How does someone make meaning out of their life? When does life have meaning? In the film Groundhogs Day, the main character Phil Grapples answers these questions after reliving the same day over and over again. At the beginning of the film, Phil can be described as a very self-centered person. However, by the end of the film he has been changed into a completely different person.
Phil has been given the chance to make meaning out of his life by reliving the same day over and over again. At first he spent all of his time doing all the things he wanted to do. He would ask people questions which would give him an advantage the next day. He used this in an attempt to get his co-worker to fall in love with him. He would do everything each day until he got it right, but he never was able to. Eventually Phil couldn't take it anymore. He thought that the only way to stop reliving the same day was to kill himself. He tried many times only to end up waking up in the same bed on the same day. Tired of attempting to stop the inevitable, he began to get to know the people around him.
It wasn't until he spent some time to get to know this elderly homeless man that Phil learned what the meaning of life was. He walked past this man everyday acting like he had nothing to offer when he actually had plenty to spare. Phil finally decided to not give the man money, but to treat him to a large dinner. The elderly man ended up in the hospital after and passed away. The next day Phil attempted to save the man's life by giving him mouth to mouth. It was no hope though. You can't stop death. Phil took this pretty hard and began using his gift to help others. It didn't matter what it was Phil was ready to help. He saved a little boy falling out of a tree, helped a car full of elderly women when their tire went flat, and saved the mayor when he was choking on his dinner.
Phil woke up the next morning for the first time with it not being groundhog's day. It wasn't until he learned that life was all about helping others and being kind towards others. Reliving the same day changed Phil's life for the better. He had a new appreciation for life and was willing to put other's needs before his own.
