“Groundhog Day” follows the story of a weatherman who is forced to relive the same day countless times. However, he is the only one experiencing the phenomenon; everyone else thinks everything is normal. And while this is a very interesting concept and unique form of setting, arguably the most important part of this film is the weatherman’s transformation from the first time he relives February second, to the last.
The weatherman is named Phil and he is exquisitely played by Bill Murray. In the film’s introductory scenes it is immediately apparent that Phil is essentially an unhappy, sarcastic jerk. He is rude to everyone around him and sees no joy in the world. This attitude continues on into the first few repeated days, but continually gets worse as they go on. Phil sees himself as increasingly unimportant and out of control. He is self-loathing and becomes reckless, even suicidal. After a while, though, he begins to accept the circumstances he has been given and begins to see not what he can do for himself, but what he can do for others. As he repeats the same day he learns of different things that are happening to different people all over the town and begins preventing them. He stops a man from choking, a boy from falling out of a tree, and he fixes a flat tire for three elderly women. He starts losing his sarcastic tone and self-absorbed manner and begins to take a genuine interest in others.
This is seen specifically in his interaction with his producer, Rita. On February second, Phil is on assignment to cover a story about Groundhog Day with Rita and their camera man, Larry. Initially, Phil treats Rita just as he treats everyone else; condescendingly and with an air of annoyance. But, once he begins to realize that taking interest and learning about others is important, he begins to ask her questions. He learns where she grew up, what she studied in college, random little things about her that he would have never known prior to this repetition phenomenon. As he learns more about her, he begins to like her more and more. Still though, he uses the information he gains to create a false persona, making himself out to be exactly who she is looking for. He pretends to like all the things she likes and be exactly what she’s looking for in a man, even though he isn’t. This approach doesn’t work though, he messes something up every time and there’s even an entire sequence of him getting slapped at the end of every date. With each date, though, he likes her more and more, and it is only when he gives up his fake façade and genuinely tries to be a better person and interested in her that she returns the feelings.
This is also when it becomes February third. Phil has moved from his self-absorbed, sarcastic jerk attitude to one of acceptance. He accepts his circumstances and emotions and the fact that it is important to be genuine and, apparently, this was the end goal and he can now move on with his life as a new person.
The weatherman is named Phil and he is exquisitely played by Bill Murray. In the film’s introductory scenes it is immediately apparent that Phil is essentially an unhappy, sarcastic jerk. He is rude to everyone around him and sees no joy in the world. This attitude continues on into the first few repeated days, but continually gets worse as they go on. Phil sees himself as increasingly unimportant and out of control. He is self-loathing and becomes reckless, even suicidal. After a while, though, he begins to accept the circumstances he has been given and begins to see not what he can do for himself, but what he can do for others. As he repeats the same day he learns of different things that are happening to different people all over the town and begins preventing them. He stops a man from choking, a boy from falling out of a tree, and he fixes a flat tire for three elderly women. He starts losing his sarcastic tone and self-absorbed manner and begins to take a genuine interest in others.
This is seen specifically in his interaction with his producer, Rita. On February second, Phil is on assignment to cover a story about Groundhog Day with Rita and their camera man, Larry. Initially, Phil treats Rita just as he treats everyone else; condescendingly and with an air of annoyance. But, once he begins to realize that taking interest and learning about others is important, he begins to ask her questions. He learns where she grew up, what she studied in college, random little things about her that he would have never known prior to this repetition phenomenon. As he learns more about her, he begins to like her more and more. Still though, he uses the information he gains to create a false persona, making himself out to be exactly who she is looking for. He pretends to like all the things she likes and be exactly what she’s looking for in a man, even though he isn’t. This approach doesn’t work though, he messes something up every time and there’s even an entire sequence of him getting slapped at the end of every date. With each date, though, he likes her more and more, and it is only when he gives up his fake façade and genuinely tries to be a better person and interested in her that she returns the feelings.
This is also when it becomes February third. Phil has moved from his self-absorbed, sarcastic jerk attitude to one of acceptance. He accepts his circumstances and emotions and the fact that it is important to be genuine and, apparently, this was the end goal and he can now move on with his life as a new person.
Sources:
Barsam, Richard Meran., and Dave Monahan. Looking at Movies: An Introduction to Film. New York: W.W. Norton, 2010. Print.
Ebert, Roger. "Groundhog Day Movie Review & Film Summary (1993)." All Content. N.p., n.d. Web. 07 May 2014.
Groundhog Day. Screenplay by Danny Rubin. Dir. Harold Ramis. Perf. Bill Murrray, Andie Macdowell. Columbia Pictures Corporation, 1993.
Ebert, Roger. "Groundhog Day Movie Review & Film Summary (1993)." All Content. N.p., n.d. Web. 07 May 2014.
Groundhog Day. Screenplay by Danny Rubin. Dir. Harold Ramis. Perf. Bill Murrray, Andie Macdowell. Columbia Pictures Corporation, 1993.