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The Arts Intel Report

A Cultural Compass
For the World Traveler
A Cultural Compass
For the World Traveler

Palm Royale

Kristen Wiig in Palm Royale.

At the Palm Royale, the wives of ambassadors mingle with society doyennes, an endless stream of Grasshoppers are served poolside, and it’s better to be caught naked than without your tennis whites. Maxine Simmons D’ellacourt (Kristin Wiig), a former pageant contestant from the backwaters of Tennessee, is an outsider desperately trying to gain a foothold in the most exclusive circle of 1969 Palm Beach society. Shenanigans ensue as she tries to woo the wealthy women while concealing a host of complications in her own life. Amid the Mad Men-era outfits and updos, performances from Laura Dern, Allison Janney, and Carol Burnett add gravity to an otherwise familiar class-climbing narrative. —Paulina Prosnitz

Photo: Apple TV+