Groundhog Day
Groundhog Day comes once a year, on February 2nd. During that time, everyone watches for the groundhog to see if we are going to have six more weeks of winter or not. The movie Groundhog Day celebrates this superstitious day with an original idea: what if you had to repeat the same day over and over and over, continuously, until you get it right. Get what right? That's what this movie centers its story about.
Bill Murray plays Phil, a grouchy weatherman who hates almost everything. On February 2nd, Phil gets assigned to cover the Punxsutawney Phil groundhog event. His producer, Rita (Andie MacDowell), puts up with his crap, and goes with him on his trip. Phil wakes up at 6:00 and finds his shower without hot water. This is just the start of a bad day for Phil. But unknown to Phil, this is just the start of a horrible nightmare. On the way back out of town after the big event, traffic is so bad that he can't get out of the town.
Phil decides to stay in town, which pretty much curses him. The next morning, he wakes up at 6:00 to his alarm clock playing the exact same song from the day before. He listens to the radio broadcast and realizes that they are playing the same program from the day before. Everything he does begins to repeat itself. And somehow, Phil is the only one who remembers anything. The only problem with the movie, that I can see, is that it never explains why he keeps repeating the same day over and over.
The movie has a lot of very funny moments, including the very cold shower sequence, a life insurance salesman, and, my personal favorite, a scene in which Phil tries to order the exact same thing as his producer in order to win her heart. The way this scene was edited is wonderful and one of the best moments in the movie. Bill Murray has never been better, and he makes the movie what it is. Sure, the story is good, but Murray has a comic timing that makes you laugh because you can see his frustration as he repeats everything over and over.
In one of the best sequences in the movie, Murray continuously tries to end his life by jumping off a high building or standing in front of a truck. I couldn't stop laughing because no matter what he did, he couldn't stop it. However, I also had some questions about this scene, such as how was he able to be killed and then come back to life. That's the main question with this movie that gets left unanswered. And that's the only reason that I docked it half a star. Other than that, the movie is original, funny, and has a very good cast. Hopefully Murray will be able to keep more roles like this coming his way.
Groundhog Day is rated PG. There is some violence and language, but nothing beyond that. This is a very good family film that everyone is sure to enjoy. There's even a moral message behind it, which is subtle but nice. The ending of the movie is actually kind of surprising because I didn't know what to expect. The screenplay is hilarious and director Harold Ramis keeps the pace moving, despite how many times Murray repeats the same day. And the chemistry between Murray and MacDowell is very nice and touching. If you are looking for a good romantic comedy, check this one out.
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