On the face of it, Groundhog Day is your classic time loop romantic comedy, and if that's all it was, it would still be a great one. At this point there are so many time-loop movies; that time-loop sub genres have become appropriate, with time-loop sci-fi, adventure, horror all having a handful of entries to legitimatise an ultimately pointless categorisation exercise. As far as I know though, Groundhog day (and perhaps an episode of Star Trek: The Next Generation) is where this plot device gained popular appeal.
Like many, I saw this film dozens of times growing up, and it has never really gotten old. It's just the sort of great fun that appeals to people of all ages anywhere. The story of a man forced to endlessly relive the same 24 hours over and over again inspires people's imaginations so well, it almost distracts from what I now look at as the "real movie" underneath this wonderful plot edifice.
The first time I watched it as an adult, the allegory became much more obvious. A time loop is just a life poorly lived. Monotonous, without achievement, without penalty or purpose. I don't think any greater analysis than this is required to bring to light the brilliance of the movie.
The main character, Phil Connors, is a selfish, self-centred and cynical man who is doomed to repeat the same mundane day over and over until he learns to see more in life and in others. He begins, as many of us do, thinking only of himself and how he can exploit his scenario for short lived pleasures that ultimately result in nothing.
Only when embracing a higher ideal for himself does he begin to actually find a home for himself in the monotony, and ultimately break free of it. With this point of view in mind the incredible detail and nuance of the supporting acts and storylines begins to shine. Each moment of his day is an idea to be explored and considered by those of us trapped in our own time loops. I think I could watch this film a hundred more times, and even when I no longer notice something new about it, the warmth of the underlying message would still grant it a special place in cinema history for me.
Very few films are this good, Groundhog day is actually two films that are this good. I'd call it a perfect movie.
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