Snack Bar Films

Groundhog Day

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Story

Self-centered, cynical TV weatherman Phil (Bill Murray) is given the assignment of attending Punxsutawney, PA’s annual Groundhog Day event. In attendance with a producer, Rita (Andie MacDowell), and cameraman Larry (Chris Elliott), Phil spends the day begrudgingly covering the holiday and wanting nothing to do with the town. That is, until he wakes up the next day to find he’s reliving Groundhog Day, over and over and over agian.

My Thoughts

Groundhog Day is one of those films where it has become so iconic that you know the story without having seen the movie yourself. It seems like I have heard about this movie every single day (get it?) in some way or another with the number of nods to the film in other television shows or movies. I absolutely understand the hype and shear reverence for the film now after having seen it. Not only is it hilarious – my favorite scene is when he punches Ned right in the face – but it is incredibly philosophical and, yes, religious. Bill Murray’s character, Phil, goes through so many phases after discovering that he is perpetually living Groundhog Day in Punxsutawney, PA. His growth as a person and discovering that being truly happy means putting others before himself is something both commendable and is found in many religions’ “rules to live by” list. Not only is it mostly realistic – I’m pretty sure I would take up bonsai tree care and mastering the art of stained glass, but ice sculpting is cool, too – in the way it approaches and represents human emotion in super weird circumstances, but the film itself makes and gets across its message of being a better person making you happier in an easily digestible manner. You do not finish the movie feeling like you just watched a religious or philosophical documentary urging you to be a better person, but instead you see how it bettered Phil and his life in the end, and may leave you with an inkling to try and better your own life to get the girl or have actual friends – though I might be getting a bit crazy here.

The film has molded itself into “classic” standing, and rightfully so. It holds true no matter when you see it, the story and craftsmanship of the filmmaking is incredible, and is absolutely a cinematic milestone with all of the references to it in regular media. Doing some digging on the backstory of the film is also really interesting. During my jump into the rabbit hole lead me to learn that the time loop could be anywhere between 30 to 40 years long! While watching I figured it had to be an incredibly long time to have mastered the piano and get to know every single person in the town but did not come close to conceptualizing that it would be anywhere near that long. I am jumping around a bit here, but I also earned that the bed and breakfast and diner became a real B&B and diner after the movie’s popularity – definitely on my bucket list now to go visit.

Characterization played a giant part of the film’s story, and I could not imagine a better deadpan comic to have portrayed Phil how Bill Murray did. His representation of the horrible jerk Phil in the beginning, to not caring that he has accomplished major feats with less than a smirk – now just how many times did he catch the falling kid out of the tree? Incredible. – is just very Bill Murray. I read in a Roger Ebert review of the film where notes the feelings of religious leaders and follows by saying, “They have a point, even about a film where the deepest theological observation is, ‘Maybe God has just been around a long time and knows everything.’” It reiterates the fact that its major theme does not feel like you are being force-fed a self-help book. Just as Ebert notes, he still went through the reckless and then suicidal phase – an accurate and understandable response to the hell he seems to be living. I also found that his view of Murray’s character “becom[ing] a better Phil, not a different Phil,” is interesting, as it is totally true. His character and self do not change, but his attitude and interest in learning and helping improve.

Overall, the film is absolutely timeless (ha.) and one I want to watch over and over again (ha ha.) just to catch all of the small things that change. Its message as well as the comedy make it just a perfect movie, and an absolute classic in my book. I think it’s safe to safe it’s even a favorite. I read another great piece about the film from a more philosophical approach that absolutely changed my view of it. While its premise is an argument for what type of philosophy it fits best with, it’s really insightful into the deeper meaning of the film. (You can find it here.) Back to the film: not only is it a good engaging story, but I loved the characterization of everyone, including Nancy, the fiancé that does not even remember him, as he notes while dressed in a cowboy costume outside of the movie theatre – sorry, doesn’t remember Bronco. Ned was also a favorite of mine, especially with how he introduced himself. I learned that there is a group of people that watches the film for twenty-four hours straight on the actual Groundhog Day (in England, where the holiday isn’t actually celebrated, funny enough), and I sense myself wanting to go watch with them.

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