Groundhog Day posted by Ben

Warning: Personal Commentary

Roger Ebert writes about Groundhog Day that

[The] film that finds its note and purpose so precisely that its genius may not be immediately noticeable. It unfolds so inevitably, is so entertaining, so apparently effortless, that you have to stand back and slap yourself before you see how good it really is.

He also writes

Ramis and Rubin in an early draft had him living through 10,000 cycles... [The film] embodies a view of human growth that, at its heart, reflects the same spiritual view of existence Murray explored in his very personal project "The Razor's Edge." He is bound to the wheel of time, and destined to revolve until he earns his promotion to the next level.

It wasn't until I read those words and watched the film again (and again, and again) last night that I realized for myself how profound the film truly is. What particularly struck me was how a very simple concept -- a man wakes up to the same day every morning -- becomes a metaphor for human existence that works on a number of fascinating levels.

During prior viewings, I had connected Phil's (Bill Murray) journey with the stages of grief that Roy Scheider obsesses over in Bob Fosse's All That Jazz, from denial all the way through to acceptance. However, viewing the film through the filter of Buddhist reincarnation opened up a surprising series of revelations. The movie isn't just about grief, it is about life and how we as humans become wise. Certainly Bill Murray makes a journey from egocentric selfishness to an awareness of the world around him, but that awareness isn't just of the physical nature of things, but of their inner essence, or spirit.

Ebert comments that he learns to see Rita (Andie McDowell) for the angel who she is. But really, he sees that about everybody in the town. Those whom he initially mocked turn out to dimensional people with complex motivations, relationships, and dreams, including himself. By realizing the eternal, repetitive nature of existence (or the 1o,000 reincarnations) he learns to let go of the cynicism that keeps him from ever changing or growing. He begins to take risks. He reaches out to people. And like Scrooge McDuck in the classic Carl Barks adaptation of "The King of the Golden River," he learns the very moral lesson that doing good as a bribe, or to achieve one's own selfish satiation, does not lead to fulfillment.

Finally, Murray seems to have reached a state of enlightenment. He has made his first truly honest connection with somebody and had an incredible day. Then he wakes up the next morning. The cycle continues. And it turns out there is still one lesson left to learn, that some events cannot be changed and that eventually, death comes for everyone. Here is the final stage of growth, where Bill Murray must accept the world as it is. While he can do extraordinary deeds that radically improve the lives of those around him, he must also recognize his human limitations and find peace with them.

What particularly struck me, though, were these observations. First, that Bill Murray became wise through experience and openness to his limitations. Second, that once he realized that he had all the time in the world, the only thing left to do once he had satisfied his base impulses was to improve himself. To go out into the world and learn new skills and to use those skills to make the lives of those around him more joyful. That is perhaps the greatest risk that any of us can take with our lives, yet it is also quite probably the most rewarding. As an affirmation of the freedom we have been given to engage with the world around us and to joyfully improve it, the film was a revelation.

Since moving to Columbus, I have viewed my time here as temporary. I am passing through. I will be gone soon. Why bother getting to know people or making connections if I won't even be around in a few months? What the film brought home for me at 1 AM in the morning was that marking time waiting for a change that will arrive at some unknown point in the future is no way to live. And to look within for wisdom and growth is only to see oneself; it is the ultimate selfish act.

Maybe it's time to go outside and start living again.