Existentialism In The Film Groundhog Day

Ryan Adkins
9/20/17
PHI100
Film Analysis

Throughout the movie Groundhog Day there is various different themes of existentialism. The two major themes that stood out to me was his loss of identity and the loss of his sense of worth, that takes place throughout the film. When Phil made a realization that he is waking up on Groundhog Day every day, he begins to change his ways and become someone he isn’t. Such as running from the police officers while under the influence; or by stealing Punxsutawney Phil. He no longer had a specific personality, due to him reliving each day. He went from this lonely anchorman, to walking in front of a car or trying to electrocute himself. What made Phil lose his sense of self identity in the first place, was the fact that he noticed he did not have any responsibilities anymore; because he will just wake up the next day like yesterday never happened. So Phil just decided to do anything he wanted and be anything he wanted to be. The first theme that I found was Phil 's loss of self identity. He no longer had a specific personality, because he had been a different person every day. He was a bored, lonely weather anchor one day, and the next day he was a crazy lunatic running his truck off a cliff with Punxsutawney Phil riding shotgun. What made him lose his sense of self identity in the first place? It was the fact that he didn 't have any responsibilities anymore, so he could do and be anything he wanted to be. Phil grew wiser when he realized