"Groundhog Day": Philosophical/Spiritual Messages

Rating: 10/10 (2 January 2007)

If I were to classify this film, I think I'd call it "Romantic Comedy/Fantasy". But that hardly does it justice. Bill Murray, as the obnoxious Pittsburgh weatherman Phil Connors, is hilarious, as usual. He was the perfect choice to play the self-centered Phil. To sum up the plot, if you haven't seen it: Phil travels to Punxsutawney, PA with producer Rita (Andie McDowell) & cameraman Larry (Chris Elliot) to cover the Annual Groundhog Day Celebration. (A real-life event, by the way.) After covering the celebration, they're stranded there by a blizzard. Phil awakens the next morning, or so he thinks, and soon learns a terrible truth: He's entered some kind of time loop & must live the same day over & over, again & again & again... Phil realizes that he can work this to his advantage. At first, he uses it as an excuse to abandon self-control & avoid responsibility. He takes up some unhealthy & risky habits, knowing that he can start over each day. He soon becomes despondent, however & tries to kill himself several times. Of course, he fails for obvious reasons. Eventually, he starts reaching out to help others in the community, which earns him their respect. In the process, he becomes a better person. But more to the point: Beneath the surface, Groundhog Day has a deeper meaning. The basic premise, in itself, raises the question: What power created the temporal loop in the first place? Was it God, karma or some unknown cosmic force? How long was Phil actually in the loop? Days? Years? Centuries? Would time have any meaning while he was in there? I think the movie purposely leaves these things to our imagination. Why has Phil been "sentenced" to relive this day indefinitely? Is it a divine judgment on his character? Is this his "Hell" or "Purgatory"? Is his karma catching up with him? Let's look at how Phil's life is changed by his experience: In the beginning, he's rude, obnoxious & self-centered. Being trapped in the time warp, at first, brings out his negative personality traits when he realizes that his behavior can have no apparent consequences. Some examples: He punches out a pushy insurance salesman. He steals money from an armored truck. He uses women, including Rita (on whom he has a serious crush). He smokes, drinks & overeats. He makes rude comments on-camera at the Groundhog Day Celebration. After several unsuccessful attempts at suicide, Phil begins to soften. He begins using the knowledge he's gained to reach out to others. He soon learns how to be in the right place at the right time to help people in need. Some examples of this: He saves the Groundhog Festival emcee from choking. He catches a little boy who falls out of a tree. He changes a flat tire for some elderly ladies. He comes to the aid of a homeless man & prevents him from dying of a heart attack. He even learns to play the piano & takes up ice sculpting. Phil eventually wins Rita's heart. Then he's released from the temporal loop & time again progresses normally for him. We can see, from this, how Phil Connors learns from his mistakes, changes his attitude & his outlook on life, steps out of his self-centered little world & is finally able to show true love & compassion for others. There's a definite theme of redemption & salvation here, which should appeal to Christians. Because Phil is given countless chances to change his ways, this could symbolize God's infinite mercy. This would appeal to Jews, Christians & Muslims alike. Hindus & Buddhists would appreciate how Phil begins to build up good karma through selfless acts of kindness. Phil's eventually release from the time warp may symbolize a rebirth, reincarnation, an ascension to Heaven or some sort passage into the afterlife. In conclusion, Groundhog Day, besides being a great comedy, is rich in symbolism. We could all learn something from it. I highly recommend watching it. If you've already seen it, see it again (& again & again & ...). Yes, I know it was released in 1993, but it's timeless. (Pun intended.)