Groundhog Day (DVD)

...Introduction -

Groundhog Day is one of my favourite movies and has been for many, many years. I first saw it when I was probably about 13 or 14 years old, so a few years after it was first released, as it dates from 1993.

In a way its a typical Bill Murray movie, with plenty of his style of somewhat dark humour but what makes this particular movie different is the, at the time original, story. The story behind this ...
...cast) -

Groundhog Day tells the story of a cable TV weatherman by the name of Phil Connors (played by Bill Murray), who is rather bored with the idea that he has to travel through to the sleepy town of Punxsutawney, where, every year, like in real life, they hold a ceremony where they bring out a Groundhog and see if it can spot its shadow, to determine if spring is around the corner. Now Phil has already covered this event for many ... more

- Introduction -

Groundhog Day is one of my favourite movies and has been for many, many years. I first saw it when I was probably about 13 or 14 years old, so a few years after it was first released, as it dates from 1993.

In a way its a typical Bill Murray movie, with plenty of his style of somewhat dark humour but what makes this particular movie different is the, at the time original, story. The story behind this movie is one that has always fascinated me and caught my imagination. I wonder what I would do, if I were in the same shoes as the main character, Phil Connors.

I have seen this movie many, many times by now, having taped it off TV, being given an official VHS video copy of it as a present from someone and later on I bought it on DVD for a few quid, of course.

- Main Credits (non-actors, which are mentioned further on in the review) -
Source:- IMDB (see:- http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0107048/fullcredits)

Director - Harold Ramis
Writer - Danny Rubin
Screenply - Danny Rubin, Harold Ramis
Producers - Trevor Albert, Harold Ramis
Associate Producer - Whitney White
Executive Producer - C.O. Erickson

- Story (incl. some of the acting cast) -

Groundhog Day tells the story of a cable TV weatherman by the name of Phil Connors (played by Bill Murray), who is rather bored with the idea that he has to travel through to the sleepy town of Punxsutawney, where, every year, like in real life, they hold a ceremony where they bring out a Groundhog and see if it can spot its shadow, to determine if spring is around the corner. Now Phil has already covered this event for many years before and so isn't much excited with the prospect of covering it again, being joined by his producer Rita (played by Andie Dowell) and cameraman Larry (played by Chris Elliott). However, the weather unfortunately gets in the way when a freak snowstorm hits and he is unable to leave the town, so he's forced to go back to the small B&B and stay for another night.

On waking the following morning, he discovers that it appears to be as if he's living the previous day again, with the same song playing on the radio alarm clock that wakes him up (I Got You Babe) and when he goes outside, he discovers that everyones heading to the town square for the Groundhog Day ceremony again, which had just happened, he thought, yesterday. So it appears as if he's living the same day again, which is, as im sure you could understand, just a little unsettling for Phil. Things only get more confusing, however, as when he meets up with Rita and Larry, they have no recollection of the day before and don't know what he's talking about, about them having alread covered the event the previous day. As the movie goes on, this pattern continues as every time Phil goes to sleep, he wakes up to it being Groundhog Day, every day and so he relives the same day over and over again. As this happens, he starts to notice alot of the smaller details of what happened during that one day, while he questions his sanity and tries out different things to see if they would affect the next day but nope, every time he wakes up to that cheery song of I Got You Babe playing on the radio and the radio DJ warning everyone to put their booties on because 'its collddd outside' (I've seen the movie so many times I know this bit off by heart lol).

While Phil feels as if he's permanently stuck reliving this one day, he does many things, getting in trouble with the police, attempting things that normally would affect his state the following day (not wanting to spoil the movie but thats the best I can think to put it) and also he realises that he has feelings for Rita, too. The problem is, when he wakes up the 'following' morning, it being yesterday all over again, no-one else ever remembers what happened the day before (as its the same day every day, so in a sense the day before, which is also that same day (are you following me? think about it), as it didn't really happen... so as much as Phil can try and show Rita how he feels about her, come the 'next day' or the next 'copy' of that day, she's clueless and has no idea and so Phil has to start from the beginning again.

Will Phil ever manage to get out of this cycle or is he doomed to re-live the same day over and over again? is he crazy? what about Rita, can she ever remember the 'following' day, will any of them remember what happened? is there ever to be another day for any of these people? you'll have to watch the movie to find out, of course.

- Genre-

This is a comedy drama movie, with fairly dark humour and romance elements.

- Thoughts/Opinions/Extra Information -

There is something special about this movie. Since its been made, there have been a few similar movies made, some straight to video ones, based on the same story/concept of somebody who wakes up to re-live exactly the same day over and over again. I once caught a very similar movie that was shown on Channel 4, maybe around 4 or 5 years ago, about a guy who was fed up with his office job and ended up reliving the day when he was going to quit his job, I think thats what it was anyway... I believe that movie was called something like 12:15, the time being of importance in the story. Anyway the point is that this movie inspired others to make similar movies based on the same idea. Its a bit like some music groups will have tribute groups and that can be seen as quite a compliment, to have people that want to recreate the original setup. It tells you that clearly something worked there, that others want to recreate...

I've always thought that its clever how the movie appears to have some pretty serious content to it and yet it can be really quite funny at times too. It has a very good script, I feel, you can tell that the writers really thought it out, as it is quite complicated and it is pretty clever, as you watch Phil take note of some of the smaller events that happen during this one day and as things progress, he learns how to help those who get in trouble and stop people from making mistakes and so on, while also helping himself in using each 'version' of the day to learn more about Rita and try to impress her more and more each time. There's one part in the movie where Phil is just so frustrated and annoyed that he decides to get in trouble with the police by kidnapping the famous Groundhog and going on the run in a small truck, which, of course, causes alot of alarm and concern. The end of this particular, hmmm, adventure, is rather explosive, to put it one way, too but you cant help but to root for poor Phil and hope for the best, as he simply hopes that by getting into trouble, he'll end up behind bars and able to wake up the next day in jail and not have to hear that song on that radio alarm again!. To start with, Phil is clearly not the nicest guy around and so you might wonder quite how we manage to feel sorry for him, in a sense you could feel like he deserves what he gets, as at first he does seem to be somebody who doesn't care to take time to notice much in anyone else and indeed all he cares about at first is getting the heck out of what he probably sees as an annoyingly boring little town, by being made to relive the same day over and over again, it forces him to see the people around him and to appreciate the town and the people and what goes on and to get involved with that.

** Warning - Potential Spoilers (some more detailed info. about scenes/parts of movie which, if you've never seen it before, you may not want to know, in which case skip the rest of this section) **

I like that there are so many small details which, on first viewing of the movie at least, you don't really pick up on at first, until Phil notices, as he keeps on reliving this fated day again and again, as I say he starts to notice more smaller things. An example would be that there is a homeless man which he eventually discovers is fated to die that day and so, at one point, he invites him into a cafe and treats him to a sort of a last supper and he helps an elderly couple that have a flat tyre in the town too. As the movie goes on, he learns new skills too, such as how to play the piano I believe and he learns French poetry, after having learn that Rita is particularly keen on this, which he thens uses to woo her later on (of course she's rather bemused how Phil knew that she liked this poetry, not realising she had told him this during a previous version of the same day). Phil even ends up being offered for auction at a charity auction towards the end of the movie, I think this is a great scene because it showcases just how popular Phil had become at that time, with so many people getting up and trying to bid for an evening with him, it gets fairly heated with the old ladies saying how he had helped them and how kind he is and other people saying similar things. This is clearly not the same Phil Connors that we saw at the start of the movie! but it does feel kind of satisfying to see that this man has seemingly changed his ways and the town is clearly very fond of him.

There is something different about this movie, I guess its mainly because the story was something fresh for its time but even watching it now, I still feel like its a pretty fresh kind of movie, although its 15 years old, in terms of having a story that feels fairly new, something that hasn't been done too many times, even if there are similar movies like I've mentioned already, to me nothing beats this one. The story is complicated in a way but with a fairly basic story of a day that is relived over and over again, the characters are all different and interesting in their own way and I feel that as a viewer, its quite fascinating to watch the development of these characters, particularly of Phil, to see how he copes with this somewhat soul destroying situation and how the other characters react to this man, who gets more desperate as time goes on, worrying the other characters who just cant understand why he's so desperate (as to them, they havent been reliving the same day, its only Phil who seems to realise he's stuck in this seemingly un-ending loop). The humour is, I feel, quite dark at times but also very good, you can laugh a fair bit, while also walk away from it feeling intrigued by the story, I dare you to watch this and not laugh at least a couple of times, mainly from the absurdities that are present and also not to wonder how you would cope, what you would do, if you were Phil, how may you try to force the next real day to come? what would you do? interesting stuff! I suppose it may not suit everyone but I saw this movie first when im guessing I was around 13 or so and I really enjoyed it then and I wanted to see it again. Ever since then, its been one of my favourite movies, I've always thought that it was very clever, funny and touching in a sense too, with the whole community aspect to it and the ending is one that should leave you feeling happy for Phil, it should leave you relieved and satisfied, I don't believe its overly sappy or that it ruins the movie, to me its just about right. So yes, I've been a fan of this movie for quite some time and first saw it as a young teenager and appreciated and enjoyed it then, I wasn't really into very dark comedies then, I would say that the comedy is fairly dark at times and so it may not appeal to or work for absolutely everyone but again, I first saw it at around 13 years old before seeing any other similar movie or other dark comedies and I did particularly enjoy it... I always have enjoyed seeing movies that have a really basic, interesting and imaginative story, something a little different.

Yes Bill Murray has starred in plenty of similar movies you could say, he has his own brand of comedy I suppose and this is no different in that way, I guess but I do feel that this movie has this something extra which just raises it that much higher above other movies he's done. To me it is a classic movie, its won a few awards but no Oscars, which is a shame, so it has had a bit of recognition but its not been overly fussed about, from what I know and to me, it just is a gem of a movie. It has the 3 main, crucial, items that, to me, make for a classic solid movie, those being a very good and well thought out story or script, interesting characters with good character development and these characters are played by very competent actors, in my humble opinion.

I also feel that the more you watch this movie, the more you may notice and pick up on, it is one that is particularly good for repeated viewings. As I say, ive been a fan of it for some times and owned multiple copies of it, so obviously I have watched it quite a number of times so far and there's no doubt I'll watch it again. It may be 15 years old but it hasn't dated as such, the idea behind it is still interesting enough.

To me this is a classic movie that everyone should watch at least once.

- Certificate -

Groundhog Day is rated PG in the UK, due to some of the themes and scenes present in the movie, such as implied sex between two people (only implied with clothes on the bed etc.) and mild profanity. There is no strong violence, graphic sex or drug scenes present and so the film shouldn't offend or be any problem for older kids, I'd have thought. I wouldn't recommend it to children that are very young, like under 10 or so, considering the story is somewhat complicated, it takes a bit of concentrating to follow it all and also (trying not to give too much away) there are scenes where its implied that Phil attempts to hurt himself too, although nothing of any real substance is shown, if that explains that well enough hopefully...

- Official Website -

The movie is 15 years old, so it pre-dates having an official website launched with its release (heck back in 1993 I dont think many people knew of the internet, in the way we do now anyway). However, as always, there's plenty of info. to be found at the IMDB entry for the movie, which can be found here:- http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0107048/
such as quotes, trivia, other user reviews, related photos and videos etc.

- Conclusions -

I love this movie, it does seem somehow kind of under stated and it didn't get overly recognised, from what im aware of anyway, when it was originally released but on multiple viewings of this movie, I've become more and more keen on it. Its witty, with what, to me, is a fascinating story with some interesting characters, good character development, some touching moments and some pretty funny scenes too. Its not so soppy or so cold either, that it should put you off or that it ruins the movie, there are quite a few different aspects to this movie but they all work quite well, I feel.

In this age of slapstick comedy and dumbed down movies, I feel this is an example of a movie that benefits very much from a well thought out story/script and good performances from the decent cast as a range of intriguing characters, Bill Murray particularly as the very frustrated Phil, who at one point practically loses the will to live but at other points can make you laugh. Somehow you are made to feel sorry for this guy, as unloveable as he may seem to be at the start of the movie, he changes during the movie and its quite interesting to watch what unfolds.

This is one of my favourite movies, so of course I have to give it a good rating. I'm sure there will be people who will disagree with what I've said, there will be people who aren't as keen on it but personally, I really like this movie, I think its something a little different thats done very well and that everyone should watch it at least once. You never know, you may just surprise yourself and enjoy it. This is a film I'd recommend to just about anyone, so I'll just end this by saying, if you haven't already, give it a go!

I hope that this review is useful. Being as this is one of my favourite movies, I've waited a while before reviewing it and I do hope that people feel I've given it justice. I may edit it at some point to add more if I think of anything extra worth adding, I try not to make my reviews annoyingly overly long but I hope that it at least helps add some extra interest to anyone who hasn't yet seen it and for those who have, I hope that they agree, at least in parts, with my views and like I say, I hope they think ive done it justice.

Thanks, as always, for reading! 

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