Lesson 1

[Timothy Hicks]

Subject: Timothy’s Analysis of Groundhog Day

———————QUESTIONS FOR THE MOVIE——————-
We are looking at this movie from the perspective of the change that occurs for the lead character and the audience.
1. What is the CHANGE this movie is about? What is the Transformational Journey of this movie?
Bill Murray changes from focusing inward to focusing outward and becoming compassionate about others.

2. Lead characters:
o Who is the Change Agent (the one causing the change) and what makes this the right character to cause the change?
The time loop – it forces Bill Murray to repeat each day until he sees himself as
he truly is.
o
o Who is the Transformable Character (the one who makes the change) and what makes them the right character to deliver this profound journey?
o Bill Murray – because he is such a negative, unlikeable person who acts the way we might like sometimes, he has so far to go the change is so grand it is easily seen when he becomes who he should.
o What is the Oppression?
o Loss of Control – Bill Murray has no control over his life at first as he keeps repeating the same mistakes and getting further and further than he started out.

3. How are we lured into the profound journey? What causes us to connect with this story?
We have all had horrible days we wish we could change. Murray tries to make small changes but they are not enough.
4. Looking at the character(s) who are changed the most, what is the profound journey? From “old ways” to “new way of being.” Identify their old way: Identify their new way at the conclusion:
Murray changes the most. He has to or keep repeating the suffering he has gone through. Old way – Narcissistic, mean. New Way – kind, compassionate, wants to help others.
But, also, Andi McDowell because Old – loathes Murray at the beginning New – sees Murray as someone she could like and care for.
5. What is the gradient the change? What steps did the Transformational Character go through as they were changing?
Gradient – making small changes to learn new skill sets and improving, helps Murray to learn to like himself. He seems to dislike himself and only live for his own pleasure at the beginning.

6. How is the “old way” challenged? What beliefs are challenged that cause a main character to shift their perspective…and make the change?
Challenge is continuing as he was keeps Murray repeating the day. As he begins to change, he finds out being nice isn’t all bad, and he likes the positive feedback he gets from others.

7. What are the most profound moments of the movie?

When Murray finds he cares about Andi McDowell and he says it was the best day of his life. Before, it was a wild night with a Brazilian model.
8. What are the most profound lines of the movie?
For me, when he tells the nurse after the old man died that e tried to save, ‘Not any more. Things will not keep going the same way.’
9. How does the ending payoff the setups of this movie?
Murray hates Punxsutawney and can’t wait to leave. By the ending, he is ready to stay together with And McDowell. He ahs found peace in his life at last.

10. What is the Profound Truth of this movie?
Life is what you make of it, and not what you get out of it, but rather what you can put into it. When you go in with a negative attitude, it colors your perception of everything around you. Once Murray found helping others brought him joy, others responded in a positive way in turn.

• This reply was modified 3 days, 6 hours ago by  Timothy Hicks. Reason: Markup embolded all text

[Buckley Hubbard]

Buckley's Analysis of Groundhog Day

What I learned doing this assignment is The Profound Model. This is my first time seeing the ‘envelope’ structure, and I DIG it! … And, I learned it’s kinda hard to separate out the profound elements from the character arc.

1. What is the CHANGE this movie is about? What is the Transformational Journey of this movie? 



Selfishness vs. serving others.


2. Lead characters:
• Who is the Change Agent (the one causing the change) and what makes this the right character to cause the change?



Groundhog Day, itself.
 (Or Rita, because she's the 'object' of his desire and utterly unconquerable.)

• Who is the Transformable Character (the one who makes the change) and what makes them the right character to deliver this profound journey?



Phil, because he’s the one experiencing the “change agent.”


•. What is the Oppression?



Groundhog Day keeps repeating.


3. How are we lured into the profound journey? What causes us to connect with this story?



We relate with Phil, because we’re as weirded out as he is. We experience intrigue as we wonder how or why this repeated day is happening and how Bill can escape it, as well as what creative things we might do to take advantage of the situation.


4. Looking at the character(s) who are changed the most, what is the profound journey? From “old ways” to “new way of being.” Identify their old way: Identify their new way at the conclusion:



Phil’s profound journey is the journey from his “Old Way” of self-serving to his “New Way” of serving others.


5. What is the gradient of change? What steps did the Transformational Character go through as they were changing?



Gradient of change is to move from selfish and uncaring to selfless and serving others.
STEPS:

– Selfish & uncaring, dismissive to the point of insulting without remorse. Wants Rita for his own self-satisfaction.



– Starting with the blizzard keeping Phil in PA, and quickly climaxing with his least favorite day of the year repeating itself (for the first time) with NOBODY confirming for him that it’s all just a big hoax, the world seems to stop pandering to the prima donna. This slaps him out of his self-assuredness.



– With the broken pencil test, Phil confirms for himself that this is indeed really happening to him. Incredibly, Phil is even more dismissive of people now, because his reality has fractured. Yet while he’s gained some mastery of the new situation, evidenced by pushing Ned Ryerson, who “doesn’t matter”, away, he hasn’t completely come to terms with with the new state, as evidenced by his stepping into the pothole puddle for the third time. Also, he asks his producer to solve the time loop, because she’s a producer.



– Phil goes to the “professionals” to see if he’s got a mental or psychological problem that might be solvable… to no avail.



– Thanks to the philosopher-drunks, Phil begins to see his glass as half-full and gleefully begins to take advantage of the time loop, now that there are “no consequences”… and becomes even MORE dismissive of people, even kissing the B&B lady and punching Ned, really just for fun.



– Phil moves on to greater conquests; hooking up with Nancy, robbing an armored car, etc… and then the greatest challenge: “having” Rita. He collects personal information on her, sabotages the van, playacts genuine concern, etc., all lies, all to hone in on “the perfect day” with Rita, to bed her—taking his selfishness to an all new low.



– But no matter what Phil tries in his quest to conquer Rita, he fails over and over again (because, with his ulterior motive, it’s all disingenuous)… so he descends into hopelessness, dreading the repeated day, resentment, despondency, and, ultimately, self-destruction, starting with the destruction of the groundhog itself (haha).



– Endless failed attempts at ending the loop through suicide lead Phil to believe he’s a god, immortal. As he tries to prove it to Rita, he shares a laundry list of personal and meaningful details he knows about her life—and we get the sense as he does so that he’s actually, genuinely in love with Rita as he shares her life with her.
 


– When Phil predicts with perfect accuracy the exact words their cameraman is going to say, Rita begins to believe him. She spends the day with him as an objective witness, and Phil is FINALLY able to share what he’s going through with someone who will take him seriously. 



– Phil honestly admits that he actually is a jerk, and a genuine connection forms in this place of honesty as she feels compassion toward him for his real predicament. He shows he’s matured as he passes the time reading poetry as she falls asleep, awaiting the 6:00am alarm—and instead of trying to get her undressed, he pulls the covers over her so she’ll be more comfortable as she slumbers peacefully. “I think you’re the kindest, sweetest, prettiest person I’ve ever met in my life. I’ve never seen anyone that’s nicer to people than you are” …. And he kisses her. He’s enamored with her now, not because she’s “hot” but because of her character.



– Phil begins serving others because he wants to: Giving cash to the panhandler, taking coffee to his coworkers, asking Larry about himself out of genuine interest, and he looks genuinely happy… this behavior is genuine; it no longer hides selfish ulterior motives. He actually wants to help others for their sakes. Etc. – demonstrating this through blessing everyone he’s cursed throughout the movie (except Ned, haha). He’s also taking genuine interest in beauty and culture.



– Phil takes interest in an elderly homeless man who’s freezing to death. He dies. New Mission: Save the old man so he can see another day (beyond the loop), going so far as to even give mouth to mouth… to no avail. With a new appreciation for human life, he reports a very positive spin on the continued winter forecast by the groundhog. Then he saves a kid’s life—knowing he’ll receive no thanks from the kid—and we can see he’s going around saving lives repeatedly. Etc. 



– At his ice sculpture of Rita, Phil confesses, genuinely, that he doesn’t care what happens any more, because he’s happy now, simply because he loves her (for who she is, regardless of the fact that by now he must know he’ll never fully have his way with her). She tells him she’s happy too. They kiss, in genuine love.



– The alarm goes off, and SHE’S STILL THERE. “Is there anything I can do for you… today?”


6. How is the “old way” challenged? What beliefs are challenged that cause a main character to shift their perspective…and make the change?



Phil’s Old Way is challenged by not allowing him out of his loop until he fully embodies the New Way of service to others. It’s also challenged by the impossibility of “scoring” Rita: No matter how much he learns about her with his ulterior motive of bedding her, all his efforts are superficial because of his ulterior motive—and she is not a superficial woman.


7. What are the most profound moments of the movie?



Phil talking to Rita as she sleeps beside him, as they try to stay awake until 6am.


8. What are the most profound lines of the movie?



What would you do if you got stuck in one place, reliving the same day, and nothing you did mattered?



What if there were no tomorrow?



“The wretch, concentred all in self, living, shall forfeit fair renown, and doubly dying shall go down to the vile dust from whence he sprung, unwept, unhonored, and unsung.” – Sir Walter Scott



I could never love someone like you, Phil, because you’ll never love anyone but yourself.



I’ve killed myself so many times I don’t even exist any more.



I don’t deserve someone like you, but if I ever could, I swear I would love you for the rest of my life.



Is there anything I can do for you… today?


9. How does the ending payoff the setups of this movie?



The setup is that Phil is a complete jerk. The ending pays it off when he asks Rita what he can do for her.


10. What is the Profound Truth of this movie?



Serving others makes a better life. Selfishness keeps you in a cycle of self-serving pleasure seeking that is never-ending, can never be satisfied.