Groundhog Day (1993) *****

Groundhog DayA delightful romantic comedy at its surface, Groundhog Day is one of these rare movies that allows different audiences to enjoy the film on various levels of depth and perspective. For viewers with spiritual aspiration, the film speaks volume as a metaphor for the concept of samsara and the cycle of birth, life, death and rebirth. For a religion-drive audience, the film carries the spirit of selfless giving; a version of Christmas’ Scrooge. And for the romantics, well, there is also a lesson about the essence of true love. But regardless, the lessons the egocentric and arrogant Weatherman Phil Connors (played wonderfully by Bill Murray) learns, require no spiritual or religious affiliations. As with most paths, the lessons lead to a living-the-now conclusion as a way for salvation. The rather simple story contains a lot of small funny anecdotes and commentary, making repeated viewings every several years much fun. Ultimately Groundhog Day is a fun film with a serious message, that director Harold Ramis manages to serve without overburdening its lightness.