While montages are commonplace in feature films, found in the majority of releases, they have a special significance in time loop stories. Why? Because as soon as a character is shown in a montage reliving multiple days in a short blast to move the plot along, all concept of chronological time is thrown out the window. The audience no longer knows if they have witnessed all of a protagonist’s time in the loop, or if all that’s shown is bits and pieces.
At the end of the day, the only people that really know how long characters spend time looping are the filmmakers and the actors – and the new comedy Palm Springs is no exception. As such, I felt compelled to ask about it when I had the opportunity to talk to the film’s stars, Andy Samberg and Cristin Milioti, during the movie’s virtual press day last month: