One of the most fascinating kinds of films is one that not only revolutionizes a whole genre, but also completely cements and popularizes an entire concept. Very rarely do films nowadays ever leave such an impression on the industry as a whole, but, as of 1993, I'd say a film like Groundhog Day is absolutely no exception. A very recent example, indeed, specifically popularizing the use of time loop in fiction to a point where many modern film and TV works have adopted the same formula -- whether it be for a little tidbit or the entirety of a plot. Apart from its general significance, though, just what is it about Groundhog Day that makes it so great even to this day? As always, let's critically examine the aspects of the movie to determine precisely what makes it such a spectacle!
*Not sure about a spoiler tag since, as of now, it's a rather familiar plot*
The film is a seamless blend of romantic comedy and fantasy about egotistical TV weatherman, Phil Connors (played by Bill Murray) as he reluctantly covers the annual Groundhog Day festival on February 2nd in Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania. He begins by giving a halfhearted report with assistance from his colleague, Rita Hanson (played by Andie MacDowell), and camera man, Larry (Chris Elliot) after which the groundhog sees his shadow. They become stranded in Punxsutawney when the blizzard Phil predicted would miss them ends up hitting them right where they are. Ever so unusually, Phil wakes up the next morning and finds himself reliving Groundhog Day in Punxsutawney many times to a point where he believes he's going insane. Eventually, he chooses to indulge in a hedonistic lifestyle before trying to impress Rita with every chance he gets, every time pretty much ending up in failure. When nothing seems to be working, he attempts suicide several times yet that never breaks the loop. Over time, Phil begins to consciously re-examine his life and priorities and finds just what he's looking for, which ultimately breaks the loop.
Predictable as it sounds, the ways in which Groundhog Day combines genres is what makes it unique in the sense that it depicts various phases of life and teaches great life lessons without being too over-dramatic about it. As I said before, the movie basically takes the seemingly opposite genres of romantic comedy and fantasy, sticks them in a blender, and yet it still comes out looking great. It's funny when it needs to be without being overly slapstick and when things get serious it really makes you feel and think about what's going on (as it relates to you and the characters and yourself). The initial few loops start off with Phil, unaware of what's going on around him, educating himself in a manner that's similar to a child in early education before rebelling in ways akin to a teenager. This segment of the film is lighthearted to where anyone watching can easily enjoy the comedic bits more so when they get older. As the film progresses and becomes more serious, it's easy to feel what Phil is going through as many of us have tried to get through life with a certain ambition in mind only to have it blow up in our faces as with his many attempts to impress Rita. Surely we all have reached a point where we've felt like giving up as Phil attempted to many times throughout the middle. Ultimately, Phil chooses to continue living, no longer for himself, but for others throughout the town, effectively showcasing the idea that we get to choose how we want to live -- for ourselves or for others.
On top of the profound moral lesson is perhaps some of the best acting I've seen in a romantic comedy-styled film. Having only previously seen him in a purely lighthearted action comedy like Ghostbusters, I was genuinely surprised to see mainly Bill Murray had the capability to portray himself a number of different ways. His going from comedically self-centered, clueless, carefree, and ambitious at the start of the film to depressive and downcast at the midway point was a seamless transition I had no idea he could pull off. Without a doubt, he was the selling point of the movie and I have no idea if anybody would remember he starred in it were it not for his spectacular performance. The other actors, while not nearly as notable the main star, have neat interplay with Murray's character throughout and are given interesting things to do every time they appear (i.e.: Stephen Tobolowky's Ned Ryerson and his insurance offers as well as his signature "Bing!"). Even if I can't say much else about the supporting cast members, it's still the best onscreen performance of Bill Murray's I've ever seen.
What pushes the film into speculative territory is just how open to interpretation everything is in relation to the time loop. For example, what's causing the time loop? How long does he actually spend there (days, weeks, months, or years maybe)? And what exactly happened that allowed Phil to finally escape it? We don't know for sure; based on my interpretation, though, I believe that somehow time is acting against Phil in order to make him fix up his life before it's too late. Him being arrogant and self-centered as he is in the beginning could have been the wake up call to start living for others that he had to figure out with time before he could move on. As for how long he spent trapped in the loop, I didn't keep track of nor interpret how long for myself, although many have assumed anywhere from 10 to 10,000 years before he could finally move onto February 3rd. Finally, what helped break the loop was his drive to finally start living selflessly, which got him the girl in the end as he no longer was stuck being the same old person doing the same old thing. Of course, this is just my opinion and it's not very deep, but I am welcome to hear anybody else state what kind of story they think it's trying to tell!
As of now on this blog, I hardly ever review movies that can barely have anything negative said of it and this is for surely one of them! Between popularizing the time loop plot device, the complex plot and ideas surrounding the narrative, Bill Murray's stellar performance, and the rules for how things worked being left open to interpretation, Groundhog Day is as notable as it is well-written and is unlikely to fade into the background of film history any time soon. Were it not for its main factors and more, I don't know how else it could have influenced Hollywood and fiction in general -- I mean we could've had a movie about an immortal character watching the world change around them, but that's another story. That said, I score the movie with a solid A and consider it a must see for anyone reading and beyond!
Thanks y’all for reading and, as always, I will see you in the next review!
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