Déjà vécu

Groundhog Day

(1993)

Look, I could make a detailed case (or at least I could if I were sober) for what makes this a genuinely great film--the emotional impact dependent on a meticulously conceived and executed structure, Phil progressing from puerile irresponsibility to cynical exploitation to despair to resignation to acceptance to embrace of the opportunity to better himself, first superficially, then genuinely--but the fact is I own a lot of genuinely great films that I don't watch annually, and I watch this one on or about Groundhog Day every year not because it's great (though that certainly reimpresses itself on me every time) but because it just throws my soul into the washing machine and cleanses it in my own happy tears. Maybe I could survive a February w/out Groundhog Day,but why would I be silly enough to try?