GROUNDHOG DAY (1993)

What would you do if you stuck in a time? What if your every day is exactly the same day as yesterday? How about reliving the same day and its experiences every new day? No, it’s not the happiest day of your life that you chose but one which is most irritating and annoying one that keeps you hooked and trapped in the day which is your yesterday, today and tomorrow for ever!!!

It’s February 2nd the Groundhog Day where once in a year the eyes of this small northern hemisphere town turn to watch the master squirrel Punxsutawney Phil, the world’s most famous weatherman that as by legend can predict an early spring. Here is another Phil who is a TV News Weatherman on the spot to cover the moment with crew. Unfortunately he is stuck in the same day repeating the same morning, same events, same places, same human encounters so his every day ends up with same experiences getting repeated like déjà vu vacuum. Soon he starts manipulating his experiences and starts romancing with his lady producer too but it’s hard to win woman in a day and so he finally decides to commit suicide. But even that can’t work out and the next morning once again he wakes up to his 6’o clock radio alarm like an immortal soul cursed to live.

It’s amazing screenplay where fun comes from déjà vu flux! There’s romance, fun, fantasy, emotions, drama all keep rolling on platter from that and result is fine entertainment. Writer-Director Harold Ramis deserved praise for using terrific conceit and the one which left unexplained. The other strong reason is to watch irreplaceable act by Bill Murray in one of his memorable and the best screen performance. So far this is my second Murray film along with ‘Lost in Translation’ and I must say he’s one of those terrific actor who remains underrated one. “Don’t you keep open the lines for emergencies and celebrities? I’m both. I’m celebrity in an emergency,” he said once. See how from his sarcastic, egocentric attitude driven guy with all those tongue in cheek expressions he transformed into a genuine angel like fellow getting most adorable man of the town.

Comedy rarely so genuine and fantasy never so full of life!

Ratings-9/10