Groundhog Day’s Best Theory Makes The Happy Ending A Curse
One of the most interesting theories about Groundhog Day actually repaints the movie's ending as far less happy than it otherwise seems. Harold Ramis' 1993 comedy classic Groundhog Day popularized a strangely specific and interesting concept: the use of a time loop as the basis for a romantic comedy. Groundhog Day stars Bill Murray as Phil Connors, a self-centered and cynical weatherman who finds himself repeating the same day over and over in the small town of Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania. A truly iconic film, Groundhog Day has been parodied time and again in the years since its release.
Much of Groundhog Day's story concerns Phil's clumsy attempts to romance Rita (Andie MacDowell) and his efforts to make his place in the time loop more bearable. A great deal of comedy is derived from the monotony and how it affects Phil, with the journey of self-discovery he embarks upon one of the movie's central narrative veins. The idea that the time loop helps Phil to better understand himself and his place within the world is the driving force behind Groundhog Day's story, although there are still mysteries as to the exact nature of the loop in which he becomes trapped.
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One theory first posted to Reddit assigns greater importance to one of Groundhog Day's supporting characters — Ned Ryerson (Stephen Tobolowsky), the insurance salesman Phil is seen repeatedly brushing off in the loop. Groundhog Day's status as one of the best romantic comedies of all time means that occasionally, the depth of its fantastical element — the time loop — is overlooked. The theory goes that Ned Ryerson is actually the embodiment of the Devil, and that he deliberately traps Phil in the time loop as a
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