Psycological View of the Movie Groundhog Day
The objective of this paper is to explain the psychological view of the movie, Groundhog Day. The main character of the film is Bill Murray and is directed by Harold Ramis and released in 1993. The movie takes place in the small town of Punxsatawney during the winter season. Although the movie has a very powerful message, I did not like it. Phil (Bill Murray), a weather man for an American TV station, is sent to Punxsatawney to cover a local Groundhog Day ceremony. The very skeptical weatherman regretfully accepts the assignment and travel to the town. Once he makes his report he proceeds to his hotel and goes to bed looking forward to returning home the next day. In an effort to leave the town and any memories relating to the town the weatherman is forced to stay another night due to a snowstorm. After awakening the next morning Phil realizes that it is still Groundhog Day, again and again. After living one day over and over again, Phil meets two drunken guys at a bar. These two guys enlighten Phil on the idea that living the same day over and over would give him a chance to do all the things he ever wanted to do without any consequences. After days of appalling behavior, Phil finally realizes that even those acts will not take away the terrible reality that he seems to never progress in life. He then tries to kill himself, which does not work either.
A dramatic twist in the movie happens during a recurring report. The name of the groundhog (Phil), carved in wood, appeared directly about Phil’s, the weatherman, head. This scene seemed to be showing the fact that the weatherman is living a shadow of himself just as the groundhog. The shadow is a way for Phil to see himself a hopefully make a difference.
These recurring events bring upon love for Phil and his anchor lady, Rita. He eventually tells her about the returning life events and they decide that she would spend the entire day with him to be an “objective witness”. They fall asleep