Laura’s Rating: 4/5 Stars
I recently rewatched this comedy classic and it once again delivered smiles and laughs. The film stars Bill Murray as TV weatherman Phil Connors, Andie MacDowell as station producer Rita Hanson, and Chris Elliott as Larry the cameraman.
The Analysis:
We meet Phil Connors just before he heads to Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania to cover the annual Groundhog Day celebrations. Phil is cocky and full of himself, treating his two coworkers, Rita and Larry, with little to no respect. He unenthusiastically gets the reporting job done, complaining about the small town the whole time. At the end of the day, an unexpected blizzard traps the trio in the small town for the night. The next morning, he awakens in his hotel room, but the radio is playing the same song and the DJs discuss Groundhog Day…
While not the first film to do this, Groundhog Day is by far the best known example of the time loop concept, where the main character lives the same day over and over. First, it seems like a bizarre case of deja vu or maybe a simple mixup. Yet after walking around the town a bit, Phil realizes that he is reliving the same day as yesterday. After the next reset the following morning, he realizes he can do anything without facing the consequences the next day. He engages in reckless and rude behavior, all while trying to seduce Rita by using knowledge from past days. Eventually, Phil becomes tired and desperate, attempting to kill himself in various ways, yet always waking up perfectly fine the next morning. Phil must deal with how to exist in the same day without completely losing his mind or feeling worthless.
Andie MacDowell portrays her kind and genuine character well and is likeable from the start of the movie. The character evolution of Phil, however, is the most important and engaging part of the film and Murray portrays the subtle changes perfectly. The movie showcases Murray’s range of acting as Phil’s behavior bounces around from sarcastic to funny to serious and everything in between. Groundhog Day is a funny, thoughtful movie with a charming small town and a hopeful storyline. A must watch for both its cultural significance and the simple enjoyability.
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