Groundhog Day

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Groundhog Day
Rated: PG

This is a movie I rediscovered; one with fond memories attached from my young adult hood. I had been looking for it to rent in our local movie store, but could not find it (apparently it wasn’t popular enough to keep on the shelves), so when I found it for sale on the cheap rack of a department store, I simply could not resist.

My kids ended up LOVING it, which I think surprised all of us.

This charming story stars Bill Murray as a completely self absorbed weather man who finds himself in Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania on Groundhogs Day, forced to do what he deems a task unworthy of his superior self…reporting on the rodent. A severe storm traps him, his producer and cameraman in the little town, and he wakens the next morning to find its Groundhog’s Day…again. Day after day after day he relives the same thing. The great part is that although it is the same in every other way, the results of that day are ultimately up to him.

At first, he does anything he wants (like stealing hoards of money and showing up at the movies dressed like Clint Eastwood), because there are no consequences. Then he tries to maximize the knowledge he is gaining by manipulating those around him…even methodically hitting on his producer played my Andie MacDowell. Eventually he tries several ways to end it permanently (none of which actually work), and finally realizes the more he makes himself a better person and focuses on others, the less miserable this existence is. It always makes me think…what would I do with unlimited time?

Favorite part:

There is this one part, when he is in the “try- to- end- it mode”, that he kidnaps Punxsutawney Phil (the famed groundhog) and leads the local law enforcement and his own camera crew on a long chase that ends in a drive over the edge of a precipice . Okay, that’s not funny in and of itself (although they do a terrific job of not making it really horrifying or anything), but the conversation he has with the rodent in the truck is. He calmly states to the chattering abductee who is draped over the steering wheel “ Don’t drive angry. Never drive angry.”

I also like the part when he’s in self improvement mode and offers the local piano teacher $1000 for a lesson despite the fact she already has someone there. The next thing you see is this little girl being shoved unceremoniously out of the house with the door slamming behind her. I’ve been a piano teacher and I would TOTALLY do that.

Something appropriate to nosh on:

"Punxsutawney" Popcorn
(from my wonderful and beautiful Aunt Angela...who isn't as old as you'd think)

2 bags microwave popcorn, popped (remove unpopped kernels)
1 1/2 c. brown sugar
1/4 to 1/2 c. light karo syrup
3/4 t. salt
3/4 c. butter, cut into chunks
3/4 t. baking soda
1 1/2 t. vanilla

Mix sugar, syrup, salt and butter. Microwave on high for 2 minutes, stir, repeat. Add soda and vanilla, then stir into popped popcorn.