Editing Groundhog Day (film) (section)

==Legacy==
[[File:Prlaque of Movie(Groundhog day) Woodstock, IL.jpg|thumb|A floor-positioned plaque in [[Woodstock, Illinois]] commemorating the pothole Bill Murray's character steps in during ''Groundhog Day'']]
''Groundhog Day'' is considered one of the most beloved comedy films ever made, an all-time classic, and a pop culture touchstone.<ref name="Varietyat25" /><ref name="io9classic" /><ref name="EONlineTerm" /> In 2020, ''[[Paste (magazine)|Paste]]'' described it as having a "mythic, permanent pop cultural status reserved for few films."<ref name="PasteHit" /> The film's success made Ramis a credible comedy director, opening up more creative opportunities for him.<ref name="VarietyRamis" /><ref name="GuardianRamis" /> Over the rest of the 1990s, he would direct 1996's ''[[Multiplicity (film)|Multiplicity]]'' (also starring MacDowell), 1999's ''[[Analyze This]]'', and 2000's ''[[Bedazzled (2000 film)|Bedazzled]]''.<ref name="new yorker" /><ref name="GuardianRamis" /> ''Groundhog Day'' also showcased Murray's capabilities as an actor, changing perceptions of him as a comedian to a broad-ranged actor and credible romantic lead. His performance is seen as a transitioning point to later roles in serious films like ''[[Rushmore (film)|Rushmore]]'' (1998), his Academy Award-nominated performance in ''Lost in Translation'', and ''[[Moonrise Kingdom]]'' (2012).<ref name="TheGuardianDirectors" /> Rubin started a blog in 2007 that featured fictional conversations between himself and Phil Connors, who had since retired to live on a mountainside near [[Taos, New Mexico]]. Rubin taught screenwriting at [[Harvard University]] for several years.<ref name="VultureRubin" />

Its impact on Woodstock and Punxsutawney was lasting and significant. Since the film's release, Woodstock has hosted its own Groundhog Day festivals. These have included groundhog Woodstock Willie,<ref name="PennLive" /> screenings of the film, and walking tours of filming locations.<ref name="LocationHub" /> The town attracts approximately 1,000 tourists for its yearly event, which has featured appearances by Albert, Rubin, and Tobolowsky.<ref name="Varietyat25" /> Punxsutawney, which once drew only a few hundred visitors to its festival, has since attracted tens of thousands. The year following the film's release, over 35,000 people visited the town for Groundhog Day.<ref name="telegraph interview" /><ref name="Varietyat25" /> Residents appreciate the film's impact on the town, but assert that their focus remains on Punxsutawney Phil and the long-lived festival.<ref name="Varietyat25" /> In Woodstock, plaques are positioned at key locations used in the film, commemorating moments including Phil meeting Ned, the pothole in which Phil trips, and the town square pavilion where Phil and Rita share a dance.<ref name="PennLive" /><ref name="NWHeraldPlaque" />

As of 2016, Rubin continued to receive mail from fans, philosophers, and religious leaders; their content ranged from simple letters to sermons and dissertations. He has spoken of psychiatrists who recommend the film to their patients, and addicts who have told him that it helped them realize they were trapped in a repeating cycle of their own.<ref name="telegraph interview" /><ref name="VultureRubin" /> Some time after the film's release, Murray changed his opinion about it. He called it "probably the best work I've done," adding "and probably the best work Harold will ever do."<ref name="TheGuardianDirectors" />{{sfn|Gilbey|2004|p=86}} In 2018, Tobolowsky said "I think [Murray's] performance in ''Groundhog Day'' will stand as one of the greatest comedic performances of all time.... He is able to be both antagonist and protagonist at the same time in the same film. He’s everything that’s horrible and everything that’s wonderful.... I think it’s gonna stand up as long as films are made."<ref name="Varietyat25" /> The city of Chicago made a proclamation on February 2, 2024, as "Harold Ramis Day", in a ceremony joined by Murray, Ramis' widow Erica Mann Ramis, and other actors from the film.<ref name="abc7 ramis day" />

===Critical reassessment===
''Groundhog Day'' is considered one of the greatest films ever made.<ref name="Collider1993" /><ref name="NationalReview" /><ref name="RogerEbertGreat" /><ref name="Empire500" /><ref name="THRJun14" /> [[Rotten Tomatoes]] assesses a {{RT data|score}} approval rating from the aggregated reviews of {{RT data|count}} critics, with an average rating of {{RT data|average}}. The consensus reads, "Smart, sweet, and inventive, ''Groundhog Day'' highlights Murray's dramatic gifts while still leaving plenty of room for laughs."<ref name="RottenTomatoes" /> The film has a score of 72 out of 100 on [[Metacritic]] based on 15 critics, indicating "generally favorable reviews."<ref name="Metacritic" />

In 2004, ''[[The New Yorker]]'' called it Ramis's masterpiece.<ref name="new yorker" /> In 2005, as part of his ''[[The Great Movies]]'' series, Ebert raised his original score for the film from three stars to a full four stars.<ref name="bigthink rubin" /> In this updated review, Ebert said that he had underestimated the film and noted that Murray's performance was essential to making the film work.<ref name="VultureRubin" /><ref name="RogerEbertGreat" /> That same year, [[Jonah Goldberg]] called it one of the best films of the previous 40 years, positioning it alongside ''[[It's a Wonderful Life]]'' as one of America's most uplifting and timeless films.<ref name="NationalReview" /> In 2009, literary theorist [[Stanley Fish]] listed it as one of the ten best American films. He wrote, "The comedy and the philosophy (how shall one live?) do not sit side by side, but inhabit each other in a unity that is incredibly satisfying."<ref name="StanleyFish" /> It is listed in the 2013 film reference book ''[[1001 Movies You Must See Before You Die]]'', which says "...Bill Murray gives what may be the best and warmest performance of his career in this genius comedy—arguably the best of the 1990s{{nbsp}}..."{{sfn|Schneider|2013}} ''[[The Guardian]]'' attributes its lasting appeal to its use of a classic redemption arc like [[Ebenezer Scrooge]] in the 1843 novella ''[[A Christmas Carol]]'', and its refusal to explain why the loop occurs, making it less like a typical mainstream film.<ref name="TheGuardianDirectors" />

In 2000, the [[American Film Institute]] (AFI) ranked ''Groundhog Day'' number 34 on its [[AFI's 100 Years...100 Laughs|100 Years...100 Laughs]] list recognizing the best comedy films.<ref name="AFI2002" /> In 2005, the film's screenplay was listed as the twenty-seventh greatest screenplay of the preceding 75 years on the [[Writers Guild of America]]'s (WGA) 101 Greatest Screenplays list.<ref name="WGAGreatest1" /><ref name="WGAGreatest2" /> In a 2008 AFI poll of 1,500 industry members, ''Groundhog Day'' was ranked as the eighth-best fantasy film.<ref name="AFI1500" /><ref name="AFIGenre" /> That same year ''[[Empire (film magazine)|Empire]]'' listed the film 259th on its list of the 500 Greatest Movies of All Time.<ref name="Empire500" /> In 2014, a poll of 2,120 entertainment-industry members by ''The Hollywood Reporter'' ranked it the 63rd-best film of all time.<ref name="THRJun14" /> In 2015, the screenplay was listed as the third-funniest on the WGA's 101 Funniest Screenplays list, behind ''[[Some Like It Hot]]'' (1958) and ''[[Annie Hall]]'' (1977).<ref name="WGAFunniest1" /><ref name="WGAFunniest2" /> That same year, it was ranked the 71st-best American film by a BBC Culture poll of international film critics.<ref>{{cite news| work=BBC News| title=The 100 greatest American films |date=21 July 2015| access-date=7 January 2025| url=https://www.bbc.com/culture/article/20150720-the-100-greatest-american-films}}</ref> In 2017, the [[BBC]] polled 253 critics (118 female, 135 male) from across 52 countries on the funniest film made. ''Groundhog Day'' came fourth, behind ''Annie Hall'', ''[[Dr. Strangelove]]'' (1964), and ''Some Like It Hot''.<ref name="BBC253" />

Several publications have ranked it as one of the greatest comedy films of all time, including: number one by ''Empire'' (2019);<ref name="EmpireComedy" /> number five by ''[[Time Out (magazine)|Time Out]]'';<ref name="LegacyTimeOutRanking" /> number 10 by Rotten Tomatoes;<ref name="RT100" /> number 11 by ''[[IGN]]'';<ref name="IGNRAnking" /> number 18 by ''[[Paste (magazine)|Paste]]'';<ref name="PasteMagRank" /> number 23 by ''[[The Daily Telegraph]]'';<ref name="TelegraphMar17" /> and unranked by [[Film School Rejects]] and ''[[Vogue (magazine)|Vogue]]''.<ref name="FSRRanking" /><ref name="VogueRanking" /> Rotten Tomatoes also listed the film number 86 on its list of 200 essential movies to watch.<ref name="RT200" /> Similarly, it has been ranked as one of the greatest films of the 1990s, including: number 4 by [[IndieWire]];<ref name="90sIndieWire" /> number 5 by ''[[Slate (magazine)|Slate]]'';<ref name="Slate90s" /> number 11 by ''[[Rolling Stone]]'';<ref name="90sRollingStone" /> number 12 by ''[[ShortList]]'';<ref name="90sShortlist" /> number 15 by ''[[The A.V. Club]]'';<ref name="90sAVClub" /> number 28 by Rotten Tomatoes;<ref name="90sRottenTomatoes" /> number 41 by ''[[Slant Magazine]]'';<ref name="90sSlant" /> number 55 by the [[British Film Institute]];<ref name="BFI90s" /> and unranked by ''Time Out''.<ref name="90sTimeout" />

===Cultural impact===
[[File:Andiegroundhog.png|thumb|[[Andie MacDowell]] with a groundhog on Groundhog Day 2008]]
[[William Goldman]] in 1993 said "I think ''Groundhog Day'' is the one that will be—of all of the movies that came out this year, it's the one that will be remembered in 10 years."<ref name="bigthink rubin" /> The same year, Desson Thomson opined "''Groundhog'' will never be designated a national film treasure by the Library of Congress."<ref name="WashingtonPostRevHowe" /> In 2006, the film was selected by the United States [[Library of Congress]] to be preserved in the [[National Film Registry]] for being "culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant."<ref name="NationalFilmRegistry" />

Several filmmakers have spoken of their appreciation for ''Groundhog Day'' or cited it as an inspiration in their own careers, including [[David O. Russell]], [[Terry Jones]],<ref name="TheGuardianDirectors" /> and [[Jay Roach]]. Roach called it the film that "changed him."<ref name="new yorker" /> [[Gillian Wearing]] called it one of her favorite films, citing its unusual structure and intelligent philosophical message.<ref name="TheGuardianDirectors" /> The film's success helped to legitimize the use of fantasy in mainstream comedy films, laying the groundwork for future fantasy comedies such as ''[[Liar Liar]]'' (1997), ''[[The Truman Show]]'' (1998), and ''[[Click (2006 film)|Click]]'' (2006).<ref name="TheGuardianDirectors" />

The phrase "Groundhog Day" has become a common term to reference a repetitive, unpleasant, and monotonous situation.<ref name="TheGuardianDirectors" /><ref name="USTodayTerm" /> It is recognized by dictionaries under two definitions: the holiday itself, and "a situation in which events are or appear to be continually repeated."<ref name="Collins" /><ref name="LATimesDictionary" /><ref name="SlateTerm" /> The term's use is such that it has been defined as a cliché to refer to a situation in this way.<ref name="SlateTerm" /> It has been invoked (sometimes inaccurately) by singers, sports stars, comedians, actors, politicians,<ref name="EONlineTerm" /><ref name="BBCGroundhog" /> archbishops,{{sfn|Gilbey|2004|p=86}} and former [[Guantanamo Bay detention camp]] inmates.{{sfn|Slahi|2015|pp=237, 311}} Then-President [[Bill Clinton]] referenced the film in a 1996 speech to troops stationed in Bosnia.<ref name="LATimesClinton" /> The term was used during the 2020 [[COVID-19 pandemic]], to refer to the monotony of quarantine and isolation associated with attempts to stem the spread of the virus.<ref name="JEEPCovid" /><ref name="TheAtlanticCovid" />

The narrative concept of someone trapped in a repeating segment of time can be traced back to 1904, and is a popular trope, particularly in science-fiction.<ref name="VultureRubin" /><ref name="io9classic" /> ''Groundhog Day'' was responsible for popularizing the idea to the general public.<ref name="TheGuardianLoop" /><ref name="ViceLoop" /><ref name="TheTimesLoop" /> Time loops have since been used in [[List of films featuring time loops|several films]] (including ''[[Naken]]'' (2000), ''[[Source Code]]'' (2011), ''[[Edge of Tomorrow]]'' (2014), ''[[Happy Death Day]]'' (2017) and its [[Happy Death Day 2U|sequel]], and ''[[Palm Springs (2020 film)|Palm Springs]]'' (2020)),<ref name="TheGuardianLoop" /><ref name="TheRingerPalmSprings" /> television shows (including ''[[Russian Doll (TV series)|Russian Doll]]'',<ref name="TheGuardianLoop" /> ''[[Life Serial|Buffy the Vampire Slayer]]'', ''[[Time Bomb (Angel)|Angel]]'', and ''[[Monday (The X-Files)|The X-Files]]''),<ref name="ViceLoop" /> and video games (including ''[[The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask]]'', ''[[Outer Wilds]]'' and ''[[Deathloop]]'').<ref name="GI.bizOuterWilds" /><ref name="PolygonLoopVideogames" /> These narratives often involve a central flawed character who must evolve to escape their chronological imprisonment.<ref name="TheGuardianLoop" /> The influence of ''Groundhog Day'' is such that [[TV Tropes]] refers to this narrative arc as the "Groundhog Day Loop."<ref name="ViceLoop" /> Rubin noted that with his script, he "stumbled upon a story with all the makings of a classic, so simple and true that it could be retold many different ways by many different storytellers."<ref name="telegraph interview" /> It has been referenced across a range of media, including the 1998 novel ''[[About a Boy (novel)|About a Boy]]'',{{sfn|Gilbey|2004|p=7}} the music video for the [[Craig David]] song "[[7 Days (Craig David song)|7 Days]]," and the ''[[Doctor Who]]'' audio drama ''[[Flip-Flop (audio drama)|Flip-Flop]]'', that features a time loop on the planet Punxsutawnee.{{sfn|Gilbey|2004|p=85}} Writing for ''IGN'', Michael Swaim postulated that since ''Groundhog Day'' popularized the time loop narrative, it had increased in mainstream popularity in part due to the [[Flynn effect]]—a statement on the increasing [[Intelligence quotient|IQ]] of the population—that meant audiences could easily follow the more complex narratives, and the desire for nostalgia in the [[Postmodernity|postmodern era]] of the early 21st century.<ref name="IGN timeloop" />

On February 2, 2016, fans in [[Liverpool]], England, gathered to watch the film repeatedly for 24 hours.<ref name="BBCLIverpool" /> Since February{{nbsp}}2 that year (apart from 2017), [[Sky Cinema]] has played the film on repeat for 24 hours.<ref name="IndependentFilmLoop" /><ref name="DigitalFilmLoop" /><ref name="LoopHuffPo2021" /> In 2018, the New York [[Museum of Modern Art]] debuted a series of films chosen by polling 35 literary and religious scholars, which started with ''Groundhog Day''. There was conflict between the scholars as so many of them wanted to write about the film for the presentation.<ref name="NationalReview" />