Groundhog Day is one of those movies that is redone every so often with a fresh take. What seems like a simple concept is, in fact, not. The movie itself focuses on what someone would do if there were no consequences for their actions. It follows Bill Murray’s character as he goes through the same day over and over again and does different things. After living many unsatisfying days, he realizes that he wants more and helps everyone around him. This eventually ends the cycle. The large part of this movie focuses on the importance of positive actions and how they affect others. It asks the question of how someone would live their life if they thought about every second of every day and the consequences that their actions would have. That is why I really like this movie, because it is much deeper when you look into the meaning of it.  

I often think that people spend too much time looking ahead to what’s next and just brush past what’s happening in the moment. It is important to think about your actions, but it is also very important to realize that what is happening now may affect those around you and even yourself dramatically. Because of this, it is important for people to think more in the moment instead of ten minutes ahead. This directly correlates to living a civic life. A civic life is one that has a positive effect on the community, a meaningful one. One that does not only benefit the person, but also the people in the community who live with the person. As we see Bill Murray’s character run rampant across a town, we can see how important one person’s actions are on the lives of countless others. He successfully leaves the dreaded time loop only when he makes positive change. Does this mean that the people who made the movie are trying to say that living a civic life is someone’s most important job?  

I think that living in the moment and mindfulness are often overlooked, and so I think that this movie really highlights the importance of it. It makes you think what would I do if I were stuck in this same day over and over again? How would I act? How would I treat those around me? Although I would like to think I would do the right thing, it is hard to know what would happen after a while. One thing I do know is that it is important to treat others how you would want to be treated. How Bill Murray’s character treats other characters throughout the movie plays a large part in the movie and the plot. The world is forever changed by each action each person takes, and those who think they do not matter are often those who make a bigger impact. Being mindful of one’s surroundings can be the key to a positive life, and I think that’s what the movie does best. It puts each day in perspective. Each day is special, and we should live it as such.