CineTVContest: Groundhog Day

This weeks CineTVContest centers around finding a movie where weather plays a major role. While there are many movies out there that center around weather as the main topic, I chose one where the weather impacts the entire premise of the movie, but doesn't constantly pound you with it's intensity. Since I wasn't able to compete in last weeks contest, Romantic Comedies, I figured I'd combine the two and review one of my favorite movies of all time.

Groundhog Day stars Bill Murray as an extremely narcissistic weatherman tasked with covering the yearly groundhog event in the po-dunk town of Punxsutawney, PA. Andie MacDowell plays his very harried producer along with Chris Elliott as his cameraman. Upon arriving in town and completing his duties with as minimal effort as he can get away with, the crew tries to race out of town to beat a massive snowstorm which "Phil" (Murray's character) incorrectly forecasted wouldn't happen. Unfortunately, the roads are shut down and the team is stranded in Punxatawney for at least a couple days.

What follows is classic Bill Murray as he wakes up the next day, only to find himself back where he started 24 hours earlier. Reliving multiple interactions he had with various characters, Murray spends the rest of the movie first despairing, then becoming desparate, and finally coming to grips with his fate. Along the way he learns to lose his narcissism and become a better friend, co-worker, and ultimately a more lovable person as he remains trapped in the same day forever: Groundhog Day.

Throughout the movie, the storm hangs over the scene as it is integral in the decisions made by the team in their timing of events. Groundhog Day itself is weather-related as it's supposed to predict when winter will end. While it never really plays into the events as they are happening, as I said, the approaching storm affects the whole tone of the day being relived.

Andie MacDowell is as sweet as they come in her role as Phil's producer. She and Larry (Chris Elliott) team up to try and coax Phil to at least show something resembling a conscience as he deals with people, but it's a tough go. The gradual metamorphisis of Phil from an egomaniacal "star" to an actual thoughtful, caring human being is shown throughout the movie by his daily interactions with the team. Even though everything is happening on the "same day", each encounter changes and we're able to see him slowly progress. These conversations are almost like report cards on how far his transformation has come.

Scattered throughout are extremely comical adventures Phil takes as he tries to discover why he's "stuck" and what he can or should do about it. From turning criminal, to learning the piano, to speaking another language, the adventures make you laugh throughout, and by the end, Phil makes the entire story plausible (if not believable) and becomes a very sympathetic character who you can't help but like.

Very fun, funny, and ultimately heartwarming. I definitely recommend watching this if you get the chance. You won't regret it.

(All images are from the movie Groundhog Day released by Columbia Pictures)

Posted using CineTV