Groundhog Day had its theatrical release in the United States thirty years ago as I write. It stars Bill Murray, Andy MacDowell and was directed by Harold Ramis. It was the last time Ramis and Murray worked together on a film after many collaborations and also marked a change in career direction for both. Although in my review of Lost in Translation I suggested that Wes Anderson’s Rushmore marked the dramatic turn for Murray’s career, it can also be seen within this film. Upon re-watching it recently, it is certainly something of a hybrid and although filmed and released in the early 1990s, it could still almost pass as one from the late 1980s. It was a commercial and critical hit upon release but has since endured and remained a popular film and I consider it the best film both Murray and Ramis have ever done. Considering both began their film careers with crass comedies like Caddyshack and Stripes — this perhaps isn’t so impressive in hindsight.
The film has been endlessly discussed and studied since and as with Blade Runner, I don’t expect to be very original in what follows. It has also been influential in what is known as the time-loop genre and I’ve previously discussed Edge of Tomorrow which has a similar premise though it is a sci-fi/action film.
The Analects of Confucius translated by Simon Leys