The ultimate 80's-style comedy!

Rating: 9/10 (16 July 2006)

GROUNDHOG DAY (1993) continues the tradition of 80's-style comedies such as THE BLUES BROTHERS (1980), GHOSTBUSTERS (1984) and SCROOGED (1988), although there is a major difference. This one is based on an amazing concept, and has much more ambitious, existentialistic themes, almost in the vein of art-house movies, yet without ever feeling pretentious. It manages to be as thought-provoking and clever as movies by Stanley Kubrick, Michael Haneke or Lars von Trier, but it's told in such a light manner that it's much easier to grasp for mainstream audiences. Therefore it's able to almost sneak its themes in on those, who perhaps aren't normally used to thinking about the movies they watch. To me that's a great accomplishment in itself. GROUNDHOG DAY shows how we shouldn't take the important things for granted, that we should make the most of the time we are given on Earth, and that if the world feels like a terrible place, the changes must come from within yourself.
It's a movie which different people will interpret different meanings from. It tells the story of Phil Connors (Bill Murray), an arrogant and egocentric TV weatherman, who goes on an assignment in Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania, where he mysteriously gets forced to live through the same day over and over, apparently with no possibility to break the loop. This gives him the opportunity to explore life without consequences. At first he takes advantage of his situation by stealing money, becoming a drunk, and even committing suicide. Yet Phil soon realizes that his hostility towards the world isn't really because of the world, it's because of himself. The lesson is that he must change within to get together with his dream-woman and live happily ever after. Phil is not supposed to make her like him, he's supposed to make himself a likable guy. If you are constantly angry at the world then search within yourself, because that's most likely where the problem exists.
GROUNDHOG DAY is Harold Ramis's greatest movie yet. It far exceeds his other comedies, which are funny movies, but without the grandiosity of this one, in terms of the unique idea and themes. Of course Danny Rubin's ingenious manuscript has to receive credits as well, as it is basically the premise of the whole movie. Bill Murray, who is one of my favorite actors, is perfect as the Phil Corners character. Murray is able to express more than thousands of words with his eyes, and his sense of irony is fully exploited. The cameo-roles are full of comedic character-actors such as Chris Elliott, Harold Ramis (the director) and Stephen Tobolowsky. Pure genius! 10/10