Warm and delightful with a universal message

Rating: 8/10 (25 August 2011)

The most striking thing about Groundhog Day is its relatability. In India, there is an ongoing clash between Anna Hazare, a social activist and the Indian government. The issue is the introduction of Jan Lokpal Bill- a bill that employs tougher measures to root out corruption. Anna, with his countless fasts and the government's constant rejection of the former's proposed bill is entering into a log jam. The Indian news channels that cover this issue keep rambling every single day without even throwing light on other issues like the zeroing in on Gaddafi etc. Whenever I switch to the news channels, I feel so bugged by the repetitiveness that I switch over to movies, and that boredom got me to Groundhog Day, and I was actually delighted by the movie. Very few movies are able to take a simplistic plot and retain its sweetness and also send the message across subtly.
Phil (Bill Murray) is an egocentric, apathetic and caustic reporter who does his duty mechanically, insults his colleagues and keeps quibbling for a better life. His companion Larry (Chris Elliot) too is indifferent to him. When the two of them, along with an optimistic, bright and large-hearted reporter named Rita (Andie MacDowell) have to cover an annual event called the Groundhog Day in the quaint, difficult-to-pronounce town of Punxuntawney, in which a groundhog decides whether spring would come or not, depending on whether its seen its shadow or not, Phil gets even more agitated, grumbling and 'prima donna'. He even looks down on the generous and simple-minded town folks and avoids his over-zealous, annoying old classmate Ned (Stepher Tobolowsky). Groundhog Day turns out to be a failure with the groundhog prognosticating that the town wouldn't see spring for the next few weeks, and Phil, Rita and Larry can't leave the place because of a blizzard. However, this is nothing compared to the one that befalls Phil later. He wakes up the next day to find that it's Feb 2 again and he has to relive the day again and again. How Phil turns this curse to a blessing is what the movie is about.
The first question that came to my mind while watching the film was that how was it going to be different and keep me engaged for more than 90 minutes? I'm eighteen now and there so there was a time when I loved Disney shows and this time loop phenomenon has been done on quite some Disney shows. Also, I was slightly put off when I came to know that this was a time loop story, since I already had pictured some predictable sequences in my mind, which thankfully didn't occur. Yeah, Phil is flabbergasted and confused, he does seek for solutions and there are other predictable things done by him, but nothing dampens the mood of the film. And this is because 1) The performance by Bill Murray is natural and 2) The screenplay never turns corny.
Phil does everything to push the day forward, failing every time. He first acts funny, doing random stuff, then goes ballistic and kills himself in different ways, acts like a jerk to everyone around him, then tries to seduce Rita, only to wake up to the tune of Cher and Bono and morning radio. What he realizes eventually that his time may seem monotonous to him because he never lived his day to the fullest. That's when Phil decides not to live the day for himself but for everyone around him. This may sound too clichéd, but thankfully it is handled with care and finesse.
The humor in the film is spontaneous and restrained, never going overboard, even at the most desperate moments. Some of my favorite digs are the one where déjà vu is mistook for a beverage and the 'Don't spoil it' by Andie MacDowell towards the end. The auction scene too is hilarious. The best part is the flow of the humor, not too little, not too much.
The acting is strong. Murray becomes Phil, and plays his character truthfully throughout. I agree with Roger Ebert that Bill was tailor-made for this role. Had this role gone to other actors, it wouldn't have been so sincerely played. Let's look at a few examples:
1) Jim Carrey- 'OH this can't BE HAPPENing! I'm going crazy, yeah! I'm GOING CRAZY!!!" And the crazy gestures and hyper-acting.
2) Ben Stiller- 'Oh no, I can't believe this is happening!" Blank stare at the wall, puts pillow over his head.
3) Gerald Butler- (I know he is new but it's just an example) "Sex. Yeah, sex!" And nothing else.
4) Adam Sandler- A complete no-no
The rest of the cast too shoulders the film quite well, especially Andie, who has to play the same scene again and again, each time refreshing her act.
When Phil decides to improve himself, he does not make the day perfect for him but for everyone around him. His perception towards the townsfolk changes. He gets a couple married and gives them tickets to Wrestlemania (LOL!), helps a few others and even plays the piano! And everything falls in place, as for the very first time he spends the night with Rita without getting slapped. And that's when he has learned his lesson and in Phil's own words, "Today is tomorrow!" A very poignant moment is when one realizes that Phil on his final day does not take advantage of Rita, and decides to sleep instead of going third-base hastily and ruining everything.
To be special, a movie has to have its moments. Groundhog Day has lovely, breezy moments and gives a slender treatment to its script. My rating: 8/10