Pennsylvania weatherman Phil Connors (Bill Murray) thinks a bit too much of himself than he should. Fate steps in to teach him a lesson, though. He is sent to cover the Groundhog Day celebration in Punxsutawney with a producer (Andie MacDowell) and cameraman (Chris Elliott), to his ire. He runs into irritating people, and he is stranded in town overnight by a snowstorm he failed to predict. Then, somehow, he wakes the next morning to find that he is living that same day again. And again, and again.

CRITIQUE

Comedy as a whole tends to be shunted aside more often than drama in terms of critical accolades, but also more of a favorite with audiences. When this genre does offer something critics praise, the result can be genuinely spectacular. This film is an example of that. Truly original but with no trace of strangeness, Groundhog Day is simply a funny and surprisingly romantic film.

The premise of this film is one that had really never been done before, which few films can claim. A person living a day they hated over and over again is ripe with comedic and thematic possibilities. How people relate to one another, what they chose to do with their time and energy, even the big question of what life is about isn’t too much of a stretch to talk about when discussing the story put forth in this film. Big themes are always good. As for the humor, I have a suspicion that some of the best moments in that area come from times when director Harold Ramis allowed Bill Murray to improvise. The hilarious high-speed escape with the groundhog is one example. Plus, the timing of everything always feels fresh, a remarkable achievement in a film that repeats scenes.

This is an accomplishment of not only the script but the direction as well. Ramis, involved in both those aspects, deserves a lot of praise. Continuity had to be a particular concern with this material and Ramis makes sure that is taken care of without feeling a need to call attention to it. There is a sequence in the middle of the film in which Phil tries to kill himself in many different ways. This could have become dark, but Ramis manages to keep the tone level throughout. Also, as an actor who is quite familiar with comedy (he co-starred with Murray in Ghostbusters), he wisely populates the supporting cast with comedians and lets MacDowell be luminous as well.

Related to that, the romance of the film is the most emotionally engaging part of the story. After awhile, Phil begins using the time warp to manipulate the situation between himself and Andi MacDowell’s character, Rita. She doesn’t fall for it, though, and he eventually genuinely comes to want to deserve her. He slowly learns to use the situation he’s in to do that. When he accepts what is happening to him, he is with her and tells her he’s happy now. That’s the moment you want time to finally go on for him. Groundhog Day has surprising sweetness within its inventive, entertaining premise which is helped by a talented director and stars.

THE VIDEO

Groundhog Day is presented in anamorphic widescreen. There aren’t any major flaws with the presentation.

THE AUDIO

Groundhog Day is presented in English 5.1 Dolby Digital Surround that provides excellent sound. There are also subtitles available for English, Spanish and French.

THE EXTRAS

Audio Commentary: A solo track from director Harold Ramis is included here and is a nice listen. The usual comments on actors and filming details are here, but there are also fascinating bits, too. We learn that the original script had Phil experiencing the time warp for 10000 years (an important number in the Buddhist faith) and that the studio initially balked at the death of the old homeless man. It’s great that Ramis begins by revealing that that part of the score was composer George Fenton’s homage to Nino Rota, a legendary film composer.

A Different Day: Director Ramis discusses the film now, and has a lot of interesting tidbits for the viewer. He reveals that Murray was bitten by the ground hog during the high-speed chase scene and the reaction of the public at the time of the film’s release. Most interestingly, he notes that he initially mentioned the film to Tom Hanks but Hanks said it was better that Murray was the star once he saw the film.

The Weight of Time: This is a retrospective documentary filled with new interviews from Ramis, writer David Rubin, producer Trevor Albert, and cast members MacDowell and Stephen Tobolowsky. There is a lot of good discussion of the film here, especially about the romantic plot. I particularly like what Tobolowsky says about MacDowell’s character being “thematically wedded to excellence.” One of the most interesting revelations here is that the original idea was that Phil relived the day for thousands of years. An excellent bonus!

The Study of Groundhogs: This is a cute, brief doc about the study of real groundhogs going on in the Rocky Mountains. The scientist there discuss a bit about the species, collectively called marmots, and why studying them is important. This is a nice, though tangential, addition.

Deleted Scenes: A total of six scenes are offered here, and none are extended. They are also all worth watching, though the picture hasn’t been restored like the actual film and the sound isn’t the finished track. There is a nice romantic bit where Phil is outside Rita’s hotel room and one scene provides a laugh.

FINAL THOUGHTS

Groundhog Day is a film that elicits interaction with the heart and mind long after it’s over. The comedy and original story just entertain the audience completely and it is truly unlike any other film. Film fans everywhere need to own this film, and this 15th anniversary edition is one to buy, not rent. The special features are good as well, especially the deleted scenes. Groundhog Day is worth spending money on.