Burning Palms is an ensemble comedy-drama movie that explores taboo themes and societal norms through five interlocking stories set in Los Angeles. Each tale is distinct, but all share a common theme - they offer different perspectives on how people can be held captive by their own desires and beliefs, leading them towards the kind of dark and humorous outcomes that are sometimes all too inevitable.
The stories in Burning Palms are as follows:
- In "Robbie," a wealthy young man (played by Robert Hoffman) hires a struggling actress (Shannen Doherty) to pretend to be his girlfriend so that his overbearing parents will let him pursue his true passion: being a magician.
- "Penny" follows a woman (Rosamund Pike) who becomes obsessed with her new neighbor's (Dylan McDermott) daughter.
- "Jerk" centers on a man (Jamie Chung) who is obsessed with celebrity culture and becomes embroiled in a dangerous scheme involving a paparazzo (Nick Stahl) and a desperate young actress (Zoe Saldana).
- "The Green Eyed Monster" explores the twisted relationship between a mother (Adriana Barraza) and her adult son (Anson Mount).
- Finally, "Dulce" tells the surreal story of a young woman (Emily Meade) who discovers that her father (Peter Macdissi) is having an affair with her best friend (Jamie Harris).
Through its exploration of Los Angeles' idiosyncrasies and the "anything goes" mentality of Hollywood culture, Burning Palms shines a light on the darker side of modern society. It's a movie that’s both absurdly funny and deeply disturbing, showing us just how bizarre and unpredictable life can be when we live in a world where our deepest desires and fears have become normalized.