A deep and beautiful message in a funny and always appropriate movie.

Rating: 10/10 (12 February 2002)

I would like to express myself on one of the greatest and maybe most underrated movies ever made. Contained within is a deep and beautiful message that everyone should take example from.
Starting out as a sarcastic comedy, Bill Murray is Phil Connors, a self-absored and cynical weatherman. He's trying to climb the television network ladder, and though he might be on his way up, he still got a task to do that he hates above everything else. Every year, the famous Groundhog day in Punxsutawney takes place, and Phil has to make a cute report about this event. Of course, in Phils vocabulary "cute" is a synonym for "pathetic".
He travels there with a news team, the cameraman Larry (Chris Elliott) and Rita (Andie Macdowell), the total opposite of Phil. She is a kind, warm and gentle person. Naturally, there is a big clash between Phil and her.
They arrive at Punxsutawney, and Phil does a short and arrogant report and leaves shortly thereafter, to Ritas big annoyance. However, a snow storm forces Phil to stay one more night in his "favourite" town.
Next morning he wakes up early, eager to leave this extremely cute and happy place. He looks out the window, and sees a very familiar sight. It's Groundhog Day! Out on the street, he becomes perplexed and yet convinced that this is the exactly same day as yesterday. Same things happen in same order. He manages to keep sane however, and falls asleep in the evening. Next day he wakes up to exactly the same song on the radio... Rise and shine, it's Groundhog day!
I'm amazed how much truth and wisdom story writer Danny Rubin has put into this movie. First, Phil realize that he can do anything and no one can stop him. He tries out virtually every capital sin, only to realize that this is not it. After a while, he comes to the conclusion that the big change must happen within himself.
It's this conclusion I feel is the most important, as it reflects the civilization and humanity every day. We can go cursing the situation around us, but that only ends up in torturing ourselves. We have to realize that one of the few things we really have control over is, that's right, ourself. And as shown in Phil's change after this realization, everything is within us. It's only a question of letting it out and stop the feelings that makes us feel bad.
I'm not saying this is easy, it could be a lifelong process (or LOTS of Groundhog days), where you slowly have to realize that "this place might help me do something about myself". So was the story about Phil, anyway. Does he ever get out of his "personal hell"? Well, go rent the movie and find out!