Groundhog Day (film) - Plot

Plot

Sardonic, self-absorbed TV meteorologist Phil Connors (Murray), news producer Rita (MacDowell) and cameraman Larry (Elliott) from fictional Pittsburgh television station WPBH-TV9 travel to Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania, to cover the annual Groundhog Day festivities with Punxsutawney Phil. Having grown annoyed with the assignment, Phil grudgingly gives his sarcastic report and attempts to return to Pittsburgh when a blizzard shuts down the roads. Phil and his team are forced to return to Punxsutawney and stay in town overnight.

Phil wakes up to find that he is reliving February 2. The day plays out exactly as it did before, with no one else aware of the time loop, and only Phil aware of past events. He is initially confused, but when the phenomenon continues each subsequent day, he decides to take advantage of the situation: he learns the town's residents secrets, seduces women, plays pranks, overindulges in unhealthy foods, steals money, drives recklessly, and gets thrown in jail. However, his attempts to get closer to Rita repeatedly fail.

Eventually Phil tires of his excesses, becomes despondent and resorts to increasingly drastic measures to end the time loop; he gives ridiculous and offensive reports on the festival, abuses residents, eventually kidnaps Punxsutawney Phil and, after a car chase involving the police, drives into a quarry, evidently killing both himself and the groundhog. However, Phil wakes up again in his bed and finds that nothing has changed; further attempts at suicide are equally fruitless as he continues to find himself waking at six o'clock on the morning of February 2 with the clock radio on his nightstand playing "I Got You Babe" by Sonny & Cher.

When Phil explains the situation to Rita she suggests that he should work to improve himself. Inspired, Phil endeavors to try to learn more about Rita, building upon his knowledge of her and the town each day. He begins to use his by-now vast experience of the day to help as many people as possible. He also learns, among other things, to play piano at a professional level, ice sculpt expertly, and speak fluent French.

Eventually, Phil is able to befriend almost everyone he meets during the day. He uses his knowledge of that day's experiences to save lives, help townspeople, and to get closer to Rita. He crafts a report on the Groundhog Day celebration so eloquent that all the other stations turn their microphones to him and the surrounding crowd erupts in applause and cheers at the report's conclusion. After the evening dance, Rita and Phil retire together to Phil's room. He wakes the next morning and finds the time loop is broken; it is now February 3 and Rita is still with him. After going outside, Phil suggests to Rita that they move to Punxsutawney.