Groundhog Day

Often you hear the adage, "It is just a film". Well, for most times it is true. But on rarest of rare occasions, it isn't. This was one of them. Like a great piece literature, painting, poetry, speech it has the capacity to change the way you feel and think. It is the biggest compliment I can pay to a film. I rank Groundhog Day with Seventh Seal, Wild Strawberries, Waking Life, Synecdoche New York, Tokyo Story, Ikiru as one of the moves that has the capacity to change.

It is anything but a preachy film as the "intro" to the review might suggest. In fact it an extremely entertaining and funny film with one of the best performances ever by Bill Murray. The plot revolves around a weather man (Bill Murray) is reluctantly sent to cover a story about a weather forecasting "rat" (as he calls it). This is his fourth year on the story, and he makes no effort to hide his frustration. On awaking the 'following' day he discovers that it's Groundhog Day again, and again, and again. First he uses this to his advantage, then comes the realization that he is doomed to spend the rest of eternity in the same place, seeing the same people do the same thing every day.

The challenge here for the makers was in terms of screenplay, editing and performances. Bear in mind that, the "loops" Bill Murray's character goes through, might become redundant for the audience after a while. This is where the genius of Harold Ramis and Bill Murray comes into play, who seem to introduce a "novelty" factor with every shot of the same sequence. I couldn't think of any actor other than Murray who could have pulled this one off.

It is a movie likely to deceive you in its effortless narrative and casual comic tone. Yes, it is funny, but make no mistake about it, it is a film with a strong philosophical undertone. This is a quality that separates Groundhog from rest of the movies with similar intent. It tells you what it intends to on your terms. It deals with the questions that bother us for a better part of our lives i.e. meaning of life, purpose of life, existentialism, death, god but never preaches, nor propels any propaganda. But by the end of it, you know that something has changed, something you didn't see coming has happened. And then you watch it again only to realize the moment of Epiphany that eluded you the first time.

Every time I am down or losing perspective this is the movie that eases everything and makes me ask a simple question, "What is important?". One of the absolute great films of the 90s, but more than just a film for me.

This movie is so charming. It starts out with Phil Connor, the Bill Murray character, doing his Bill Murray. Cynicism emanating from every pore. He is harsh, disinterested, angry, full of angst. Making jokes about everything. Everybody knows it. Everybody feels it. When the "gift" or "curse" comes to him to relive the same day over and over, he at first is confused, then flippant, then angry, then suicidal, and, finally, sees it as a chance to reclaim his humanity. This is done in a series of repetitious acts which ultimately lead to his willingness to sacrifice himself, live for the day, and try to show that he is worth saving. What this movie does, like "It's a Wonderful Life," is ask us what we would do, given the same circumstances. Would we fall into a retreat of depression? Would we become something that we always wanted to be? Would we keep living it the same way, hoping for he best? Murray's character wants the romance and the commitment that he was never willing to give. He toys with his own approach to the world, experimenting and doing things until he gets them right. He goes through a period of embracing the bad, lusting after Andy MacDowell, forcing himself on the other women in the town, disdaining the "characters" he meets. But like most "everymen," he eventually must become good because without that, it doesn't matter anymore.

He can only impress so much; he can only be angry so long. I find this movie so intriguing, not for what it says but for what it teaches. Some don't like the ending, but whatever the forces are that bring it about, it has to be. If we accept that premise, it's OK.

It's 2019 and I still watch this movie from time to time, feels like 6am all over again. I've seen a few copy-cat movies borrowing the same 'repeats' but it's just not the same or memorable.

The humor is charming and intelligent, great lines, characters and can even make you fall in love with the town. The scene with the old man always gets to me, you really feel for all the characters. I can watch this over and over.

Bill Murray can be a very funny guy, especially when given roles where his character has a deliciously cruel edge. He has one of those faces, and a voice to go with it, which can make nastiness and sarcasm funny. Groundhog Day is a highly enjoyable vehicle for Murray's talents. It also has a very clever concept, neatly brought to the screen by actor-turned-director Harold Ramis (who starred alongside Murray in the Ghostbusters films).

Pittsburgh weather-man Phil Connors (Bill Murray) is sent on assignment to Punxatawney, where on Groundhog Day each year the locals have a tradition of consulting the groundhog to find out if spring is imminent or if they should prepare for 6 more weeks of winter. Phil despises the job and the town, and can't wait to get it over with.... even though he has a soft spot for Rita (Andie MacDowell), the producer overseeing his broadcast. Phil's dislike of Punxatawney, its people and its traditions is set to get a hell of a lot worse though.... as when he awakens the next morning he finds himself reliving the same day. And so it goes - every time Phil gets up, it's still February 2nd and he seems destined to be stuck in the same day for the rest of eternity.

It seems early on in the proceedings that the film might run out of steam and inspiration. After all, how can a film about a day which repeats itself be anything but repetitive? Thankfully, Groundhog Day is full of ingenious ideas, and it successfully throws up new developments and delightful twists at every opportunity. The film is laced with memorable dialogue, and Murray gets to play one of the defining roles of his career as a facetious, sharp-tongued misanthrope who ultimately learns the error of his ways. Groundhog Day is a very good film indeed, and restores one's faith in the imagination still lurking beneath the dismayingly shallow surface of Hollywood.

Even if you do not realize, this movie is about you.