By Eden Lozano
Do you ever feel like you’re reliving the same day over and over?
“Groundhog Day” is a 1993 sci-fi romantic comedy that follows Phil (Bill Murray) as he’s stuck in a time loop, forced to relive the exact same day.
The film is directed by Harold Ramis and written by both Ramis and Danny Rubin.
As expected by the title, the film takes place on Groundhog Day. Phil finds himself trapped in the small town of Punxsutawney, Philadelphia, where the Groundhog Day ceremony takes place every year. Phil, a news anchor and weatherman, is assigned to cover the event, much to his displeasure. After a half-hearted report, and several failed social interactions, the sour-faced weatherman returns to his hotel for the night.
The next day, Phil realizes that he is reliving the same day when events repeat themselves. He tries to escape the loop, gives up, messes around with the townsfolk – and eventually, Phil tries to sleep with his new co-worker, Rita (Andie MacDowell), but she refuses. The weatherman tries to seduce her over many, many attempts to no avail; Phil gradually starts to change as a person and realizes that his actions have meaning regardless of whether the day resets or not. He starts to help the other townsfolk, learns all about them, and becomes a more openhearted man.
By the end of the film, Phil finally confides in Rita, and she promises to stay with him. The next day, Phil wakes up to a whole new day with Rita by his side.
Do you ever feel like you’re reliving the same day over and over?
“Palm Springs” is a 2020 sci-fi romantic comedy that follows Nyles (Andy Samberg) as he’s stuck in a time loop, forced to relive the exact same day.
The film is directed by Max Barbakow with a screenplay by Andy Siara.
The film takes place in sunny California at a wedding, where the bride’s half-sister Sarah (Cristin Millioti) meets Nyles. Nyles’ careless, free-spirited attitude leads to the pair spending the night together – until Nyles is attacked by a masked man (J.K. Simmons), which leads to Sarah following Nyles into a mysterious cave where she is brought into the time loop with him. Sarah quickly discovers that Nyles has been trapped in the time loop for quite some time with only the attacker – Roy, who also stumbled into the cave due to Nyles’ recklessness – as company. Sarah initially tries to escape the loop, but she eventually decides to embrace the freedom and lack of consequences. However, after she falls for Nyles, Sarah becomes determined to leave because – in a plot twist – we discover that Sarah slept with her sister’s soon-to-be husband the night before the wedding. Sarah’s guilt and Nyles’ blasé attitude clash. After some time apart, the pair reconcile and, with Sarah’s newfound understanding of how to escape the time loop, they leave the loop together.
Both “Groundhog Day” and “Palm Springs” are funny, philosophical, and romantic takes on the theoretical effects of a time loop on a person. However, if I were to compare the two, I would say that “Groundhog Day” is certainly more philosophical in nature. Both films play into the comedic aspects, of course, but Ramis’ 1993 film has a touch more sincerity with its understated humor.
On the other hand, I think the romantic aspect is executed far better in “Palm Springs.” As much as I enjoyed “Groundhog Day,” the relationship between Rita and Phil felt somewhat unrealistic in nature – partially because Rita doesn’t know about Phil’s plight, nor does she share his memories of the many time loops they shared together. It’s especially heinous to see Phil and Rita get together because, even after his complete change of heart, it’s hard to forget the montage that showcases an angry Rita slapping Phil over and over and over again in each attempt he makes to sleep with her throughout the loops. Sarah and Nyles were far more fleshed out and had a more reasonable ending. Sarah as a character was also more layered because the audience is allowed to spend more time with her outside of when she crosses Nyles’ path. We see her take charge of her own fate, and despite her feelings for Nyles, she promises him that she will leave whether he decides to join her or not. The story doesn’t necessarily rely on Nyles getting the girl or Sarah choosing him; she gets to make that decision for herself, and it’s Nyles who has to choose whether to go back into the real world or stay with Sarah.
“Groundhog Day” was originally written in the middle of the story with Phil already in the time loop, though writers Harold Ramis and Danny Rubin adjusted the script to start at the beginning of Phil’s journey after a producer expressed interest in seeing his initial reactions to the time loop. Similarly, “Palm Springs” finds the Nyles already stuck in his time loop, having made a weird, almost-peace with his circumstances – it is only through Sarah’s character that the audience gets the similar effect of experiencing the loop for the first time.
I think time loop movies are a fun and fascinating way to explore philosophical questions regarding mortality and what it takes to become a better person. Unfortunately, I’m not sure many will ever perform as well as Ramis’ or Barbakow’s films. They both take place in very intimate settings – a small, snowed-in town and a wedding – to really hone in on their characters.
I give both “Groundhog Day” and “Palm Springs” four out of five stars.