101 Reasons (One Per Minute) To Love “Groundhog Day”

Groundhog Day is exactly 101 minutes long. Because I love reliving it, a la Phil Connors, as much as any movie out there, I figured I’d whip up the blog equivalent of a “commentary track” of 101 reasons why I love the film (roughly one per minute). That way all of you Groundhog Day fans out there can relive the classic fantasy comedy on Groundhog Day as well, regardless if you are at work or in Punxsutawney for the official festivities.

101 Things I Love About Groundhog Day

1. Because having Bill Murray as my weatherman would’ve been way cooler than the stiff I grew up watching. Sorry, Tom Dye.

2. You gotta love that Murray, given the state of his hair in the movie, has the guts to call a chick “hairdo.”

3. Chris Elliot and Willie Garson (Stanford Blatch in Sex in the City) appear in the flick. The next and to my knowledge only other time they both appear in a major motion picture is There’s Something About Mary. This combo is a formula for a guaranteed hit.

4. That the movie survived Andie MacDowell, hell, made her look almost like an adequate romantic lead. Murray pulled off one of the all time carry jobs in this one.

5. The movie also survived the wretched “Weatherman” track by Delbert McClinton. Harold Ramis, you damn near ruined your own masterpiece by co-penning that tune.

6. People like blood sausage? Well, people like Jersey Shore 17 years later. Maybe Phil was right — maybe people are idiots?

7. That Murray can turn a mundane convo about hotel lodging into a one-actor highlight reel many of us can quote by heart.

8. Marrying “I Got You Babe” to a 6:00 AM alarm. Is a more annoying combination even possible?

9. The Morning Show. That’s right, woodchuck chuckers.

10. The dimwitted Bread and Breakfast owner.

11. Stephen Toblowsky, aka “Needle Nose” Ned Ryerson. Toblowsky and his whistling belly button stole the show. Plus, he’s just an awesome guy as evidenced here, worshiping Greta Garbo, and here, providing a podcast commentary for the film.

12. “Watch out for that first step, it’s a doozy.”

13. The Pennsylvania Polka. Punxsutawney knows how to party.

14. Brian Doyle-Murray, Bill’s real-life bro, is the mayor. Keep it in da fam, baby!

15. Six more weeks of Winter. That quote serves as great foreshadowing for the longest personal season in the history of cinema.

16. The upside-down “Blizzard” sign.

17. Gobbler’s Knob. Holy sexual innuendo — is that a real place? Turns out it is.

18. That Murray has to ponder whether he wants to freeze to death or go back to Punxsutawney.

19. “Is it snowing in space.” We’ve all given phone customer service representatives the sarcasm treatment.

20. The black bartender who never really speaks but actually says a ton. I’m pretty sure they keep using the same shot over and over again of him shaking his head.

21. The “Hustler” name drop. The staple of every sleezeball’s magazine rack.

22. The “Don’t mess with me, Pork Chop” scene. Tubby had to think Phil Connors was absolutely insane.

23. “Do you ever have déjà vu.” Pretty sure that isn’t some fancy French dish, lady. No need to check with the kitchen.

24. That sitting here watching this, I realize the film is one of those Back to the Future movies. A special, rare, innovative classic which we will never see the likes of again.

25. The bad early 90s style mixed with small-town style. The movie is so good you almost overlook it, and it kinda adds to the nostalgia.

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