Nyles is doomed to experience a wedding in Palm Springs over and over and over again.
While much of the film is centred on Nyles’ relationship with Sarah, played by How I Met Your Mother‘s Cristin Milioti, he reveals to her that he’s been bored enough to hook up with a ton of people at the wedding.
Palm Springs includes a bisexual moment that is not just a tired joke.
That apparently includes gay groomsman Jerry, played by Tongayi Chirisa, who is shown previously flirting with Nyles each morning.
Explaining the hook-up to Sarah, he explains: “Well, he f**ked me… he put his penis in my butthole. I’m really glad I tried it, he’s a sweet guy.”
Nyles then tries to convince Sarah that he hooked up with her dad, before admitting that he made that one up.
The moment, which comes with no implied derision or regret, is a nice break from the usual trope of men having gay sexual experiences in straight comedies – which often relies on either cheap homophobia or sexual assault for laughs.
People praise ‘pleasantly surprising’ bisexual moment.
Although only a brief exchange in a mostly-straight film, people have praised the queer moment for bucking the convention.
One Twitter user wrote: “In case anyone was wondering, Andy Samberg’s character in Palm Springs is super chill and bisexual and it’s a delightfully funny movie.”
Another added: “Palm Springs features a casual bisexual scene involving men that is unlike anything I’ve seen in a mainstream comedy and I f**king loved it.”
Praising the film, another user wrote: “Nyles from Palm Springs the most unexpected and pleasantly surprising bisexual legend of 2020.”
A synopsis of the film reads: “When carefree Nyles (Andy Samberg) and reluctant maid of honour Sarah (Cristin Milioti) have a chance encounter at a Palm Springs wedding, things get complicated when they find themselves unable to escape the venue, themselves, or each other. The film stars Andy Samberg, Cristin Milioti, JK Simmons, Meredith Hagner, Camila Mendes, Tyler Hoechlin, and Peter Gallagher.”