We all know and love Halloween movies (241 days til October 1st, FYI) and of course Christmas flicks are a holiday staple. Mired in the worst month of the year (and with an extra day this go around to boot) is Groundhog Day – a commercialized tradition that’s as useless as non-alcoholic beer. In 1993, Bill Murray, Harold Ramis, and Andie MacDowell changed the tempo with the film “Groundhog Day.”
The comedy has since gone on to garner cult status and iconic type fanfare, but, like in “Scrooged,” demonstrates that Murray’s humor is far more palatable when sharing the stage (see “Ghostbusters”) as opposed to outright owning it.
The premise is devoid of verisimilitude, and the mechanics never really explained. Murray plays Phil Connors, a corny local weatherman who’s a jerk, and thinks his star power is far bigger than it actually is. He’s sent to the small town of Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania to cover the annual Groundhog Day festivities – and gets stuck in a time loop that sees this particular February 2 repeating for him over and over and over.
Murray is a huge name in comedy, with iconic hits like the aforementioned “Ghostbusters” and “Scrooged” showcasing his unscripted knack for laughs. “Groundhog Day” has become one of his better known movies and, while funny, enjoyable, and certainly unique, it tends to get a bit dull. At 1:41 it’s tough to have a pacing issue, but had the film been trimmed 8-10 minutes it would have been a massive improvement.
Andie MacDowell joins Murray as his quirky and optimistic producer Rita. She serves as the love interest, and MacDowell proves as she often did in 90s cinema that she’s a fantastic acting talent and as close to flawless in this type of role as one could be. MacDowell plays well off of Murray, allowing him to own the spotlight but never once letting you forget that she’s playing an equal part.
The story is based on the writings of Danny Rubin and Murray’s fellow Ghostbuster Harold Ramis. Ramis would also produce and direct the movie, and showcases why he was an amazing talent both in front of and behind the camera. Ramis perfectly tells the story of small town Punxsutawney, and the locals’ obsession with one bleak day in the middle of winter. As Phil Connors’ day keeps repeating, subtle touches are included to let us know this absurd scenario is happening.
Time loop movies can be fun. “12 Dates of Christmas” is one of my go to holiday films every year, and horror films such as “Happy Death Day” have a similar premise. “Groundhog Day” is undoubtedly the most well-known, and it’s a great story, just one that gets a bit tired as the process continues. I’ve read the analysis of obsessed fans that have concluded Phil Connors Groundhog Day repeats 12,403 times, and while that’s obviously not shown in its entirety, by the one hour mark you may start to understand.
The movie is one of personal growth, as we watch Phil Connors go from selfish a-hole to likable guy when forced into it by the circumstances that surround him. I repeat, Murray is funny, but too much Murray is not. The movie straddles the border, and bigger fans of his will love it while others may not.
“Groundhog Day” is a good film, and one that deserves your attention. It may not become a yearly must watch staple, but can be an enjoyable to way to get you through the perils of winter –and just think – only 88 days until May 1.
