One standard plot for a romantic comedy is a guy who likes a girl who can't stand him. During the telling of the story, he may spend days or weeks or months until some event makes him 'grow' and she falls for him. But this assumes it is a single simple trait that he must change. But what if a guy had become so shallow and self absorbed that it would take many months, maybe even years of concentrated effort, to relearn compassion, selflessness and love?
Fate has decided that Phil Connors (Bill Murray) needs to grow. And this time Fate doesn't want to wait.
On Groundhog's day, Phil, a TV weatherman with an ego bigger than a wide screen TV could hold, is forced against his will to report on location the prognostications of Punxatawney Phil. He kind of likes his producer, Rita (Andie MacDowell) but is too superficial to even acknowledge his feeling other than to throw crass pick-up lines at her. She is sophisticated confident and compassionate. He is everything she hates in a man.
He suffers through the day not even trying to hide his contempt for having to do such a menial task. Then, contrary to his prediction, a snow storm moves in and he and the crew are stuck in Punxatawney overnight, cut off from the world.
When his room alarm goes off at 6:00am the next morning, he is surprised to hear the D.J. doing the exact same routine they did the day before. Then he sees 100's of people heading for the center of town and asks what's going on. He soon realizes it's Groundhog day again. Everything that happened happens again. People speak the same sentences word for word. And when they get snowed in again, he starts to panic.
6:00am the next day, same thing. But this time he is expecting what will happen and he reacts differently. It seems he can change things if he wants to. As the days go on, he decides to have some fun. He foils an obnoxious old school mate, he seduces a pretty young girl, he robs an armored truck, all by just knowing ahead of time what people will say or do.
How long can you do this kind of thing without getting tired of it? There is no sign telling what to do to get out of this endless loop. There is no indication that he even CAN get out. His mood turns to despair. He goes drinking and meets a few perpetual drunks who accidentally impart some wisdom. "What" Phil asks "if there was no tomorrow?". Ralph (Rick Overton) says that then nothing would matter. Phil takes that as a sign and goes on a wild car ride on a railroad track, towards an oncoming train! He kills himself!
6:00am. Not a mark on him. He kills himself over and over. He can't even escape in death!
It finally dawns on him that maybe whatever caused this wants him to be a better person. He has all the time in the world so, he learns to play piano. He makes sure each day that he is there to catch a boy falling from a tree. He meets a man with a back problem and learns enough medicine to help him. He becomes, in what seems to the town to be a single day, a good, kind, helpful, talented and popular person.
How much time has passed isn't revealed but it could be years for him. And he's still stuck. But now that he's a better person, he realizes how much he likes Rita and he realizes that now he may actually have a shot.
He asks her out and fails. But again he has forever. Every time he makes a mistake, he learns what to say or not say the next time. He learns a few lines of her favorite poem and what foods she likes. He gets to a point where he has manipulated her to the point that she is finally willing to go to bed with him. This then is his test.
Watching Bill Murray and his trademark brand of goofy lines and silly witticisms stumble through all these situations gives us a great deal of expected humor. Murray rarely disappoints, but now it's time for the romance. This is Andie MacDowell's strong suit and she was a perfect choice for this role. You feel for her more than for him. You want HIM to do the right thing because you want HER to be happy.
Some fine performances from Chris Elliott, Angela Paton and Rod Sell compliment a good directing job for Harold Ramis. No Oscar winners here but this is a very watchable light comedy with a fine if predictable romantic ending. This is a nice date movie or a Saturday afternoon, nothing else on, film.
Product DetailsOriginal Title:Groundhog Day (Special 15th Anniversary Edition)Actors: Andie MacDowell - Bill Murray - Chris ElliottCondition: USEDFor...More at iNetVideo.com
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